Educational assistance is available for U. S. military veterans and members of the National Guard and Selected Reserve.  The reserve components include those of the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army and Air   National Guard.  In some cases, dependents  of veterans in certain categories may be eligible for these benefits.  In all instances, eligibility is determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.).  Monthly benefits checks are sent by the V.A. directly to the student following verification of enrollment each semester.  Receipt of V.A. benefits may have an impact on levels of other federal and state  financial aid that a student may be eligible for, and therefore  inquiries regarding financial aid eligibility should be directed to the C.C.S.U. Office of Financial Aid. 

Department of Veterans Affairs  educational benefits are paid at the end of each month during the semester or Summer/Winter sessions for which the veteran is enrolled. However, a reasonable period of time should be expected at the beginning of each enrollment period to allow for processing by the V.A. of the initial education benefits  check.  Enrollment may be in either a part-time or full-time student status; in either case, the student must be matriculated ( accepted and enrolled in a degree program).  

Veterans wishing to apply for the Montgomery G.I. Bill Active Duty Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 30) or the Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) may do so through the office of the Coordinator of Veterans Affairs.   Those who will receive V.A. monthly benefits for the first time must complete the 22-1990 "Application for Education Benefits" form; transfer students who previously received monthly benefits must complete the 22-1995 "Request for Change of Program or Place of Training" form.  Students who will attend school under the sponsorship of the V.A. Vocational Rehabilitation program (Chapter 31) should make their initial inquiry to the V.A. by calling the toll-free number: 1- 800-827-1000.  If approved for Chapter 31, the V.A. will issue authorization and appropriate forms to the university. Counseling for the Vocational Rehabilitation program is provided by the V.A. office in Newington. 

Congress has authorized a new education benefits program, the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) - Chapter 1607 - for certain activated Reservists who served at least ninety consecutive days of active duty after September 11, 2001.  The program has  been implemented by the V.A., and while applications are being accepted, the V.A. is currently processing over 9000 claims, so delays can be expected.  Additional information can be obtained from the V.A. at its Education Benefits webpage. Updates will be provided as further information becomes available from the V.A..

Transfer students must register with the office of the Coordinator of Veterans Affairs, at which time the 22-1995 "Change of Place of Training" form will need to be completed.  It should be noted that in many cases not all transfer credits can be applied to the specific academic program at C.C.S.U., and therefore only the number of applicable transfer credits will be reported to the V.A. at the time of the next enrollment certification.  Questions about transfer credit should be directed to the university's Admissions office. 

National Guard and Reservists must also request through their respective units the issuance of the "Notice of Basic Eligibility" (N.O.B.E.) which is to be submitted to the university with their initial application for benefits.  Transfer students who previously received V.A. benefits do not need to present the N.O.B.E. form, but do need to complete the 22-1995 form. . 

Students eligible for Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) benefits must apply directly to the V.A. on V.A. Form 22-5490 for that program.  If approved, the V.A. will issue a Certificate of Eligibility which is then submitted to the C.C.S.U. Coordinator of Veterans Affairs for processing.  Transfer students under Chapter 35 must complete the 22-5495 "Change of Place of Training" form.  

Once enrolled and receiving benefits, students must report any in-semester course load reductions to the V.A. and to the C.C.S.U. office of the Coordinator of Veterans Affairs; additionally, a change of academic major must be reported to the office of the Coordinator of Veterans Affairs via the 22-1995 or 22-5495 "Change of Program" form, for subsequent reporting to the V.A.;  and, each veteran receiving V.A. benefits must verify enrollment each semester.  This can be accomplished by  using the W.A.V.E. option at the VA's website at www.gibill.va.gov , or by touchtone telephone at 1-877-823-2378 (Interactive Voice Response) or by contacting a VA benefits counselor at 1-888-442-4551 or 1-800-827-1000. The V.A. "Hartford" office has recently moved, and is now located at: 555 Willard Avenue, Newington, CT, on the grounds of the Newington Veterans Hospital. The mailing address is: P.O. Box 310909, Newington, CT 06131-0909.

The Connecticut tuition waiver is available for  veterans who have served on full-time active duty ("active duty for training" not applicable) in the U.S. Armed Forces during time of war or specifically designated periods of conflict - and in some cases, having served with specific units or ships in certain locations - and who are domiciled in Connecticut at the time they are accepted for admission by the university as matriculated undergraduate or graduate students in a degree program.  To be eligible, a veteran must  be domiciled in the State of Connecticut  at the time of acceptance for admission  , unless already a Connecticut resident at the time of enlistment.  A copy of the form DD214 is required.  Veterans must have been released from active duty having served at least ninety (90) days under honorable conditions, except where the campaign lasted for a duration of less than ninety days or unless separated from service earlier because of a service-connected disability rated by the V.A.  In these instances, the veteran  must also  provide documentation of expeditionary service in the specific location and of the unit or ship during the specified time period, or of the V.A. rated disability.  These requirements also apply to transfer students who may have received the tuition waiver at another Connecticut state institution.

Periods of conflict eligible for tuition waivers include the World War II (12/07/1941 - 12/31/1946); Korean Hostilities (6/27/1950 - 1/31/1955); Vietnam Era (2/28/1961 - 7/01/1975) (also any dependent child of a person who has been declared a MIA/POW in Vietnam during those inclusive dates is eligible, provided the parent entered the service after Jan. 1, 1960); and the Persian Gulf War [Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Iraqi Freedom] (beginning 8/02/1990 and ending on the date thereafter prescribed by Presidential proclamation or by law). 

Also eligible are veterans who engaged in combat or in a combat-support role in the Lebanon Conflict (7/01/1958 - 11/01/1958) and the  Lebanon Peace-Keeping Mission (9/29/1982 - 3/30/1984); the Grenada Invasion (10/25/1983 - 12/15/1983); the Invasion of Panama/Operation Just Cause (12/20/1989 - 1/31/1990); and Operation Earnest Will/Escort of Kuwaiti Oil Tankers (2/01/1987 - 7/23/1987).  Documentation displaying proof of expeditionary service in a combat or combat support role in these operations is required. 

All above campaigns and inclusive dates are designated by Connecticut General Statutes, and are subject to change or amendment by the Connecticut General Assembly, and subsequent authorization by Resolution from the Connecticut State University Board of Trustees to the four constituent university campuses: CCSU, ECSU, SCSU, and WCSU. Applicable General Fund tuition and appropriate Extension Fund course fees waiver eligibility becomes effective with authorization from the B.O.T., and is not retroactive to any billing period prior to that authorization. 

The   appropriate B.O.T.  Extension Fund course fees waiver forConnecticut resident part-time students (or SummerSession & WinterSession), is available for veterans if they are residents of the State of Connecticut when accepted for admission to the university as matriculated students in a degree program.  For full-time undergraduate students who are National Guard members, eligibility for the tuition waiver is determined by the National Guard command (unless otherwise having met the "Veterans" eligibility requirements above - "active duty for training" not applicable), and that authorization is transmitted directly to the university.  Guard members must apply for the tuition waiver for each Fall and Spring semester through their respective Guard units.  National Guard  waivers are not  applicable for the Extension Fund course fees charged for a SummerSession or WinterSession, or any part-time registration in a Fall or Spring semester, nor for National Guard members who register as graduate students.

Connecticut resident Veterans who qualify for the tuition waiver may opt to attend either full-time or part-time.  For full-time students, the tuition portion of the tuition and fees bill is waived; other applicable fees must be paid each semester.  For part-time students, one-half of the per-credit course fees is waived.  The registration fee and other applicable fees must be paid each registration period. "Out-of-State" veterans are not eligible for the Extension Fund course fees waiver.  National Guard members must be fulltime undergraduates to be eligible for the tuition waiver. 

Active Reservists do not qualify for the tuition waiver unless having been called to active duty - other than for training, and then meeting the above definition of "veteran" and serving during any of the above specified wars or periods of conflict.

 For additional information, see the U.S. Code Title 38 Section 101.

Please make note of these toll free telephone numbers for the V.A. :    

General questions:  1-800-827-1000

Questions about pending benefits: 1-888-GIBILL1 (442-4551)

Enrollment verification: 1-877-823-2378

Other inquiries may be made by calling the Central Connecticut State University Office of the Coordinator of Veterans Affairs: 

1-860-832-AVET (2838)

Or,  via eMail at:      porterp@ccsu.edu

You may FAX documents to 860-832-1650 - Attn: Peggy Porter

CCSU STUDENT VETERAN EXCELLENCE AWARD RECIPIENTS:

Michael Rafferty 1998      Michael McLane 1999     Steven Burgio 2000   Jeffrey Boucher 2001       
See below for 2002 ◊   Roberto Padua 2003    Diana Esposito 2004    Michael A. Vaughan 2005 
Joel Patrick Leger 2006    

 ◊  The 2002 award was named in honor of the 149 Central Connecticut State University past or present students who have been called to active duty during the past fifty-seven months, some on multiple tours - including those who are presently being activated in support of Operation Enduring Freedom,  Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Noble Eagle.   Please see the names of each of these student recipients* at the top of this page. The university is proud and honored to have presented the 2002 CCSU Student Veteran Excellence Award to these deserving students as members of their respective military units. 

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