Veterans Education Benefits

Veterans Education Benefits

Alaska Pacific University (APU) is approved by the Alaska State Approving Agency (AKSAA) to train veterans and their eligible beneficiaries. All students must work toward an approved certificate or degree and follow the curriculum outline for their objectives since only specific courses may be applied toward VA certification and graduation.

Who should the service member contact?

• The School Certifying Official(s) is/are the primary contact for all students receiving Veterans’ Educational Benefits.  The representative is knowledgeable about APU admissions and enrollment processes. Contact veterans@alaskapacific.edu for the most recent list of SCOs.
• The Office of the Registrar will inquire about each veteran’s previous education and training, and will require the submission of military transcripts, all prior traditional college coursework and vocational training for review.  All transcripts will be evaluated and credit may be granted as appropriate.
• The Office of Financial Aid counsels all students seeking funding about available financial aid and uses the “College Financing Plan” to describe funds received by the student.  
• The Office of Financial Aid and the Registrar maintains all Veteran records.

IMPORTANT

In reference to the Isakson-Roe Institutional Disclosures, if an institution provides students with the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED’s) College Financing Plan, it is not required to also provide the institutional disclosure requirements for student veterans under Section 1018 of Isakson-Roe. (See link: https://askregs.nasfaa.org/article/35151/are-we-required-to-provide-the-isakson-roe-institutional-disclosures-if-we-provide-the-college-financing-plan).  APU Financial Aid Office provides students with a College Financing Plan.

Information Sharing with Third Parties

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Alaska Pacific University will not release any part of an educational record to a parent or third-party sponsor without written consent from the student.  Parents or third-party sponsors may be designated as Authorized Payers, allowing financial and billing conversations to occur.  For more information, please review Protecting Student Privacy: FERPA.

How will you know what classes to take for your program of study at APU?

• Your assigned advisor will provide a copy of your degree plan the first day you register to keep up with each semester. The degree plan details the classes needed for program completion. Students can also request a copy of your degree plan from the Registrar’s Office at any time: regoff@alaskapacific.edu

What types of courses are available to you?

• APU has a variety of course offerings as well as scheduled times.  APU publishes course schedules on the website at www.alaskapacific.edu.  Students can access the current course offerings by clicking on “Courses.” APU complies with all requirements listed in the DoD Voluntary Educational Partnership MOU.

Chapter 33 – Post-9/11 GI Bill®

Effective December 17, 2021: Students enrolled at Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) receiving Chapter 33 – Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits must verify their enrollment status monthly to receive their Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA).  This will apply to APU students receiving Chapter 33 – Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits enrolled in programs of less than two years (Non-College Degree -NCD).  Students can verify enrollment via telephone call or text.  For more information, visit the VA’s Enrollment Verification Website:  Options will include Opt-in for text verification or calling 1-888-442-4551 to verify.  https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/isaksonroe/verification_of_enrollment.asp

Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014

APU does not charge in-state/out-of-state tuition.  All students and “covered individuals” are charged the same according to their program of choice and credit hours.

• Covered Individuals are defined as:
  • A Veteran who lives in the state where the institution of higher learning is located (regardless of their formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge from a period of active-duty service of 90 days or more.
  • A spouse or child using transferred benefits who lives in the state in which the institution of higher learning is located (regardless of their formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor’s discharge from a period of active-duty service of 90-days or more

A spouse or child using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship who lives in the state in which the institution of higher learning is located (regardless of their formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the Service member’s death in the line of duty following a period of active-duty service of 90-days or more.

Education Benefits

For Veteran’s Educational benefits, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the APU’s catalog and the VA.  This requirement may differ from the Federal Pell grant and other scholarship requirements.  

For individuals to receive their education benefits, they must self-identify, and documentation will be required.

Certification:

• A VA student must submit proof of eligibility for VA educational benefits by providing a Certificate of Eligibility [COE], an approved 1905, or a Statement of Benefits from eBenefits to the School Certifying Official (SCO).
  • Students must submit proof of VA educational benefits by census point for the requested academic term.
• All students planning to utilize their VA education benefits are required to submit a verification request to the SCO before classes will be certified. 
• Students can request certification by filling out a Request for Certification form either in person with the SCO or fill out the online form. 
  • Request for Certification Form
• Scholarships and grants accepted by the student that only cover tuition and fees will be deducted from the amount billed to the VA. 
• Tuition and fee scholarships/grants will be applied toward the account balance.  
• VA Students are eligible to receive a distribution of excess funds from scholarships/grants that specify the award can be used for miscellaneous expenses.

Charges Billed to VA  

Alaska Pacific University can bill VA for tuition and required fees only.  All other charges are the responsibility of the student.  Please see the chart below for non-exhaustive examples of expenses that can and cannot be billed to VA:

Travel Courses:

• Please contact the VA School Certifying Official at veterans@alaskapacific.edu before registering for the travel course to verify if the course is certifiable. 

Admission Status & Certification:

• Students admitted to APU on a “provisional” or “probational” basis may only be certified for their first two semesters. 
• Students cannot be certified beyond this two-semester limit unless they are “fully admitted” to APU as a degree-seeking student at the end of their second semester.

Undeclared Majors & Certification:

• Undergraduate students must declare a major by the end of their sophomore year per VA regulations. 
  • Students cannot be certified beyond their sophomore year unless a major is declared.
• Graduate students must indicate a program of interest at the time of application.

Schedule Changes:

• Students must notify the SCO in person or by emailing the APU Veterans email (veterans@alaskapacific.edu) when they wish to change their schedules. 
  • Registration holds will be placed on students’ accounts once registered and their initial certification has been submitted to the VA.
• An additional form must be filled out and returned to the SCO before any changes are made to students’ schedules.
  • Students can fill the form out in person with the SCO or fill out the form. 
    •  APU VA Certification Adjustment Form
  • Once the SCO receives the form, the hold on the account will be lifted for 24 hours for students to make changes.  
  • After 24 hours, the hold will be placed back on the account.  Any additional changes will require another form.
  • The SCO will resubmit your certification to the VA with the updated schedule information.
  • Failure to report changes in enrollment promptly will slow down the processing of your VA funding and could lead to debts with the VA and/or APU.  Additionally, schedule changes may affect your VA benefits.

IMPORTANT:  If you have a change of enrollment which resulted in an over-payment of tuition and fees or Yellow Ribbon, you may see that debt indicated as a tuition and fee or Yellow Ribbon debt amount to be collected.  However, the VA will not collect the tuition and fee or Yellow Ribbon debt from the student.  Rather, VA will collect this amount from APU (Authority 38 U.S.C. 3685(b))  In turn, APU may require the student to pay any outstanding balance for tuition and fees or Yellow Ribbon.  The VA will not manage your tuition and fee or Yellow Ribbon debts anymore – schools will hold these debts.  Students will have to go through APU’s Student Accounts office if any money is owed for dropping a class or withdrawing from school.

For additional information regarding debts, please visit: https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/resources/education_resources/debt_info.asp

Late Fees:

Alaska Pacific University recognizes that students should not be penalized for the delayed processing of receiving money from the VA while utilizing the education benefit.  To ensure students do not receive such penalties, we flag these accounts to prevent late fees from accruing while the university waits to post funds from the VA and Yellow Ribbon, if applicable.  Students are expected to pay any fees not covered by VA by the end of the said semester for which fees are due.  Enrollment privileges for the next term will be impacted if the student does not pay the charges for which they are responsible.  

• Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 Students:  APU will not assess late fees on tuition and fee amounts expected to be reimbursed by the Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 programs.  Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 students not at 100% coverage must have their balances paid in full by the end of the semester.
  • APU will not block enrollment or deny eligible VA students access to student resources due to outstanding tuition/fees balances scheduled to be collected from the VA.  
  • APU maintains the right to block enrollment on accounts due to nonpayment of other APU services, such as housing, disciplinary fines, library fines, or tuition/fees not covered by the student’s VA education benefit.
• Chapter 1606, Chapter 1607, Chapter 30 & Chapter 35 Students:  APU will not assess any late fees on tuition for students participating in Chapter 1606, Chapter 1607, Chapter 30 & Chapter 35 programs.  Full payment of balances is required by the end of the semester.  
  • APU maintains the right to block enrollment for future semesters if balances are not paid by the end of the semester.

Withdraws:

• APU maintains the right to withdraw students from classes that a student never attends.  
• APU instructors have the right to withdraw a student from courses due to non-attendance. 
• Withdraws from courses might affect VA benefits, including housing and request for repayment of tuition/fees back to the VA/APU.

Military Leave of Absence and Re-Admission Policy

Alaska Pacific University (APU) acknowledges that students may be temporarily unable to attend classes or be required to pause their studies to perform military service.  APU encourages such students to resume their education once their military service obligation has ended and adopts this policy to ensure the timely re-admission of such students.

In accordance with federal regulations, 34 CFR § 668.18, and the Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), APU will promptly readmit service members who seek re-admission to a program that was interrupted due to a uniformed service obligation.

All APU students who perform military service should read and be familiar with this policy.

This policy shall apply to:

• Service members who are unable to attend classes for more than 30 consecutive days; and
• Service members who are unable to attend classes for less than 30 days when such an absence would result in a withdrawal from currently active classes at APU.

A student is eligible for a Military Service members Leave of Absence (Military LOA) and re-admission under this policy if, during an absence, the student performs uniformed service, voluntary or involuntary, in the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserve, active duty, active duty for training or full-time National Guard (under federal authority).  The cumulative length of all absences for uniformed service (service time only) must not exceed five years.

In some cases, there are less drastic alternatives to a Military LOA, such as seeking an incomplete for affected classes and finishing coursework at a later time.  Before submitting the Military LOA, students are encouraged to discuss such options with the Dean of Students or the applicable academic advisor, program chair, or dean.

Notification:

A student must provide written notice of a military service obligation to the SCO and Registrar’s Office as far in advance as possible unless precluded by military necessity.  Such notice does not need to indicate when the student will return to APU.

If a student’s absence necessitates a withdrawal from currently active classes at APU, the student should immediately contact the Registrar’s Office and the SCO and provide a copy of the current military orders.  The Registrar’s Office will process the Military LOA and approve a Registration Status Update per APU policy to the active classes the student cannot complete due to military service.

Students who receive educational benefits through Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) or Veterans educational benefits (GI Bill®) must notify the SCO of their Military LOA. 

For students who receive financial aid through federal, state, or institutional funding programs, the policies and procedures regarding those programs will govern, regardless of the Military LOA being approved.  Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid for information on the impact of withdrawing from current courses due to the Military LOA.

The student must also give written notice of their intent to return to APU within three years after the completion of the service period or no later than two years after recovery from a service-related injury or illness.  Immediately upon the student’s return to APU, the student must provide notice that they may be entitled to the tuition and re-admission benefits outlined in this policy.  The returning student may be required to provide supporting documentation to document timely notification within the designated time limits.

Notification under this section must be provided by the student to the SCO and Registrar’s Office: regoff@alaskapcific.edu or APU Veterans: veterans@alaskapacific.edu

Tuition/Fees and Re-admission Benefits and Requirements:

Under the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), institutions are required to readmit an individual who left school or did not accept an offer of admission to perform military service.  The university is proud to provide accommodations to our active-duty students (domestic and international, including National Guard and reservists) if they can temporarily not attend class or suspend their studies due to service requirements.  If you are an active-duty service member and are called away for required military service, you may elect to take a leave of absence and return upon completing your service requirement.

A returning student will be permitted to re-enroll in the next class(es) scheduled in the same academic program unless the student requests a later re-enrollment date or agrees to a different program.  A returning student will be readmitted into the same educational program the student was enrolled in prior to the military service obligation.  If the same program no longer exists, the student must be admitted to the most similar program unless the student requests or agrees to admission to a different program.  Returning students will be re-enrolled with the same enrollment status, number of completed credit hours, and academic standing as the last academic year of attendance.

A returning student, for the first academic year, will be charged the same tuition and fees in effect during the last academic year the student attended unless veterans’ education benefits or other service member education benefits will pay the current cost of applicable tuition and fees.  For subsequent academic years, the returning student may not be charged tuition and fees in excess of what other students in the program are charged.

If APU determines that a returning student is not prepared to resume the program or is unable to complete the program, APU must make reasonable efforts to enable the student to continue or complete the program at no additional cost to the student.  If reasonable efforts are unsuccessful or if APU determines there are no reasonable efforts it can take, APU is not required to readmit the student.

In accordance with federal regulations, returning students who receive a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge from the Armed Forces (including the National Guard and Reserves) are not eligible for re-admission under this policy.  However, service members who receive dishonorable or bad conduct discharge may remain eligible for re-admission even though they will not be entitled to the benefits outlined in this policy.

This policy is informed by federal regulation, 34 CFR § 668.18, and the Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Military Tuition Assistance Return of Funds Policy

Effective 2023-2024: The following is the process for Veterans seeking Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) while attending APU.  This process is detailed to provide clarity for all service members attending APU as it pertains to the DoD Voluntary Educational Partnership MOU (DoDI 1322.25/1344.07 etc.).

Part 1.  Policy Statement:

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student, assuming that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded.  When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds initially awarded.  To comply with the Department of Defense (DOD) policy, APU will return any unearned TA funds on a prorated basis through at least 60% of the period for which the funds were provided.  TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based on when a student stops attending.

When a Service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, proven through documentation, APU will work with the affected service member to identify solutions that will not result in student debt for the returned portion in compliance with the DOD policy.  Withdraws due to non-military service obligations, the student is responsible for all balances due to the return of funds.

Part 2.  Rational or Purpose:

This policy serves to fully inform students receiving military tuition assistance (TA) of the required actions the College must take to comply with the DOD Memorandum of Understanding Return Policy for Military Tuition Assistance (TA) funds rules and align with the return of unearned student aid rules applicable to the Federal Student Aid as required under section 484B of the Department of Education Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Part 3.  Scope:

This policy applies to all students receiving Military Tuition Assistance (TA) for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.

Part 4.  Definitions:

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard.  Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% of the tuition expenses of its member.  Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application processes, and restrictions.  This money is usually paid directly to the institution by the individual services.  This policy only applies to this type of educational benefit.  The TA program is a benefit that is available only while the student is in the service.  This policy does not apply to Veterans or Veterans Benefits.

Part 5.  Procedures:

To remain in compliance with the Department of Defense’s policy, APU will return any unearned TA funds through at least 60% of the semester on a prorated basis.  The amount of unearned TA returned is based on the course withdrawal date.

After 60% of the semester has passed, TA will not be evaluated for a return to the DOD.

APU will bill the DOD after 60% of the semester has passed to reduce the amount of incorrect TA funds being disbursed by the DOD to APU.  APU will only bill for the amount the student earned, given their enrollment.  No late fees will be assessed on the student’s account if approved TA paperwork is presented to the Registrar’s Office during the term.

Any unearned TA funds will be returned on a prorated basis, depending on the length of the course.  To determine the amount of TA that needs to be returned, the institution will determine the date the withdrawal was submitted and then divide that by the number of days in the term to determine the percentage of TA the student earned.

 Tuition Assistance Refund Schedule

*Instruction is counted from Monday to Friday.  Updated October 2019