Things To Know

Here are some important things you need to know in order to receive your benefits, and to keep on track as much as possible. It is important for you to be in contact with the Veteran and Military Services Office for any quarter in which you want to receive benefits.

To receive your benefits each quarter you will need to provide a copy of your class schedule.  The easiest way to do this is to copy/paste your schedule from MyUW and email it to uwtva@uw.edu.  You will receive a confirmation email upon your initial certification. 

Tuition Assistance

Depending on your branch of service you can use your tuition assistance, contact uwtva@uw.edu for questions. Make sure to contact your Educational Services Office.

Military Credit Evaluation

Official military transcripts (Joint Service Transcripts) must be submitted to the Office of Admissions for evaluation. Coursework recommended for academic college credit at a lower or upper division level by the American Council on Education (ACE) will be considered for transfer provided that the coursework is applicable to the student's degree program at the University of Washington. Military coursework is not included in the transfer GPA, and transfer credit will not be awarded until after the student has enrolled at the University. A maximum of 30 quarter credits may be awarded for military courses earned through Armed Forces training schools (AFTS). No credit is awarded for Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) programs.

Verify Your Enrollment (Chapter 30, 1606 and 1607 Only)

Chapter 30, 1606 and 1607 recipients are required to contact the VA on the last day of each month to verify enrollment. If you forget to call, your payment will be held until you call the VA. When you are verifying your enrollment, if the number of credits or enrollment status is incorrect, contact Veterans and Military Services with the correct information. Do not try to correct it through the VA website.

• To verify by phone: 1-877-823-2378
• To verify online: Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) system

The monthly verification of enrollment is not required for Chapter 33 and Chapter 35 recipients at this time.

Veterans Registration Priority

Continuing students with veteran status and spouses of veterans receiving benefits may register on the first day of Period I registration. Students who are not currently receiving veterans benefits will need to provide proof of veteran status to the Office of Veteran and Military Services.

Changes to Your Enrollment Status

You must contact Veteran and Military Services at uwtva@uw.edu, if you make changes to your class schedule. They can help you determine if and how the change will impact your benefits for the quarter.

Adding Classes

If you change your schedule, contact Veteran and Military Services. Depending on your enrollment status, you may need to bring in a revised class schedule that has been signed by your advisor. Failure to do this may result in your not receiving the maximum benefit you are entitled to.

Dropping Classes or Withdrawing

If you drop a course or need to withdraw from school after the drop period contact Veterans and Military Services as soon as possible. The VA will automatically grant a 6-Credit Hour Exclusion the first time mitigating circumstances are involved. This one-time exclusion cannot be granted if you complete the quarter and receive a non-punitive grade.

Mitigating circumstances are circumstances beyond your control that prevent you from continuing in school or that cause you to reduce the number of credits that you are enrolled in.

Examples of mitigating circumstances include:

• An illness or injury afflicting you during the enrollment period
• An illness or death in your immediate family
• An unavoidable change in your conditions of employment
• Unanticipated active duty military service, including training
• Immediate family or financial obligations beyond your control that require you to suspend pursuit of your education to gain employment

Former Quarter Drop

If you need to withdraw completely and will complete a Former Quarter Drop with the Registrar’s Office, let Veterans and Military Services know so they can report it to the VA. The VA tends to waive a debt if a Former Quarter Drop is granted by the UW. Former Quarter Drops are granted for documented emergencies, such as an automobile accident, severe illness, or other extenuating circumstances beyond your control.

Military Withdrawal

If you need to withdraw as you are called to active duty, bring a copy of your orders to the Veterans and Military Services Office so they can be forwarded to the VA. Requests for withdrawals and information regarding completing official withdrawals for military service are completed through the Office of the Registrar.

Repeated Courses

Courses that are failed or for which the grade does not meet minimum requirements for graduation may be certified for VA purposes if they are repeated and are a degree requirement.

Satisfactory Progress

If you are pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you are expected to make satisfactory progress toward attaining the degree. In addition, you are expected to enter a major and graduate after completion of a reasonable number of credits.

Students are placed on academic probation at the end of any quarter – except for the first quarter at the UW, in which their cumulative GPA is below 2.0. Students on probation will be dropped the following quarter unless their quarter GPA is at least 2.5 or their cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher.

The VA pays for 0.0 grades. They also will pay for I or incomplete grades, but for undergraduates only. The VA will not pay for X, NS, Audit or NC grades.

Non-Matriculated Students

If you are non-matriculated (not yet degree-seeking), you are allowed 2 quarters as a non-matriculated student.

Taking Classes at Another School

If you decide to take classes at another school, a Parent Letter is required along with a confirmation of the registered courses for your advisor, contact Veterans and Military Services for complete details of this process.