Frequently Asked Questions

You can receive financial aid in addition to your military student benefits. Military students are encouraged to apply for student financial aid to help offset the cost of education, because federal and state veterans benefits sometimes do not cover the entire cost of a college education.

When completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), veterans need to be aware of some special circumstances:

• Federal veteran education benefits do not affect financial aid eligibility and are not considered income for federal student aid purposes.
• State veteran education benefits are treated as a resource, not an income, for federal student aid purposes.
• Non-educational veteran benefits must be included on the FAFSA as untaxed income.
• Veteran status for student aid purposes is not necessarily the same as veteran status for VA purposes. National Guard and Reservists may not qualify automatically as independent students. Refer to the FAFSA instructions to determine if you qualify as a veteran for financial aid purposes.

In order to receive your VA benefits you must:

• Submit a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility to Military and Veteran Services.
• Submit an NIU Enrollment Certification Request online each semester after you have registered for classes.
• Submit the Request for Change of Program or Place of Training form to Military and Veteran Services if you have changed your major or program of study.
• You must verify your attendance each month you are enrolled in school. This will trigger your monthly payment. You can verify by phone at 877-823-2378 or online through Verify Your Enrollment. (Chapter 31, 33 and 35 students are exempt.)

Yes. If you are eligible for the GI Bill at the start of a semester, you will receive benefits for the entire semester.

The Department of Veterans Affairs does not maintain records of veterans’ military service, except as necessary for providing benefits from the VA.

To obtain or amend a copy of your military service record or your Official Military Personnel File (DD-214, OMPF), please visit the website for the Military Personnel Records Center (MPRC) in St. Louis, which is part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). If you have been discharged from military service, your personnel files are stored at NARA, the official repository for records of military personnel discharged from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard.

Get more information on the NARA website.

There are many different benefits. Please visit the VA education benefits website for details and links to the appropriate sources.

Properly submitted forms can be processed in as few as 90 days.

You can apply online. You can also visit the DeKalb County Veterans Assistance Commission for information or help with the process.

va.gov

Yes. Due to Illinois state law, any person using the Post-9/11 GI Bill will be granted in-state tuition rates.

Any NIU student who wishes to take courses outside the school using military benefits may do so after obtaining a parent letter. To receive the parent letter from Military and Veteran Services, the following steps must be completed:

1. Contact the NIU Registration and Records office.
2. Ask for a Transferability Request Form.
3. Present the Transferability Request Form to the Military and Veteran Services office.
4. Military and Veteran Services will then draft the parent letter.
   • The signed parent letter is given to the student to present to the appropriate school.
   • Note: Always check in with the financial and veterans office of the school the parent letter is addressed to, ensuring the benefits are applied.
   • The parent letter itself does not guarantee certification.

At the beginning of each semester, please stop by, call or email us to ensure that your Illinois Veteran Grant has been applied to your account.

veterans.illinois.gov

Unfortunately, no. Charges for non-credit programs offered by NIU Outreach are not based on university-wide tuition and fee calculations determined by the university and approved by its governing board. The Illinois Veteran Grant and Illinois National Guard Grant do not cover these charges.

• For non-credit programming, contact Continuing and Professional Education.
• For credit programming, contact the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office.

Yes. Please refer to grants and scholarships information.

Yes. Each branch of the Armed Forces offers a Tuition Assistance program for eligible active-duty, National Guard and Reserve members. Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% of the tuition expenses of its members, and each service sets its own eligibility criteria, application processes and restrictions. For details, visit the Department of War’s military Tuition Assistance page.

Service members planning to use military Tuition Assistance should speak with their Educational Services Officer or counselor within their military branch of service before enrolling at NIU. Tuition Assistance must be approved by your branch of service within 7 business days before the course start date, or you may be responsible for all tuition costs.

The NIU Enrollment Certification Request must be completed each semester of enrollment. Please submit your upcoming enrollment certification directly to the Military and Veteran Services office.

You must notify Military and Veteran Services if you change your enrollment. Changes of enrollment include adding, dropping or withdrawing from classes.

If you change your major or program of study, you must complete and submit the Request for Change of Program or Place of Training form to Military and Veteran Services.

If you are over the age of 21, you are not required to live in the residence halls.