Policies

A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is a letter you receive from the VA stating what educational benefit you are eligible to receive. 

How do I apply? 

You can apply online right now. Just answer a few questions, and the VA will help you get started with the education benefits form that's right for you. Select the drop-down menu "Apply for education benefits" and answer the questions as they pertain to you. The VA will then provide the appropriate application for the benefit you are eligible to receive. 

Once you receive your COE, we need a copy to be turned into University of North Florida Military and Veterans Resource Center. You may either drop by in-person, located in the Founders Hall, Building 2, Suite 1100 or email it to mvrc@unf.edu. 

Student Enrollment Verification: Isakson & Roe: Section 1010 

Educational Assistance recipients effective August 1, 2021, must verify their enrollment status each month to continue receiving their monthly housing allowance (BAH/MHA) and/or kicker payments. Students are asked to verify their enrollment status relative to what we have reported on your behalf. This is not attendance verification. 

Students can verify their enrollment status in one of two ways: 

1. Text Messaging– Students who choose VA’s “Opt-In” feature will receive a text message each month prompting them to verify their enrollment status. 
2. Telephone–Students may call the Education Call Center (ECC) at 888-442-4551 to verify their enrollment status. 
   1. If a student fails to verify for two consecutive months, the VA will withhold future BAH/MHA payments until they call the Educational Call Center (ECC) to verify. 

No Holds due to VA Late Payments-Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e) 

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e), the University of North Florida adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Chapter 33 Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® or Chapter 31 Veteran Readiness & Employment-VR&E benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA. 

University of North Florida will not: 

• Prevent the student’s enrollment. 
• Assess a late penalty fee. 
• Require students secure alternative or additional funding.  
• Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.  

• Provide Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill® (CH33) Certificate of Eligibility (or its equivalent) or
• Have a purchase order provided in Tungsten for Chapter 31 VA VR&E’s by the first day of class. 

Note:  Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill® students can get the equivalent of a Chapter 33 Certificate of Eligibility by logging into  va.gov and requesting a Statement of Benefits.  

Chapter 31 students must get with their VA VR&E case-manager to have a Purchase Order provided to the school, public safety (parking fees), and bookstore.  

• Complete a Request for Benefits. 
• Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies 

School Versus Student Debt: Isakson & Roe: Section 1019

• If there is a change of enrollment which resulted in an over payment of tuition and fees, we will receive notification from the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
• You will also receive notification from VA indicating the tuition and fee debt amount to be collected. 
• The VA will not collect the tuition and fee debt from you. 
• The VA will collect this amount from your school. 
• In turn, we will require you to pay any outstanding balance for tuition and fees. The debt will be managed by our office. 
• If you have questions about how to repay this debt, please call VA Debt Management Center toll-free at 1-800-827-0648. 

Early Registration for Military-Connected Students Using the GI Bill®

Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides educational assistance to service members and veterans, including priority registration for certain educational programs. Specifically, Section 303 of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report whether schools offer priority enrollment for veterans and service members. This means that eligible students can register for classes earlier than other students, although it does not guarantee that they will register before all others. 

Required DoD Policies

Unearned Tuition Assistance (TA) Funds Return 

As a participant in the Department of Defense Voluntary Education Program the University of North Florida is required to return any unearned TA funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending.  

Unearned TA funds that are returned to the appropriate military branch of service will become a debt that the student owes the university. This amount will be placed on the student’s account, and a hold will be placed on the student account preventing registration, grades and transcripts. If a student is eligible to receive a refund from the University for tuition and fees or other charges, the University will apply the refund against the debt that results from the unearned TA. 

Official Withdraw Date–The date the student officially withdrew from a course. 

Unofficial Withdraw Date–Students who stop attending and receive a combination of F, W, and I (Incomplete) grades, are considered to have unofficially withdrawn. UNF will use the last date of participation to determine if the service member completed at least 60% of the course. 

Return of Unearned TA Official Withdrawal Calculation–The calculation for Return of Unearned TA is based on the percent of TA Earned using the following formula, which mirrors the Federal Return of Title IV funds formula: 
(Number of days completed) / (Total days of course (start to end date)) = Percent of TA earned 
The TA return policy is also spelled out on the UNF: Agency/Third-Party Billing website.  

No High-Pressure Recruitment 

The University of North Florida (UNF) is committed to fair, transparent, and ethical recruitment practices. Veterans, service members, and their dependents will never be subject to high-pressure recruitment tactics at UNF. 

No UNF employee receives commissions, bonuses, or other incentives for securing student enrollments, including those of veterans and service members. 

High-pressure tactics—such as repeated unsolicited contacts (three or more by phone, email, or in person) or same-day recruitment and registration intended solely to secure enrollment—are strictly prohibited. 

City of Jacksonville Military Affairs and Veterans Department at 904.255.5524, or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at 888.442.4551. 

Standards of Academic Progress

Students using Veteran Affairs educational benefits will adhere to the University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.  

Florida Policies

Priority Course Registration for Veterans

Each Florida College System institution and state university that offers priority course registration for a segment of the student population, or  upon implementation of priority course registration for a segment of the student population, shall provide priority course registration for each veteran of the United States Armed Forces who is receiving GI Bill educational benefits or for the spouse or dependent children of the veteran to whom the GI Bill educational benefits have been transferred. Each eligible veteran, or his or her spouse or dependent children, shall be granted priority for course registration until the expiration of the GI Bill educational benefits. (Title XLVIII Chapter 1004.075)
History.—s. 21, ch. 2012-159; s. 1, ch. 2012-162.

C.W. Bill Young Tuition Waiver (Out-of-State Tuition Waiver)

The C. W. Bill Young Tuition Waiver Program (Chapter 1009.26, Section 36, Subsections (13) and (14) (a) Florida Statutes) waive out-of-state tuition and fees for an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Armed Forces, United States Reserve Forces, or the National Guard who physically reside within the state of Florida while enrolled at any UCF Campus.  This waiver may also be used by veterans and eligible dependents who are receiving educational assistance from the US Department of  Veteran Affairs (VA).  Active Duty member of the Armed Forces who reside or are stationed outside of Florida are also eligible for the Out-Of-State waiver.

Please Note: This waiver does NOT change a student’s residency status. The Office of Student Financial Services process this waiver. 

Please email any questions about these policies to mvrc@unf.edu.