Veterans Benefits

The University of Dubuque is proud to participate in the following eligible programs:

• Montgomery GI Bill® - Active Duty (Chapter 30)
• Montgomery GI Bill® - Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)
• Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33)**
• Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35)
• Reserve Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 1607)
• Vocational Rehabilitation - Veterans with Disabilities (Chapter 31)
• The University of Dubuque participates in the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program

The University of Dubuque VA CERTIFYING OFFICIAL is Kim Wulfekuhle-Isaac. She can be reached at 563.589.3178 or via email at [email protected].

Steps To Apply For Gi Bill® Education Benefits

1. Visit the GI Bill® website to apply online and learn more about education benefit descriptions and payment rates. If you have already applied and would like to know the status of your application, please call 1-888-GI-BILL-1 and speak with a Veterans Benefits Counselor.
2. Once you have been approved, you will be sent a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This will provide you with the chapter of benefits for which you are eligible, and the rate of pay you will receive. You will need to provide a copy of this letter to the VA Certifying Official at the University of Dubuque.
3. If you are a current service member who would like to Transfer Chapter 33 benefits to a dependent, please review the information at the following link: Post-9/11 GI Bill®: Transferability.
4. All military personnel contact your Education Service Office (ESO), Military counselor or service prior to enrollment.

Steps To Begin Using Your Benefits At The University Of Dubuque

To begin using your GI Bill® benefit at the University of Dubuque, please submit the following forms to Kim Isaac:

1. UD-VA Education Benefit Enrollment Form (this document must be submitted every academic year and can be found in the sidebar)
2. Certificate of Eligibility (If you have not received your COE from the VA yet, please submit the UD Enrollment form for processing. Your COE can be submitted to us once you receive it from the VA.)

Steps To Continue Using Your Benefits At The University Of Dubuque

1. Each Month: Confirm your enrollment with the VA (Chapter 33 recipients may need to begin to do this starting August 2021) - this normally requires a phone call to the Education Call Center at 888.442.4551 or 800.827.1000.
2. Each Academic Year: Submit the UD-VA Education Benefit Enrollment Form (found in the blue sidebar).

PLEASE NOTE: If you withdraw from one or more of your classes it could affect your eligibility for VA Benefits. It is your responsibility to notify the VA Certifying Official if you add/drop any courses during the semester.

Submission of UD-VA Education Benefits Forms

These documents must be submitted every academic year to continue to receive benefits.  Contact the Office of the Registrar for current enrollment forms.

• 2020-21 UD-VA Education Benefit Enrollment Form (Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Summer 2021)
• 2021-22 UD-VA Education Benefit Enrollment Form (Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Summer 2022)

Veteran Benefits Frequently Asked Questions:

Have more questions?

If you have additional questions, many can be answered at the Federal VA Frequently Asked Questions site. Or feel free to contact Kim Wulfekuhle-Isaac (VA Certifying Official at 563.589.3178 or [email protected]), Mark Munson (Student Financial Planner at [email protected]) or Rick Ernst (Veterans Admission and Assistance Coordinator at [email protected]).

Military Leave

The University of Dubuque supports its students who are members of a military unit and are called into active military service by the United States. To assist them, as well as protect and safeguard their status as University of Dubuque students, the University has adopted the following guidelines:

Exit Procedures for Students Called to Active Military Duty

To initiate a military leave from the University of Dubuque the student must contact the Registrar's Office. This office will collect the proper information and paperwork from the student, which must include written documentation of the military instructions. The Registrar's Office will then inform the appropriate offices of the student's military leave. Because every student's situation is different, each leave will be handled on a case-by-case basis. However, certain basic procedures are applicable and these are described in the following paragraphs.

Academic Provisions and Tuition Refunds:

1. The student will receive a full refund of tuition and fees paid to the University of Dubuque if the request for withdrawal due to military service is filed prior to the last day to drop classes.
2. The student will have a choice of three options if the request for withdrawal is received after the last day to drop classes:

• a) A full refund of tuition and fees, no credit awarded for work completed during the semester, and receipt of "W" grades for the term.
• b)  An incomplete grade in all courses with the right to complete all coursework at a future date without further payment of tuition or fees. In this case, there will be no tuition refund for the present term.
• c)  A grade in each course, if the professor of each class believes sufficient work has been completed. In this case, there will be no tuition refund.
• d)  Options b) & c) may be combined should circumstances warrant.

Residence Halls and Meal Charges:

The student will receive prorated refunds for their housing and meal-plans, if applicable, based on the percentage of days registered at the University.

Financial Aid Ramifications

Students are urged to submit documentation of their military activation to the Office of Student Financial Planning. This office will determine the impact on any federal, state, or institutional financial aid awards that have been provided to the student.

Re-Enrollment:

When the student is ready to return to the University of Dubuque, he/she will need to re-apply for admission through the Office of Admission. There is no fee for this process. If a student elected to take an incomplete in one or more courses, he/she has until the end of the re-admittance term to complete the appropriate coursework.  If the course is no longer offered or if the faculty member is no longer with the University, the returning student will receive a full tuition credit for a replacement course.

A policy cannot address every circumstance that may arise when students are called to active duty, therefore, please consult with the Registrar's Office. Appeals of a decision made by the Registrar's Office may be made to the Dean for Undergraduate Studies.