Military and Veterans Educational Benefits

Franklin University is approved for the education of eligible veterans, widows and children of veterans and reservists. Your eligibility and equivalent educational benefits are determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Our Veterans Specialist serves as the liaison between the veteran, the University and the VA. The Specialist collects, completes, and processes the required substantiating documentation and offers information about services on campus to assist with educational, career, personal, and financial concerns.

Franklin University Veterans Specialist
Nichole Hyer
hyern@franklin.edu

VA Program Procedures

Complete the Application for Benefits form on the VA's Web site or download an application to submit to the VA. You may contact the VA at 1.888.GIBILL1 (1.888.442.4551) to determine eligibility and Chapter number.
Submit a Plan of Attendance (POA) each academic year in which benefits are requested.
If you have used VA benefits in the past and have since changed schools or major programs, complete a Request for Change of Program or Place of Training (VAF 22-1995).

Certification of Benefits

Upon receipt of all required documentation, the Veterans Specialist will forward an Enrollment Certification (22-1999) to the VA Regional Office, except at the start of a new term, in which case an Enrollment Certification (22-1999) will be sent three weeks prior to the start of the term.

Important Note:

Situations that may affect payment of VA benefits include the following:

Repeated or audited courses
Change or addition of major program
Add or drop in credit hours
Developmental education courses not applicable to degree
Any education course in which a grade of "Z", "NZ", or "W" is earned
Non-receipt of official transcripts from previous colleges and universities attended

Regulations require that all such items be reported to the VA so that adjustments can be made accordingly. Failure to notify the Veterans Specialist may result in overpayments or withholding of benefits.

Training Time

The amount of educational assistance is determined by the number of credit hours and the length of training period in which the veteran enrolls.

The Veterans Office at Franklin University certifies VA benefits based on the actual number of weeks enrolled in each training period. Due to our accelerated course formats, full-time enrollment (12 hours) at the University does not necessarily reflect full-time payment for your Veterans Benefits.

Training time is determined by the actual number of credit hours enrolled for the class/section, multiplied by 18 (standard weeks in a term as determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs), divided by the actual number of weeks of the class/section. See calculation and examples below:

Number credit hours X 18   = Training time
        Number weeks
4 credit hour class X 18      =   12 (12 hours = FT status)
       6 week class
3 credit hour class X 18      =    9     (9 hours = ¾ time status)
       6 week class
4 credit hour class X 18      =   6    (6 hours = ½ time status)
       12 week class
Because of the complexity in calculating your payment rate, please contact an Education Case Manager at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) for assistance.

Veterans Payment Policies

It usually takes 90 days after the start of classes for your first monthly check to arrive. The funds will be sent directly to your home address, with the exception of Ch.33 (Post 9/11) and Ch.31 students. After the initial claim is processed, a check will be sent at the end of each month for as long as the student remains eligible.

It is possible to request advance payment if the veteran and/or reservist is just beginning a college education or has not taken any classes for 30 days. Advance payment checks are sent directly to Franklin University's Business Office. To be eligible, students must:

Be enrolled at least half time
Request advance payment 60 days before the first day of the trimester so that forms are received by the VA regional office at least 45 days before the first day of the trimester.

Educational Benefits for Veterans, Service persons, Dependents and Survivors

Categories of Eligibility:	Description:
CHAPTER 1606 - Selected Reserve (Formerly 106)	Members of the Reserve or National Guard who enlist, reenlist, or extend an enlistment after 6/30/85, for a period of 6 years.
CHAPTER 1607 - Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP)	The new benefit, Chapter 1607, makes certain individuals who were activated after September 11, 2001 are either eligible for education benefits or increased benefits. The Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and VA are working on an implementation plan for this new benefit.
CHAPTER 30 - GI Bill Active Duty	Persons entering active duty on 7/1/85 or later, who made monthly contributions of $100 for 12 months. Persons must have completed 3 years of active duty, or 2 years active duty and 4 years in the selected reserve.
CHAPTER 30-2 -"Modified" GI Bill	Persons entering active duty before 7/1/85 and who were eligible for the "Old" GI Bill.
CHAPTER 31 -Vocational Rehabilitation	Veterans of World War II or thereafter whose service-connected disability, as determined by the VA, entitles them to benefits under this chapter.
CHAPTER 32 - (VEAP)	Persons entering service between 1/1/77 and 6/30/85, who made monthly or lump-sum contributions to the program while on active duty.
CHAPTER 33 - Post 9/11 GI Bill (New)	Made effective 8/01/09; The post 9/11 GI Bill is a new education benefit program for individuals who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. See Chapter 33 Pamphlet
CHAPTER 35 -Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance * Must include appropriate file number for processing	Assistance available to spouses' and/or children or surviving spouses'; and/or children of a veteran with permanent and total service-connected disability: whose deaths were service connected, or; who died of any cause while rated permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability.
CHAPTER 35-R -Restored Entitlement for Survivors	Restored benefits for persons in Chapter 35.

Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program (ONGSP)

Subject to funding available from the Ohio General Assembly, the ONGSP provides tuition up to $4,006 ($334 per credit hour) per trimester to Army and Air National Guard members attending a two- or four-year public or private college or university. The scholarship is available for up to eight full-time trimesters. Scholarship program recipients must maintain good attendance at their unit drills.

Step 1: Obtain and submit application
For each trimester you plan to attend, you must be enrolled a minimum of six credit hours to receive benefits. Obtain your application form and submit to the Adjutant General's Department by the following deadlines:

Summer: April 1; Fall: July1 ; Winter: November 1

Step 2: Notify Franklin of your approval
If selected, you will receive an approval letter. Please provide a copy of your ONGSP approval letter to:
Franklin University, Financial Aid VA Specialist
201 S. Grant Ave.
Columbus, OH 43215
hyern@franklin.edu
fax: 614.255.9478
Questions? Contact the ONGSP by phone at 614.336.7032, toll free 1.888.400.6484.

Step 3: Certifications
The Financial Aid VA Specialist will certify National Guard Scholarships six weeks after the beginning of the trimester based on current hours of enrollment

Attending more than one school using ONGSP?

You must complete the appropriate Ohio National Guard Student Contract, signed by both you and the other college or university (Host Institution), and return to Franklin University (Home Institution). This form must be completed and sent to Franklin for each term of enrollment.

ONG Contract 2010-2011

Military Scholarship

Each trimester, Franklin offers a one-time, $1,000 scholarship to help a military student with his or her educational expenses.

To be considered for this scholarship, you must:

Provide proof of Active Duty status or honorably discharged Veteran status (DD214)
Have and maintain a 3.0 GPA
Be a full- or part-time Franklin University military student

Complete the Undergraduate Scholars Application (USA) available on our Scholarship page.

Military Family Member Discount

Are you the spouse or dependent child of an active member of the U.S. Armed Forces? Your family member sacrifices a lot for our country - and so do you.

That's why Franklin offers you a 15% discount on your bachelor's degree and a 10% discount on your master's degree. Even with the unique challenges of a military family, Franklin makes continuing your education both accessible and affordable. Get started on your degree today!