Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits are welcome and can be used through Extended University, but the Cal Vet Fee Waiver (CVFW) offered through the state of California Veteran Affairs has limitations. For more information about VA benefits and your eligibility, please visit the VA Benefits Website.
Table of Contents
- Educational Benefits
- Coming Soon to Extended University (Active military and spouses educational opportunities)
- Tuition Assistance
- Ordering Military Transcripts and Military Service Records (DD-214)
CI Benefits Timeline
| Term | Priority Filing Date | CI Sends Enrollment Data to VA |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2024 | Mid-November 2023 | Starting Mid-November |
| Winter Terms | N/A | Student must contact Certifying Official to have them send their information to the VA |
| Fall 2024 | Mid-April 2024 | Starting Mid-April |
| Summer 2024 | End of April 2024 | First week of May |
Late Requests for VA educational benefits: If you are requesting the use of your VA educational benefits after the add/drop period for the semester, you will need to also submit a "Late Submission to Request Certification of VA Educational Benefits", located in the Registrar's Office Forms Library.
Important: In order to use your Department of Veteran Affairs educational benefits through CSUCI's Extended University, you must be in an approved Certificate, Credential, or Degree Program. We cannot approve you for select Certificates and/or Professional Certificate offered through Extended University. Classes taken through Open University are not approved to be used with the VA educational benefits as these are single courses and not part of a declared Certificate, Credential, or Degree Program. Please inquire with the Veteran's Advisor/VA School Certifying Official before enrollment to make sure you can use your VA educational benefits.
- Chapter: 30, 33, 35, 1606, & Fry Scholarship - To ensure timely reporting of your enrollment to the VA, please submit/upload via your myCI portal your Certificate of Eligibility (first page only) and the veteran's DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (all veterans and only dependents using Chapter 35) (DD-214 must show Social Security Number)
- Each semester after you have registered fore classes you will need to request certification of your classes to the VA. To do that, use the steps at the "Request Certification of VA Benefits" button below. (The upload of documents is a one-time submission, they do not need to be uploaded every semester).
- Once you have self-certified, please email the Veteran's Advisor/VA School Certifying Official
- New veterans (Army, Coast Guard, Marines, & Navy) to CI's Extended University will need to submit a Joint Service Transcript. U.S. Air Force and Space Force will need to submit a Community College of the Air Force transcript.
Note: In order to receive your full monthly housing allowance or stipend, you need to be taking 12 units or more if you are an undergraduate or 8 units or more if you are a post-graduate. If you are using Chapter 33 or Fry Scholarship, it is imperative that you are in at least one in-person or hybrid class. Extended University offers several only online degrees, therefore, these programs will not allow you to take an in-person class to qualify for your full housing allowance. Refer to our FAQ section for additional answers to your questions.
- Chapter 31, Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) - Your VA VR&E counselor will submit all documents via the Tungsten Portal System.
- Please contact your counselor to make sure they have submitted a valid Purchase Order (PO) number via the portal system.
- Each semester after you have registered fore classes you will need to request certification of your classes to the VA. To do that, use the steps at the "Request Certification of VA Benefits" button below. (The upload of documents is a one-time submission, they do not need to be uploaded every semester).
- Once you have self-certified, please email the Veteran's Advisor/VA School Certifying Official
- New veterans (Army, Coast Guard, Marines, & Navy) to CI's Extended University will need to submit a Joint Service Transcript. U.S. Air Force and Space Force will need to submit a Community College of the Air Force transcript.
Note: To maximize your monthly housing allowance if you're approved for Chapter 33, you must enrolled in 12 units or more if you are an undergraduate or 8 units or more if you are a post-graduate. It is also imperative that you are in at least one in-person or hybrid class. If you are in Chapter 31 and receiving the subsistence allowance, you are allowed to take all online classes. Refer to our FAQ section for additional answers to your questions.
- Cal Vet Fee Waiver (CVFW)
- The CVFW cannot be applied/used for any courses or degree programs through CI's Extended University*.
- This benefit only applies to state-funded programs and covers only tuition, unfortunately programs offered through CI's Extended University are not state-funded, therefore, the State of California will not cover the tuition.
- The CVFW can only be used through the regular state-funded Cal State University Channel Islands, which includes Fall, Spring and now Summer school semester.
- Note: All documents uploaded will be reviewed by the Veteran's Advisor/VA School Certifying Official (SCO) before initial certification with the VA can occur. Be sure to check your myCI email for updates or notifications from the SCO.
* Please refer to our FAQ section for further questions you may have. If you have other questions or concerns, feel free to contact the Veteran's Advisor/VA School Certifying Official (SCO). Make sure you let the SCO know that you are an Extended University student and the type of class(es) you plan to take or taking, to make sure you receive the correct information to your questions.
VA School Certifying Official: Robert C. Felix, email: robert.felix@csuci.edu
Educational Benefits [top]
Chapter 30: Montgomery GI Bill®
The Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty (MGIB-AD) is a program for individuals who served at least 2 years on active duty and who paid into an education fund for one year. This benefit started in July 1, 1985, replacing the original GI Bill®. They receive 36 months of full-time benefits. This benefit will slowly be phased out as Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 and the Forever GI Bill®) has now replaced it.
Chapter 31: Veteran Readiness and Employment
Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) formerly known as Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment is for service-connected disabled veterans (of at least 10% VA rating) who have limits to work or their disability prevents them from working. This benefit helps explore employment options and more importantly address veteran's education and training needs. In rare cases, family members may also qualify for certain benefits. For more information and to see if you qualify, visit https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/vocational-rehabilitation/.
Chapter 33: Post-9/11 GI Bill® & Fry Scholarship
If you have at least 90 days of aggregate active duty service after Sept. 10, 2001, and are still on active duty, or if you are an honorably discharged Veteran or were discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days, you may be eligible for this VA-administered program. Purple Heart recipients, regardless of length of service, are qualified for Post-9/11 benefits at the 100% level. Certain members of the Reserves who lost education benefits when REAP was sunset in November 2015, may also be eligible to receive restored benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. Lastly, if you are a dependent child using benefits transferred by a qualifying Veteran or service member. You may be eligible if one of the above requirements are met.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also offers some service members the opportunity to transfer their GI Bill® to dependents. Transfer of Post-9/11 GI Bill® can occur if the active duty member has completed at least 6 years of service when the request is approved, the military member agree to re-enlist for four more years of service, and the person receiving the benefits is enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).
Chapter 33 benefits expire depending on when you were discharged from active duty.
If your service ended before January 1, 2013, your Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) benefits will expire 15 years after your last separation date from active service. You must use all of your benefits by that time or you’ll lose whatever’s left.
If your service ended on or after January 1, 2013, your benefits won’t expire thanks to a law called the Forever GI Bill® - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act.
Note: CSU Channel Islands submits your enrollment to the VA before the semester starts (without a Tuition & Fee amount) to expedite books and supplies stipends and monthly housing allowance benefits (if you are eligible). An accurate Tuition & Fee amount will be sent to the VA after the add/drop deadline, around the 4th week of the semester.
Post-9/11 GI Bill® Overview & Application
Fry Scholarship
If you’re the child or surviving spouse of a Veteran or service member who died in the line of duty or from a service-connected disability on or after September 11, 2001, you may be eligible for the Fry Scholarship. The educational benefits are the same as Chapter 33/Post-9/11 GI Bill®
Find out if you’re eligible for the Fry Scholarship and how to apply
Chapter 35: Dependents' Educational Assistance
The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) Program offers education benefits to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, a Veteran or service member who died, is captured or missing while on active duty or as a result of a service-connected disability.
Dependents have a VA file number that is related to the parent or spouse under whom they are eligible. This file number will be on Certificate of Eligibility (COE) mailed to the student from the Veterans Administration. Students utilizing Ch. 35 should give the VA file number to the VA Certifying Official by uploading the COE and the veteran's DD-214 via the student's myCI portal.
Chapter 1606: Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve
The MGIB-SR program provides 36 months of educational and training benefits to eligible members of the Selected Reserve, including the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. Eligibility for this program is determined by the Selected Reserve components and VA makes the payments.
You may be eligible for education benefits under this program if you meet one of these requirements. You have a 6-year service obligation (you agreed to serve 6 years) in the Selected Reserve, or you’re an officer in the Selected Reserve and you agreed to serve 6 years in addition to your initial service obligation. This benefit can only be used while still in the Reserves, therefore, once you leave the Reserves, your benefit expires.
*Coming Soon to Extended University* [top]
CSU Channel Islands, Extended University is proud to announce a partnership with ed2go, a top provider of online courses in the nation. We will offer courses that will help you be successful in today's job market. Course disciplines include Business, Technology, College Readiness, Personal Development, Healthcare, and anything else that you need to prepare you to channel YOUR potential.
We will be offering active duty military and their spouses the opportunity to seek online certificates in the areas of Information Technology, Software, Healthcare, Legal, Logistics, and anything else that you need to prepare you to channel YOUR potential. We here at CSUCI's Extended University understand the challenges that active duty families face when they are assigned to a new permanent duty station and or changing duty stations every 2-3 years. Here at CI's Extended University, offering online certificate education will ease the education and financial burden on families and allow gainful employment at their permanent duty station. You have served us and now it's our time to serve you and your family. CI's Extended University thanks your for service and sacrifices.
Tuition Assistance [top]
Tuition Assistance (TA) is a benefit paid to eligible Service members. This benefit may pay up to 100% of the tuition expenses of its members. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application processes, and restrictions. This money is usually paid directly to the college by the individual services. For additional information, contact your Base counselor/Educational Services Officer and follow the links below for your particular service/component.
Prospective students should receive approval from their Educational Services Officer (ESO), military counselor, or Service prior to enrollment. For additional information, contact your ESO, military counselor, or Service and follow the links below for your particular service/component.
- Air Force Tuition Assistance
- Army Tuition Assistance
- Coast Guard Tuition Assistance
- Navy Tuition Assistance
- Marine Corps Tuition Assistance
- Space Force Tuition Assistance
Once you have been approved for tuition assistance from your particular branch of service and have submitted the required request online via your military branches online TA portal, please then contact CI's Veteran's Advisor/VA School Certifying Official, Robert C. Felix.
Additionally, active duty members may elect to use "Top Up" in addition to their service-provided TA to cover high-cost courses.
Questions regarding how approved TA is handled at CSU Channel Islands, can be directed to the Veteran’s Advisor/VA School Certifying Official, Robert C. Felix
Ordering Military Transcripts and Military Service Records (DD-214)[top]
Joint Service Transcripts (JST) (Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy)
Community College of the Air Force (U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force)
DD-214 and Separation Documents
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/.