Veteran Services

Academic Center for Excellence (ACE)
Wayne Pelts
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 276-326-4606
Fax: 276-326-4288
Disability Services

Active-Duty Military

Bluefield University is proud to welcome current members of the military and work with those students receiving education benefits through their branch of the service.

Current military members using education benefits through their branch of the service must work with their Educational Service Officer (ESO) or counselor within the Military Service prior to enrolling in courses at Bluefield University.

Typical paperwork required for Education Service Officers or counselors include:

• Evaluation of all transfer work
• Evaluation of military training towards degree requirements
• Documented degree plan outlining required coursework for the degree
• Documented outline of required coursework after evaluations are complete

For questions about these items or help to obtain copies of your documented degree plan and required coursework please contact the BU Veteran’s Certifying Official.

Veterans

On December 31, 2018, the President signed into law the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018. It contains a provision (Section 103) that takes effect on August 1, 2019.
Beginning that date, for any student that’s using Ch. 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill™ or Ch. 31 VocRehab benefits, even though VA has not yet paid tuition and fees, no institution (public, private, for-profit, not for profit), can have a policy in effect that:

• prevents enrolling,
• assesses a late penalty fee,
• requires securing alternative or additional funding, or
• denies access to any school resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) that are available to other students that have paid.

However, an institution can require that such students be required to:

• produce the VA’s Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class,
• provide written request to be certified, and
• provide additional information needed to properly certify

Bluefield University makes every effort to work with students receiving Post 9/11 GI Bill™ and Chapter 31 VocRehab where funding is sent directly to the school to cover tuition costs.  With completed documentation for VA certification students receiving Post 9/11 GI Bill™ and Chapter 31 VocRehab benefits are not required to secure funding to cover the cost of their tuition while VA processes the award.  Should VA make a determination that the student is no longer eligible for benefits or the payment is less than the cost of tuition, the student is responsible for the unpaid balance.

Step 1

Complete the Veterans Affairs Application for Benefits.

Step 2

Download the Bluefield University Veterans Affairs Enrollment Form from Registrar Forms. Please hand-sign, scan, and email the completed form to Bluefield Central. A Bluefield Central representative will process your form and you will receive follow-up contact directly from Veterans Affairs. Bluefield University will only contact you if we need additional information.

Service members can receive college credit for the military in training; please submit an official military transcript for evaluation for the Army, Navy, Marines, and/or Air Force.

For questions about your benefits, contact the Veterans Affairs Education Service Center Directly via phone at 888.442.4551, or view the Veterans Affairs Benefits Comparison Tool, which will help you decide which benefit will assist your education journey the most.

Yellow Ribbon Program

The Yellow Ribbon Program is designed to improve financial aid for veterans participating in the Post 9/11 GI Bill™. To be eligible for the maximum benefit rate under the Yellow Ribbon Program, students must have served an aggregate 36 months of active duty after September 11, 2001, or been honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and served 30 continuous days after September 11, 2001, or be a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post 9/11 GI Bill™.

Handbook for Veterans

Learn more about our veteran-friendly degree programs.