VA launches new Enrollment Verification requirement to protect GI Bill students

New this school year, monthly enrollment verification is required for Post-9/11 GI Bill® beneficiaries. The new process ensures VA has accurate and up-to-date enrollment information, which can impact student Monthly Housing Allowances (MHA) or tuition and fee payments. By confirming whether students are enrolled in the same courses or training each month, monthly enrollment verification also helps students manage their benefits by preventing false charges and resulting debt.

Increasing access and ease of using education benefits remains a top priority for VA, and the department continues to implement process improvements year after year. Part of these efforts is a focus on reducing overpayments and debt, which could negatively impact millions of beneficiaries. While an additional step for students, enrollment verification plays a key role in safeguarding their GI Bill entitlement by providing accurate and timely information on the status of student enrollments, and importantly, it’s easy to do.

Students can quickly and securely verify enrollment via text message

Text message verification is available to all impacted students with a U.S. mobile phone number.

1. After enrolling in courses, students will receive a secure text message from VA inviting them to opt into text message verification. They can reply “Yes” to opt in.
2. At the end of each month, students will verify their enrollment by replying “Yes” to a text message from VA.
3. Payments will be released at the beginning of the following month.

Currently, the enrollment verification requirement applies only to students at non-college degree (NCD) facilities, with terms starting on or after Aug. 1, 2021, who receive MHA and/or kicker payments. Beginning Dec. 17, the requirement will also apply to students attending institutions of higher learning (IHL) who receive MHA and/or kicker payments. All other impacted students will be provided more information before the requirement applies to them.

NCD facility students who do not receive an opt-in text can contact the Education Call Center at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) to opt in. It’s recommended that all students make sure their contact information is up to date.

What happens if students fail to verify enrollment?

Students will have their MHA and/or kicker payments withheld if they fail to verify for two consecutive months or report that they are no longer enrolled in their courses or training.

For more information on enrollment verification and how to sign up for and use text message verification, visit the following resources:

• Enrollment Verification Webpage
• Infographic: How to Verify Enrollment for NCD Facility Students
• Video: How to Opt Into Text Message Verification for NCD Facility Students
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Communication Toolkit for School Certifying Officials at NCD Facilities

Stay tuned as we roll out this requirement to IHL facility students in the coming months.