New Students
CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING ADMITTED TO TENNESSEE TECH!
We are excited to have you here. If you are planning on using VA benefits while attending
Tennessee Tech, you've come to the right place.
Applying for and receiving your VA benefits is a relatively simple process. Please follow the guidelines below to begin utilizing your benefits. If you need assistance at any point during the process, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are more than happy to help.
WINGS UP!
Step 1: Apply for Benefits with the VA
Whether you are a veteran or a dependent, you will need to complete an application use VA educational benefits. This is done through the Veterans Affairs website. It is a fairly straightforward application and should take about 15-20 minutes to complete. We recommend that you have your bank routing and account numbers handy because you can enroll in direct deposit within the application. You will not have to upload any documents during this process.
Please click on the button below to start your application at the US Department of Veterans Affairs website:
Apply for VA EducationAL Benefits
In the section where the application asks for the school's name and address, please use the following information:
Tennessee Technological University 805 Quadrangle Cookeville, TN 38505
After you have submitted your application, please save or print out the confirmation page and forward a copy to us at veterans@tntech.edu.
Your actual Certificate of Eligibility (COE) will take another 30 days or so to arrive in the mail.
You DO NOT have to wait to receive your Certificate of Eligibility before applying for admission to Tennessee Tech, talking to an advisor, or choosing your classes.
Step 2: Submit Initial Documents to Us
In approximately 30 days after applying to the VA, you should receive a document called the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) via regular mail. The VA may also send you a copy via e-mail.
Our office will need a copy of your COE as soon as you receive it.
In the meantime, please also submit your most recent DD-214 (disregard if you are still serving on active duty or are using dependent benefits).
If you are a Guard or Reserve member, we will also need a copy of your Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) as well as a copy of your enlistment educational kicker, if applicable. Check with your Unit Administrator to receive copies of these documents.
Once we have a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility and your DD-214, our office will not need anything else from you until you have registered for classes.
All documents can be e-mailed to veterans@tntech.edu. They may also be dropped off in person.
Step 3: Once you have registered for classes
Every semester, after you have registered for classes, you must complete two forms and submit them to our office in order for your VA educational benefits to be processed - the Certification Request Form (CRF) and the Deferment Request Form (DRF).
The Certification Request Form tells us which classes you will be taking so that we can certify those credit hours with the VA in order for them to pay for those classes. The Deferment Request Form is to defer any charges you may incur until the end of the term, because the VA can take some time to process the payments.
It is important to submit these forms in a timely manner to ensure that your benefits are not delayed. You can e-mail the completed forms to veterans@tntech.edu or drop them off in person.
You can find the fillable-PDF forms below:
CERTIFICATION REQUEST FORM DEFERMENT REQUEST FORM
Once these forms are received, your certifying official here at TN Tech will review your eligibility and ensure that the classes you've chosen are within VA guidelines. Please note that VA educational benefits will only cover courses required for your degree program.
You must report to all enrollment changes to our office immediately, including change in credits, course withdrawal, incomplete grades, and change of major and address. We are required to report these changes to the VA.
Step 4: Go To Class
We strongly recommend that you make every effort to not miss class. Please note that a failure for non-attendance must be reported to the VA and will result in a debt on your student account. If you feel as though you may be at risk to fail a course for academic reasons, please contact our office so that we may assist with resources here on campus.
Always notify our office if you make any changes to your schedule or degree program, as we are required to report them to the VA.
Note
MGIB-Active Duty (Chapter 30) and MGIB Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) beneficiaries must verify their enrollment on the last day of each month in which they are enrolled. This can be done by using the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) website at https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/index.do or calling the VA toll free Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone line at 1-877-VA-ECERT (1-877-823-2378).
