Academic Regulations for Veterans and Dependents (A.05.01)

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Scope

All Students Receiving VA Educational Benefits

Purpose

To outline academic regulations for veterans or their dependents.

Policy/Procedure

Academic regulations for veterans and dependents of veterans are administered by the Veteran Success Center under the supervision of the VA Certifying Official. Eligible veterans and dependents receive monthly payments for their entitlement based on the course work for which they enroll. In compliance with U.S. Veterans Administration regulations, students who receive educational benefits from the VA must meet and maintain certain standards. Students must select courses with care, making certain that each course meets VA requirements. For this reason, students receiving VA educational benefits are required to consult with their academic advisors and submit a copy of a signed degree plan to the VA Certifying Official. Students must notify the VA Certifying Official of their continued enrollment every semester, and also of any changes in their registration during the semester. The following are the requirements that must be met in order to receive VA monthly payments:

  1. A student receiving VA educational benefits must pursue a program of single objective only. Double and joint majors or programs are not allowed unless approved by the VA.
  2. No course may be taken as a remedial, deficiency or refresher course without proper documentation.
  3. Each course must fulfill a requirement for graduation in the degree program;
  4. No course may be taken as an “audit” course.
  5. No course may be a repeat of a course for which credit has already been received;
  6. Each course must be completed and assigned a grade that will be used to compute GPA and count toward the degree. Withdrawal from courses without mitigating circumstances and with the result of no credit or grade being awarded will cause benefits to be terminated retroactively from the beginning date of the semester, creating an over-award and the possible obligation to repay the Veterans Administration.

All students receiving VA educational benefits must maintain “satisfactory progress” by achieving the required minimum cumulative GPA, based on the total hours attempted. The University of St. Thomas will not prohibit attendance or impose penalties to GI Bill® eligible students while waiting on VA payments if a Certificate of Eligibility has been submitted to the Veteran Success Center.

To ensure satisfactory progress, transcripts of those students receiving VA benefits will be monitored at the end of each semester. Should the student complete a semester with a GPA below the required minimum, a warning notice will be given to the student advising that satisfactory progress is not being maintained and that he/she will be placed on academic probation for one semester. A student who incurs academic probation for two consecutive semesters or who incurs academic suspension for any semester shall be reported to the VA regional office as making unsatisfactory progress. VA benefit payments will be terminated due to unsatisfactory progress. A student whose benefits are terminated because of unsatisfactory progress, and who is permitted to re-enroll in the University, must apply to the Veterans Administration to request reinstatement of educational benefits.

 

APPROVED: Dr. Robert Ivany
Date of Original Formation: 9/1/2010
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