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Military & Veterans Benefits
If you have served our country as a part of the armed forces, you may be eligible to receive education benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Whether you have been released from active duty, currently serving on active duty, are in the National Guard or Reserves or are a spouse or dependent of a veteran, you may be eligible for these benefits. Cornerstone University also accepts up to 30 military credits to apply toward your degree completion.
Certifying Officials
Recognized as a Military Friendly School, the certifying officials at Cornerstone University look forward to assisting you in obtaining and using your benefits to help you meet your educational goals.
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- Primary School Certifying Official: Jana Lamberts
Steps to Receive Educational Benefits
01
Submit Proof of Service
To receive benefits at Cornerstone University, provide your enrollment counselor with a copy of your DD214 if honorably discharged or a copy of your DD220 Active Duty Report if still serving.
02
Complete the Cornerstone VA Authorization Form
Complete and send in your VA Authorization Form to CU no later than two weeks before you start your first course. This form notes the Veterans Educational Benefits you’ll receive and lets us know what benefits to certify. You must submit this form each semester you plan to use your education benefits.
03
Apply Online for Education Benefits
Use the Veterans Benefits Administration’s e-benefits portal to complete your application for benefits.
A notice will come stating the benefits for which you are eligible, called a Certificate of Eligibility, which must be submitted to your Certifying Official at Cornerstone when received. Those who qualify for chapter 1606 or 1607 will need to submit a Notice of Basic Eligibility to your Certifying Official at Cornerstone.
04
Receive Certification of Your Benefits
Your Cornerstone Certifying Official will certify your benefits according to your enrollment and billed cost of tuition and required fees. This certification communicates your enrollment and expenses to the VA so they can award your eligible benefits. Expect a two-week to 10-week time frame for all benefits to be received. Chapter 33 recipients will need to verify enrollment each month to receive housing benefit payments.
If you receive Chapter 30, 1606 or 1607, you must complete a Student Verification of Enrollment on the last day of the month or first day for the previous month. This is done through the W.A.V.E. portal.
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Receive Re-Certification of Your Benefits by Term
Your Cornerstone Certifying Official will certify your benefits by term or class in advance to ensure timely awarding of benefits. You must notify your Certifying Official of all enrollment changes as far in advance as possible. If you register for a class, drop a class or change programs, notify your Certifying Official immediately.
Resources
Forms for Veterans
- Authorization for Cornerstone Certifying Official to Certify Benefits Form: You must submit this form each semester that you wish to use your educational benefits.
- Transfer students need to submit the Change of Program/Place of Training form to our office. Service members use form 22-1995. Dependents of service members use form 22-5495.
- Enroll for Direct Deposit using form 22-0296.
- No-cost medical treatment may be available to Soldiers and Veterans who have been injured within the last three years through the Wounded Warrior Traumatic Brain Injury Project.
Applying for Education Benefits
After completing your application for Veterans Benefits, the VA will process your application and provide you with a Certificate of Eligibility. This certificate may take several weeks to receive from the VA. Chapter 33 beneficiaries are expected to check-in with the VA monthly in order to receive housing benefits in a timely manner. Once received, provide this certificate to Cornerstone’s VA Certifying Official. If you have previously used your veterans benefits at another institution or are advancing from a bachelor’s to a master’s program, you’ll need to submit the VA Request for Change of Program of Place of Training form. This form should be sent to both the Buffalo VA Regional Benefits Office and Cornerstone University. You can also complete the electronic 22-1995 form on the Department of Veteran Affairs website.
Benefits Paid to Student vs. Paid to Cornerstone
If you receive benefits paid directly to you (the student), you will be responsible to pay Cornerstone as described on the billing statement, following our semester due date. If you receive benefits paid directly to Cornerstone, an estimated VA benefit will be reflected on your tuition statement in the form of a scholarship. Doing this allows you to see an updated balance on your statement. Once payment is received on your behalf, the estimated scholarship will be removed from your financial aid.
Information on Veteran Benefits for SOAR™ Mobile-Only Students
SOAR™ students using military benefits will be handled slightly differently than traditional students because of the format of course registration.
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- For SOAR™ Mobile-Only students using Chapter 31, 33, 35, and 1606 benefits, your certification will initially be certified at 3 credits. At the end of the semester, your enrollment will be increased to indicate the number of credits actually completed. The VA will backpay you for any increase in housing allowance owed to you.
- For SOAR™ students using Tuition Assistance, it is recommended that you select 2 courses (6 credits) per semester on ArmyIgnited. This will allow you to use 18 credits in 1 academic year, which is your full benefit.
For additional questions about using military benefits as a SOAR™ Mobile-Only student please contact jana.lamberts@cornerstone.edu or go to https://cornerstone.edu/soar-tuition-and-aid.
Compliance Code 3679(E)
We, Cornerstone University, will permit any covered individual (a student who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or Chapter 33, Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits) to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the Student Financial Services Office a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 (a “certificate of eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Affairs’ (VA) website—eBenefits, or a VAF 28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes) and ending on the earlier of the following dates:
- The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution.
- 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility.
We will not impose to a covered individual any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries or other institutional facilities. We will not require that a covered individual borrow additional funds because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to Cornerstone due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under chapter 31 or 33.
More Resources for Veterans
- U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
- Montgomery G.I. Bill®: GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at benefits.va.gov/gibill.
- Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs: Our CU Online students in the Michigan Army or Air National Guard can apply for the Michigan National Guard and Air National Guard Grant.
- Federal Tuition Assistance: After being accepted and choosing a program at Cornerstone visit GoArmyEd.com. Create a login at GoArmyEd.com, choose your program and select Cornerstone University once in your account. Students will need to upload a course planner such as a program evaluation (can be found online or from your advisor). After approval from GoArmyEd log back into your GoArmyEd account to select the course you intend to take. Classes must be approved before the first day in GoArmyEd so make sure this process is started early.
- Visit the Veterans Services page to find out about all programs and services provided by the VA. Veterans of the United States armed forces may be eligible for a broad range of programs and services provided by the VA. Eligibility for most VA benefits is based upon discharge from active military service under conditions other than “dishonorable,” and certain benefits require service during wartime. If you are new to the VA, the Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors booklet will help you get started.
- Benefit Payment Rates: These rates are specifically for chapters 30, 1606, 1607 and 35, which are disbursed directly to the student.
- Apply for VA Education Benefits using the va.gov system.
- WAVE Benefits Enrollment Verification: Chapter 30, 1606 and 1607 students must complete a Student Verification of Enrollment on the last day of the month or first day for the previous month.
- The Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) VetSuccess Program is authorized by Congress under Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 31. It is sometimes referred to as the Chapter 31 program.
- VA Health Care: VA operates more than 1,400 sites of care, including hospitals, community clinics, community living centers, domiciliaries, readjustment counseling centers and various other facilities.
- VA Disability Compensation: Disability compensation is a benefit paid to a veteran because of injuries or diseases that happened while on active duty, or were made worse by active military service. It is also paid to certain veterans disabled from VA health care. The benefits are tax-free.
- VA Life Insurance: Benefits for veterans and service members who may not be able to get insurance from private companies because of the extra risks involved in military service or a service-connected disability.
- VA Pension Program: Pension benefits are meant as assistance for eligible veterans, surviving spouses and children who demonstrate financial need.
- Survivor Benefits
- Burial and Memorial Benefits
- My Career Advancement Account (MYCAA)
- Government Financial Aid for Military Service and Family Members
- U.S. Veterans Magazine
- Scholarships.com
- Fisher House
- National Military Family Association
Info for Active Military
As a DoD personnel you are eligible for all forms of financial aid that Cornerstone offers. Your School Certifying Official (SCO) can provide information for application for federal student aid programs, scholarships, grants, loans, etc., to DoD Tuition Assistance (TA) recipients.
If you qualify for a Pell Grant through Federal Financial Aid, you will have your TA benefits applied first to your account balance prior to the application of your Pell Grant funds to your account. Unlike TA funds, which are tuition-restricted, Pell Grant funds are not tuition-restricted and may be applied to other allowable charges on the account.
Eligible Service members are to receive approval from the Cornerstone University SCO (School Certifying Official), prior to enrollment. Cornerstone University will enroll the student only after the TA is approved. Service members will be solely responsible for all tuition costs without this prior approval. CU can pre-register a Service member in a course while final TA paperwork is being processed. All Military TA must be requested and approved prior to the start date of the course each semester/term. The Military TA is approved on a course-by-course basis and only for the specific course(s) and class dates that a Service member requests via their online account.
All students, including TA eligible members are given access to a Financial Aid Specialist who can provide information on all types of financial aid. This includes federal financial aid. All students can reduce or decline their federal loan before disbursement each semester/term
Service member’s point of contact is Cornerstone’s School Certifying Official. This person can be a liaison between other offices on campus to support the student through academic and financial advising, disability services, and career counseling.
Cornerstone University has two Financial Aid professionals who are trained SCOs (School Certifying Officials) and points of contact for service members. Jana Lamberts serves as the primary point of contact.
Cornerstone University will allow Service members and reservists to be readmitted to a program if they are temporarily unable to attend class or have to suspend their studies due to service requirements.