Education Benefits

Required Documents to be turned into the Office of Military & Veteran Success:

• Military Transcripts: The VA requires all veterans to request their Joint Services Transcript (JST) or Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcripts. You may obtain those online and have them sent directly to Southeastern from the website: Joint Services Transcript or Community College of the Air Force. We will also keep a printed copy of these transcripts in our office to be placed in your file for future reference.

• DD 214– All military students must upload a copy to their application for admission  in order to have the application fee waived. 

• Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for any benefits you qualify for. This is obtained by applying on www.va.gov (explained above) and they will send a letter in the mail to your home.

• Veterans Certification Request Form– this must be submitted to our office prior to the start of every semester that you are enrolled. This form tells us everything we need to know about you and your benefits and gives us permission to process your benefits for that semester. Failure to submit this form will delay your payments. You may complete our Digital VCR form online and email the completed for to us, or you may come in to our office to complete the form on paper.

• Third Party Billing Form– This form is only required for students using Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill®, Chapter 31 (Veterans Readiness and Employment), or Federal Tuition Assistance (Army Ignited and AI Portal). You must complete this form in-person at the Controller’s Office prior to the start of every semester that you are enrolled.  The reason we require this form is to establish an agreement between the student and the school acknowledging that the school expects to receive payment from a third-party to cover all or part of your cost to attend. We can not bill for these payments until this form is completed.

• Veterans living in Louisiana using Chapter 33 (Post 9/11) GI Bill® benefits with less than 100% GI Bill® coverage and a VA service-connected disability may qualify for additional coverage of tuition and fees under Louisiana’s HB167.
  • For example, a disabled veteran who has Post 9/11 GI Bill® at the 70% rating would formerly be responsible for paying the remaining 30% cost of attendance. However, the new HB 167 instructs schools to waive the remainder of that cost for disabled veterans living in LA. Therefore, the entire 100% cost of attendance will be covered.

If you think you may qualify, please contact our office for more information and instructions on how to apply.

How to Apply for Chapter 33

• Go to the VA website, create an account through id.me or Login.gov, and complete the application for education benefits. The VA requires all students to complete the form online to ensure timely processing.
• Your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) will arrive by mail. Please provide our office
  with a copy as soon as possible, as we need this to confirm you are eligible to receive
  benefits. We must keep this on file while you are attending Southeastern Louisiana
  University.
  • You may also provide a copy of your Statement of Benefits from the VA website, which shows your GI Bill® percentage and months/days remaining.

How to Apply for Chapter 1606

• National Guard Only: Prior to applying for Chapter 1606 benefits, please be sure to contact Mr. Leonard Acker at [email protected] in order to confirm that you are eligible in the system. Once you get confirmation from Mr. Acker, proceed to Step 2 (applying).

• Go to the VA website, create an account through id.me or Login.gov, and complete the application for education benefits. The VA wants all veterans to complete the form online to ensure timely processing.

• Your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) will arrive by mail. Please provide our office with a copy as soon as possible, as we need this to confirm you are eligible to receive benefits. We must keep this on file while you are attending Southeastern Louisiana University.

How to Apply for Chapter 31 (VR&E)

• Go to the VA website, create an account through id.me or Login.gov, and complete the application for education benefits. The VA requires all veterans to complete the form online to ensure timely processing.

• The VA will then set up an appointment with your local VA vocational rehabilitation counselor to discuss your plans for future employment and the role that VR&E can play in helping you accomplish said goals.

• Once approved for VR&E, have your counselor reach out to [email protected] to establish communication and set up payments.

• The Air Force currently pays up to $250 per semester hour and $166 quarter hour ($4,500 annually), in off-duty courses with accredited schools who have signed the Department of Defense Memorandum of Understanding in pursuit of approved degree programs.
• All TA Funding Requests must be approved by supervisors, via the Air Force Virtual Education Center (AFVEC), and fall within the TA application window
  of 45 calendar days prior to, and no later than 7 calendar days before, the term start date. Any TA not “supervisor” approved by prescribed start dates will be auto-deleted and a notification sent to the prospective student.
• For more information, please visit the following site: Air Force TA You will need to obtain approval from your Education Services Officer (ESO) or military counselor prior to enrolling with these benefits.

• Marine Tuition Assistance (TA) is available for all active duty and active reserve
  Marines. Each member receives $4500 per fiscal year (1 Oct-30 Sep). There is a cap of $250 per semester hour, $166.67 per quarter hour, and $16.67 per clock hour.  Applications must be received at least two weeks prior to the start of the semester to receive proper approval. 
• Successful course completion will be defined as a grade of “C” or higher for undergraduate courses, a “B” or higher for graduate courses, and a “Pass” for “Pass/Fail” courses. Reimbursement will also be required for students who receive an “I” grade that is not completed within 6 months or the educational institutions’ deadline.  
• Fees for equipment, supplies, exams and costs associated with distance learning are no longer covered by TA.
• TA will be authorized for studies up to the master’s degree level. 

For more information, please contact your Force Education Office at [email protected] or by visiting the TA site.

National Guard members must meet the following requirements to be eligible:

• Must be an actively drilling member of the Louisiana National Guard (Army or Air Force),
• Must have your legal home of residence in the state of Louisiana
• Must be in good standing with the Louisiana National Guard (no flags for PT, Height and Weight, etc.),
• Must be seeking an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s Degree
• Must maintain good academic standing with school (2.0 or above- can not be on probation/suspension), and
• Must pay out of pocket for on-campus housing and meal plans
• This exemption is available to eligible students for up to 15 semesters or the receipt of the first degree, whichever comes first. A student who uses National Guard tuition exemption to cover a Bachelor’s degree may be eligible to extend usage to also cover a Master’s degree if they extend their enlistment contract by six years. Interested students should contact their National Guard unit to inquire about this option.

The VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” provides service members and veterans with the financial assistance they need to complete their educational goals without incurring excessive student loan debt. 

• To be eligible for this scholarship, students must be
  • citizens of the U.S.
  • be retired, honorably discharged, active duty, or a member of the National Guard or Reserve
  • have completed Basic Training and follow-on training (AIT, technical school, etc.)
  • separated with or currently hold a rank of E-5 or below
  • demonstrate a need for financial assistance
  • participate in, be accepted to or currently enrolled in a VA-approved program or school at an accredited post-secondary institution 
• Applications for the spring semester will be accepted August 1 through November 15
• Applications for the fall semester will be accepted January 1 through April 30.

• Students wishing to apply should visit the website: https://www.vfw.org/assistance/student-veterans-support
• This scholarship is restricted to tuition and fees only and will be paid directly to accredited schools.

Raymond P. Kowalski Scholarship in Nursing

Established by Dr. Ann K. Carruth

1. Must have a minimum of 30 hours of prerequisite coursework complete at Southeastern

2. Must be a nursing major

3. Must be accepted into clinical nursing courses

4. Must be a veteran, in active duty, or in the reserves of the armed forces, a dependent child of a veteran of the armed forces, or the spouse of a U.S. military service personnel

5. It is preferred that the student demonstrate family obligations

To apply for this scholarship, please submit an application here through the Southeastern Louisiana University Online Scholarship Portal. Applications for the 2024-2025 school year are due on April 5, 2024.

• The Army currently pays up to $250 per semester hour and $166 quarter hour ($4,500 annually), in off-duty courses with accredited schools who have signed the Department of Defense Memorandum of Understanding in pursuit of approved degree programs.
• All TA Funding Requests must be approved by the ESS for their region/state and be applied for within the TA application window of 60 calendar days prior to, and no later than 8 calendar days before, the term start date. The Army TA program will not reimburse students for courses taken. All requests must be received and approved in the Army Ignited system before classes begin each semester.
• For more information, please visit the following site: Army Ignited You will need to obtain approval from your Education Services Officer (ESO) or military counselor prior to enrolling with these benefits.
  • Step 1: Log in to Army Ignited with your CAC.
  • Step 2: In a separate window, complete the Career Path Decide questionnaire decision support to tool in order to establish a Career Path. Download the results to your computer and save them.
  • Step 3: Upload the results of your Career Path decide plan to the Army Ignited website in the “Career Path Decide” section.
  • Step 4: Create an “Education Goal” based on your Career Path decide results. You must wait for your education counselor in the Army Ignited system to approve your Education Goal.
  • Step 5: Once your Education Goal has been approved, you may “Request funding”. You must add each of the classes on your schedule to the request and then submit.
  • Step 6: Once your funding request has been approved, sign the document and download the PDF. Send the approved Tuition Assistance Request (TAR) to [email protected], along with your VCR form. You must also complete the Third Party billing form in the Controller’s Office.
• At any point in this process if you run into issues or have questions, promptly notify the Office of Military and Veteran Success so we may assist you. The funding request is extremely time-sensitive and should not be delayed.

• Submit Veteran’s Certification Request Form prior to the start of each semester.
• Provide an updated copy of your statement of benefits from www.va.gov (must be dated within 4 months of classes starting)
• Third Party Billing Form– must be completed in-person at the Controller’s Office prior to the start of each semester. We must have original ink-pen signatures on these forms. Digital signatures from a computer are not allowed.

• Submit Veteran’s Certification Request Form prior to the start of each semester.
• Maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA or higher in order to continue receiving benefits.
• If your ETS date falls within the semester timeframe, you must re-enlist to extend your contract past the end date of the semester. Otherwise, you will not be eligible to receive benefits.

• Submit Veteran’s Certification Request Form prior to the start of each semester.
• Maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA or higher in order to continue receiving benefits.
• The scholarship will be placed on your Workday account after tuition exemption has been applied. It will show up as an “Anticipated payment” in your Financial Aid summary, which will reduce your “due now” amount.

• Submit Veteran’s Certification Request Form prior to the start of each semester.
• Third Party Billing Form– must be completed in-person at the Controller’s Office prior to the start of each semester. We must have original ink-pen signatures on these forms.
• Add your classes to your respective education portal no earlier than 60 days before classes start and no later than 8 days before classes begin, and submit a funding request for those classes in the system.
  • Submit a copy of your approved funding request to the OMVS.

How to Apply

• Students who have had Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits transferred to them by a parent or spouse and are eligible to receive benefits must create their own account on the VA website and complete the application for benefits in order to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). The COE will come in the mail after a few weeks and a copy of this form must be turned in to the school.

• Each term, dependents using Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits must complete the following:

  • Veterans Certification Request Form – turn in to the OMVS via email or in person

  • Third Party Billing Form – must be completed in-person at the Controller’s Office prior to the start of each semester. We must have original ink-pen signatures on these forms.

How to Apply

• Students must go to the VA website, create their own account, and complete the application for benefits. Be prepared to enter the SSN of the service member you are related to.

• The VA will award benefits as appropriate and send you a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) in the mail. Bring or email us a copy of your COE as soon as possible.

• Each term, dependents using GI Bill® benefits must complete the following:

  • Veterans Certification Request Form – turn in to the OMVS by emailing [email protected] or visit our office in person.

How to Apply

• The Fry Scholarship provides education benefits to surviving spouses and children of service members who died in action.

• Students must go to the VA website, create their own account, and complete the application for benefits. Be prepared to enter the SSN of the service member you are related to. You will receive a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) in the mail and must provide a copy of the COE to our office.

• Each term, dependents using GI Bill® benefits must complete the following:

  • Veterans Certification Request Form – turn in to the OMVS by emailing [email protected] or by visiting us in person.

  • Third Party Billing Form – must be completed in-person at the Controller’s Office prior to the start of each semester. We must have original ink-pen signatures on these forms.

How to Apply

• Louisiana offers educational tuition and mandatory fee assistance to surviving spouses of deceased Veterans as well as children of Veterans rated with 90% or more service-connected disability. The application must be done in-person at your local LDVA VSO.

• Eligibility for Title 29 state educational benefits requires that veterans meet residency requirements under La. R.S. 29:288. View a list of documents that Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs will accept to show that the residency requirement has been met. Qualifying veterans are required to hold a Louisiana driver’s license for a minimum of 1 year directly leading up to their dependent applying for this tuition waiver.
• This is a tuition and mandatory fee waiver for four academic years of usage. This does not cover the cost of on-campus housing, meal plans, student government fees, technology fee, or on-campus parking.

• You must submit your original Certificate of Eligibility for Title 29 to the Office of Military and Veteran Success in order to use this waiver.

• Each term, dependents using GI Bill® benefits must complete the following:

  • Veterans Certification Request Form – turn in to the OMVS via email or in person.

• Children of veterans with a 10% or higher VA disability rating may qualify for up to $2500 per semester to pay for tuition, fees, and on-campus housing.
• Submit an application through Folds of Honor during the application window from February 1st – March 31st each year in order to be eligible for funding. Students must reapply each year to continue receiving benefits. 
• Folds of Honor scholarships will be paid directly to the school through the Office of Financial Aid.
• Students are required to complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) each year to remain eligible for Folds of Honor scholarships. 

The American Legion Legacy Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship designed to fulfill a financial gap remaining after all federal and state educational grants/scholarships available to an eligible applicant have been utilized. 

• Who is eligible?
  • Children of U.S. military members who died while on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001.
  • Children of post-9/11 veterans having been assigned a combined disability rating of 50 percent or greater by the Department of Veterans Affairs also qualify.
• What does it pay?
  • Each needs-based scholarship provides up to $20,000 for children of the fallen, and up to $5,000 for children of the disabled for undergraduate or post-graduate college. Recipients may reapply for additional annual awards up to six times.
• Apply January 1 to Wednesday, March 27, 2024 by visiting their website.

The My Career Advancement Account Scholarship is a workforce development program that provides up to $4,000 of tuition assistance to eligible military spouses. The scholarship assists military spouses in pursuit or maintenance of a license, certification or associate degree necessary to gain employment in an occupation or career field.

• Spouses of service members on active duty in pay grades E-1 to E-6, W-1 to W-2 and O-1 to O-3 who have successfully completed high school and have the ability to request tuition assistance while their military sponsor is on Title 10 military orders are eligible.
• Spouses married to members of the National Guard and reserves in these same pay grades are eligible.
• Spouses remain eligible for financial assistance if their sponsor is promoted above
  the eligible pay grades as long as the spouse has a previously approved education
  and training plan.
• Visit https://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa/ to see if you are eligible.