Frequently Asked Questions

Students using VA educational programs need to submit a request for enrollment certification each semester that they wish to use VA educational benefits for. Instructions to complete the form.

Once you have submitted the form you will receive an automatic email to your FIU email. To verify that your request has been received, you can try to resubmit the form. If you get an error stating “Document already exists in the drawer” that means we have received your form and are currently working on it.

You will get another automated email when your classes have been sent to the VA for payment.

• Active-duty service member of the U.S. Armed forces stationed outside of Florida.
• Honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed forces.
• Spouses and dependents of veterans who physically reside in the state of Florida and are using Veterans benefits for the term that the waiver is requested. Note: If your entitlement has run out or you are not using the Veterans benefits, you will not be eligible for the out-of-state waiver.

The Department of Defense (DoD) Tuition Assistance (TA) program provides financial assistance to Service members for voluntary off-duty education programs in support of professional and personal self-development goals. TA is available for courses that are offered in the classroom or by distance learning and are part of an approved academic degree or certificate program. 

TA Funds are a unique, distinct source of financial aid available to eligible Service members. TA will be the first payer of tuition charged to the student (this means TA pays first and the student is liable for any remaining costs related to tuition and fees by paying out of pocket or by using other means of financial aid). Eligible Service members must receive approval from an Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within the Military Service prior to enrolling. 

In general, eligible active duty Service members can receive TA at a rate of $250 per semester hour cap with an annual ceiling of $4,500. The Services are authorized to establish Service specific eligibility criteria to manage TA funds. For Service specific TA policies and procedures, visit their voluntary education websites below: 

Army TA 
Army National Guard TA
USMC TA 
Navy TA
Air Force TA 
Coast Guard TA

• The waiver will cover the $10 transcript cost
• Additional services such as tracking and express mail are NOT covered by the waiver
• To use any tracking or express service, the student must provide the appropriate pre-paid envelope or paperwork to the Office of the Registrar in advance of sending the transcript(s)

• If you meet the criteria above and have already provided documentation to the FIU VMA Office, please email the completed VMA Transcript Request Form to transcripts@fiu.edu to request your official transcripts
• If you have not been verified by the FIU VMA office, please complete the electronic VMA Student Intake Form, located on the FIU VMA website, prior to requesting your transcripts
• Should you have any questions or need additional information, please email transcripts@fiu.edu.

Pursuant to Florida Statute 1009.26(9) and Board of Governors Rule 7.008 (l), FIU will waive undergraduate tuition for each recipient of a Purple Heart or other combat decoration superior in precedence as listed below.  This waiver includes tuition and associated fees.  The waiver covers only tuition and fees associated with credit hour instruction provided directly by the university and does not include any additional fees that may be charged for specialized programs or by external organizations. This includes, but is not limited to, flight school, study abroad travel and living expenses, and courses taken elsewhere as a transient student.  To qualify for the Purple Heart waiver a student must be: 

1. Enrolled as a full-time, part-time, or summer-school student in a program that terminates in an associate or a baccalaureate degree, a college credit certificate, or a career certificate;
2. Is currently, or was at the time of the military action that resulted in the awarding of the Purple Heart or other combat decoration superior in precedence, a resident of this state; and
3. Submits a copy of their DD-214 to the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs and requests this waiver.  The student must have documentation that they have received a Purple Heart or another combat decoration as listed below:

• Purple Heart
• Bronze Star (must be “V” designation or device)
• Distinguished Flying Cross
• Legion of Merit (must be “V” designation or device)
• Silver Star
• Air Force Cross
• Navy Cross
• Distinguished Service Cross
• Medal of Honor

If the DD-214 is not available, other documentation may be acceptable if recognized by the United States Department of Defense or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as documenting the award.  This waiver for a Purple Heart recipient or recipient of another combat decoration superior in precedence shall be applicable for 110 percent of the number of required credit hours of the degree or certificate program for which the student is enrolled.  If you qualify for this waiver program, please email supporting documentation to veterans@fiu.edu with your full name and Panther ID number. A member of our team will connect with you if we have any questions regarding your documentation. 

For a complete overview of this regulation, please click here. If you are eligible for one of the waivers mentioned in the regulation, please visit FIU's tuition waivers website.

The VA requires that students using GI Bill® benefits verify their enrollment monthly. Students will not receive VA education benefits if they do not verify their enrollment with the VA. Verify attendance through the VA’s WAVE website (Chapters: 30, 1606, 1607 or VRAP) or call the VA at 1-877-823-2378 or by calling the VA Education Call Center 1-888-442-4551.

This is not an FIU process.

Use of TA and GI Bill® education benefits is only permitted for active-duty military members using chapter 30 or chapter 33 benefits. You will need to apply for Tuition Assistance through your Military Chain of Command or Base Education Center. Once approved, submit your approved TA form along with your enrollment certification request with your enrollment certification form. Instructions to complete the form can be found here.

The Top-Up benefit may be used when a student is using Active Duty federal tuition assistance and the course cost will not be completely funded by TA. TA Top-Up may be used for Chapters 30 & 33 only. Students who wish to apply for TA Top-Up should contact veterans@fiu.edu to request a TA Top-Up Request Form. APUS will submit an enrollment to the VA to include the amount of tuition and fees remaining after all TA funding has been reduced. Please note, the use of Top-Up will exhaust a portion of your GI Bill® benefits. The amount exhausted depends on the chapter benefit being used and the time length of the courses.

Students using Chapters 30, 32, 35, 1606, and 1607 will receive monthly payments from the VA based on their enrollment status each month enrolled in courses. The VA makes payments based on your monthly attendance and not semester attendance. Payments are sent from the VA by direct deposit or check after you have verified your monthly attendance through WAVE.

It is the responsibility of the student using Chapters 30, 32, 35, 1606, and 1607 to make payment arrangements with the university prior to the start of courses.

Tuition and Fees for Post 9/11 GI Bill® is paid directly to FIU. If students are not receiving the 100% benefit rate, it is the responsibility of the student to make payment arrangements that will cover the courses. Current VA payment rates may be viewed here.

Beginning for courses starting on or after 1 October 2011, students (other than those on Active Duty) will receive a housing allowance for courses solely in distance learning with the Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefit. The housing allowance payable is equal to ½ the national average BAH for an E-5 with dependents. A student must be enrolled at a rate of pursuit greater than half time (.51%) to receive this benefit. Please remember, the housing allowance is pro-rated based off your enrollment status, percentage of eligibility, and dates of course enrollments. For more information, please click here.

Effective August 1, 2009. The books and supplies stipend is a lump sum payment (each quarter, semester, or term attended) paid directly to the student when the school’s enrollment certification is processed. The stipend is prorated by the student’s length of service percentage.

The books and supplies stipend pays $41.67 per credit certified, up to 24 credits for the academic year (08/01/YY­07/31/YY). The start date of an enrollment period determines the academic year to which the enrollment period belongs. The maximum stipend is $1,000 per academic year. Active duty students were not eligible.

Effective October 1, 2011. Individuals enrolled in a degree program while on active duty are now eligible for the Books and Supplies Stipend of up to $1,000.00 per academic year. The rules for calculating Books and Supplies payments are the same as those for veterans.

The VA requires students to declare an institution in which they will receive a degree or certification. VA benefits cannot be used at multiple institutions without a declaration of a primary school and subsequent secondary school.

If FIU is your primary school, please fill out a Dual-enrollment Request form.

If FIU is your subsequent secondary school, please submit a guest letter to veterans@fiu.edu.

For more information regarding using benefits at FIU and another institution, please contact veterans@fiu.edu

FIU will submit all enrollments to the VA electronically. Once your enrollment has been submitted to the VA, you will receive an automated email from the VA notifying you that the enrollment has been received.

An updated 22-1999 enrollment verification will be sent to the VA by the school VA Certifying Official within 30 days of the change of enrollment. A reduction or termination of enrolled credit hours could result in a VA debt. For more information regarding GI Bill® debts, to include ways to prevent a debt from occurring, visit the VA Benefits website.

These are circumstances beyond the student's control that prevent the student from continuing in school or that cause the student to reduce credits. The VA requires schools to document these types of circumstances. Any withdrawal with a mitigating circumstance selected will require documentation of the mitigating circumstance to be submitted to FIU prior to being reported. Learn more about mitigating circumstances.

If you believe your case qualifies as a mitigating circumstance please send an application here.

FIU VMA Hosts a Veterans Graduation Recognition Ceremony every semester to honor our graduates.

If you would like to find out more information please contact veterans@fiu.edu.

Please note that if you are granted a course extension from your professor, you will not receive VA benefits during the extension period. The VA will automatically discontinue benefits on the day after your original term ending date. Benefits will not start until a new course has been enrolled and the verification has been sent to the VA.

Any courses that are deemed not applicable to the current degree program will not be certified to the VA without justification from an Academic Advisor or VR&E counselor (chapter 31). Courses taken outside of the plan of study are the student’s responsibility and the student is held liable for tuition and fees related to such courses.

Students with prior credits must submit their transcripts for evaluation to FIU. For further assistance please contact Transfer and Transition Services. More information can be found on the Transfer and Transition Services website.

In order to see our DOD MOU, you can visit the DOD website.

1. Enter Our School Name/OPE ID: Florida International University - or- 00963500
2. Select the Date requested

In accordance with Federal VA guidelines and the information provided by FIU, the VMA will be certifying courses in the following manner:

• In-person and hybrid courses will be reported to the VA as in-person learning.
• Fully online & online live courses will be reported as distance learning as per federal guidelines.

VA education benefits that are eligible for a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) are affected by the modality of your courses. Students enrolled in online courses only will not qualify for the in-person rate of MHA in accordance with VA guidelines.

• In accordance with F.S. 1009.26 (17a), FIU students who are active-duty military, honorably discharged veterans of the United States Armed Forces, or spouse and/or dependents are eligible for a transcript fee waiver
• The waiver will cover the $10 transcript cost
• Additional services such as tracking and express mail are NOT covered by the waiver
• To use any tracking or express service, the student must provide the appropriate pre-paid envelope or paperwork to the Office of the Registrar in advance of sending the transcript(s)

You must be confirmed as a student, dependent, and/or spouse who meets the criteria above by the FIU Veteran and Military Affairs Office (VMA).

• If you meet the criteria above and have already provided documentation to the FIU VMA Office, please email the completed VMA Transcript Request Form to transcripts@fiu.edu to request your official transcripts
• If you have not been verified by the FIU VMA office, please complete the electronic VMA Student Intake Form, located on the FIU VMA website, prior to requesting your transcripts
• Should you have any questions or need additional information, please email transcripts@fiu.edu.

For more information on the process and policy, visit OneStop.