Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the most common questions from our military-connected students.

If for any reason you are unable to find the answer to your question, please contact us at militarybenefits@bowiestate.edu or 301-860-5109 for assistance.

General FAQs

Admissions/Registration


  • Bowie State University is proud to support military-affiliated students throughout their educational journey. Eligible students may receive an application fee waiver. Please contact the Military Resource Center for guidance on how to apply your waiver.


  • Visit Academic Advisor Directory | Bowie State to locate your advisor using your current program of study.


  • The last day to enroll (register) varies by term. Please refer to the university’s Academic Calendar | Bowie State or contact your advisor to confirm the exact deadline for your semester.


  • The decision to drop a course or withdraw can greatly impact a student’s success in meeting their educational goals. The last day to drop a class is dependent on the term session. Students using VA Education Benefits must report all added/dropped courses to the Military Resource Center. In the event of a drop, please be advised that student debt may be incurred.


  • The last day to drop a course (without a “W” grade) is listed on the Academic Calendar | Bowie State for each term. Be sure to check the deadline to avoid academic or financial impact.


  • The withdrawal deadline (to receive a “W” grade) is also listed on the Academic Calendar | Bowie State. Withdrawing may affect your VA benefits, so it’s important to speak with your advisor and the Military Resource Center before making a decision.

ROTC


  • The Bowie State University ARMY-ROTC program consists of structured study in the field of military science. Its primary objective is to prepare those students with leadership potential to serve as commissioned officers in the U.S. Army's active and reserve components.

    Bowie State University also has a cross-town partnership with the University of Maryland College Park Detachment 330 to offer Air Force ROTC to Bowie State students.

    If you are interested in enrolling, please reach out to the relevant recruiter:

    Army ROTC at BSU Recruiter Contact

    LTC Montrose Robinson
    Join ARMY ROTC

    AFROTC at UMDCP Recruiter Contact

    afrotcdet330@umd.edu 
    How to Join AFROTC

Tuition and Fees


  • Housing and meal plan fees vary depending on the students’ selections. Detailed information: Get more information on housing and meal fees.


  • Many professors are lenient about textbooks in the first week of class. Email them in advance to ask whether not having the textbook immediately will adversely affect your class performance. Also check with the library, many books are on reserve.


  • Each benefit chapter

Residency


  • Residency determines whether you are charged in-state or out-of-state tuition. Military-affiliated students may qualify for in-state tuition under federal and state policies, even if they are not permanent residents of the state.


  • In many cases, yes. Active-duty service members, members of the National Guard/Reserves, and their dependents may qualify for in-state tuition if they are stationed in the state or meet certain eligibility requirements.

    You may qualify if you:

    • Are using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits after the service member has left active duty
    • Are using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits while the service member is still on active duty
    • Are receiving benefits under the Fry Scholarship
    • Are receiving benefits through the DEA (Chapter 35) program
    • Are using VR&E (Chapter 31) for educational rehabilitation


  • Yes, you may still need to submit documentation. This can include:

    • Military orders
    • A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for VA benefits
    • Proof of dependency (for spouses/dependents)
    • Proof of current address


  • Please contact the Military Resource Center for assistance with updating your residency status.

Active Duty FAQs

Tuition Assistance

    • Air Force: no later than 1 (one) day prior to the term start date
    • Army:  no later than 7 (seven) days prior to the term start date
    • Coast Guard:  no later than 7 (seven) days prior to the term start date
    • Marines: no later than 1 (one) day prior to the term start date
    • Navy:  no later than 7 (seven) days prior to the term start date
    • Space Force:  no later than 1 (one) day prior to the term start date


  • Army-eligible active and reserve members must submit their Tuition Assistance Request (TAR) through ArmyIgnitED.

    Please email approved TA Documentation to:

Deployment


  • A copy of your military orders must be submitted to the certifying official as soon as possible so the VA may be notified of your status. You will need to contact each of your instructors and let them know. You will also need to do a total withdrawal from Bowie State. Official withdrawal from the University after classes begin and before the end of the semester requires that the student complete an Application for Withdrawal and file it with the Office of the Registrar.

    If you are receiving any other financial aid, then you will also need to contact financial aid regarding your deployment. Our office will report your drop to VA and report that you are being deployed.

    After your deployment is over and you have decided to return to Bowie State you will need to re-apply with the admissions office.

    If you have student loans, please visit the following links to see if you qualify for loan forgiveness, loan deferment, or other loan waiver.

    Sallie Mae student loan repayment and military benefits if called to active duty.

    The university policy for governing military call-ups can be found here Withdrawal From BSU | Bowie State

    Information on withdrawing from the university can be found here Withdrawal From BSU | Bowie State

    Good news: A military-related withdrawal won’t count against you if you choose to withdraw later on for any other reason. And when you're ready to come back, we’ll help you pick up where you left off.

Veteran and Dependent FAQs

Certification Process


  • To certify your enrollment, you must submit a signed BSU VA Enrollment Certification Request form to the BSU Military Resource Center once you have registered for courses. Students must request certification for each semester in which they plan to use the benefit, as a claim cannot be submitted to the VA without the student first requesting it. A MRC school certifying official (SCO) will process and certify your enrollment with the VA, ensuring your benefits will be disbursed based on your eligibility.

    Additionally, if you are chapter 30, 1606, and 1607 you must continue with the online monthly enrollment verification (WAVE) or 1-877-823-2378.

    Students using Chapter 33 and 35 VA education benefits must also opt in to communications with the VA to certify enrollment monthly.


  • The current processing time for the Military Resource Center is 2-5 business days, and typically much sooner.

    The current processing time for the VA varies, but the VA states the claims are processed with 10-15 business days of receiving certification from the student’s university.


  • First time recipients should start receiving their benefits in 6-8 weeks. Please note that it can take up to 12 weeks in some cases.

    Continuing students should receive their benefits in about 4 weeks.

    To expedite this process, enrollment forms and other paperwork should be turned in as soon as possible during the previous semester, and at least 30 days before the start of the term. Don’t wait until the last minute! This could delay your processing time.


  • If you are Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill) or Chapter 31 (VR&E), the VA pays your tuition and fees directly to the university.

    For Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill), your basic housing allowance (BAH) and book stipend will be paid directly to you.

    For Chapter 31 (VR&E), your book stipend will be issued to you by the Follett Access Bookstore after your PO is submitted by your VR&E counselor.

    All other chapter stipend payments are made directly to the student.


  • Currently, all degrees listed in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs are approved programs.

Billing

    • If you’re a Ch. 30, 35, 1606, or 1607 student, then the VA does not pay the funds directly to the school, so you will want to make sure your student bill is settled before the due date. We advise you visit Payment Plans | Bowie State to set up a payment plan and review your financial aid options to ensure you are not dropped from your courses due to nonpayment.
    • If you’re a Ch. 33 student covered at 100%, then you do not need to make a personal payment for the tuition and mandatory fees. The VA will cover the full amount of in-state tuition and mandatory fees for those covered at the 100% rate. However, if you’re not 100% eligible or charged at the out-of-state rate, then you will want to cover the remaining difference that the VA will not pay by the given due date, or by setting up Payment Plans | Bowie State.
    • If you’re a Ch. 31 student, your bill will be invoiced to your VR&E Counselor (in-state or out-of-state tuition).


  • Required tuition/fees minus any discounts and tuition/fee specific scholarships are reported to the VA after the 100% drop date.


  • Refer to the award letter the VA mailed to you – this includes school payments, monthly housing and book stipends, remaining entitlement, etc. Call VA Education Services at 1-888-GIBILL-1, or check your benefits online.


  • Chapter 33 is tuition and fee specific. Only the cost of tuition and eligible fees are covered. Students residing on campus will still receive the Basic Housing Allowance and Book Stipend, but are responsible for paying room and board expenses remaining on their Student Account


  • The full time BAH is payable at 12 hours of undergraduate enrollment and 9 hours of graduate credit. The BAH is reduced if you are enrolled in less than full time.


  • Please make sure you have turned in your enrollment form on time. If you have turned the form in on time you will need to call VA at 1-888-442-4551 to find out information about BAH payments and book money.

Registration and Grades


  • Students receiving grades of W, NC, or F the first time taking a course are allowed to repeat the course if it is required for their degree program. If a student receives a D in a course where the course catalog specifically requires a C or better, the student may repeat the course. Any student receiving an F will be checked for class attendance. Non attendance F’s are reported to VA and could cause you to be in overpayment with VA.


  • If you have declared a major you must take courses that will be applied to your degree program. Most programs allow for a certain number of elective hours. Any course that does not fit into your program will be an elective. Once you have used up the allowed number of electives for your particular major, if you register for any more elective courses they cannot be certified by VA. You may also register for courses to be applied towards a declared second degree, or declared minor. If a course requires a prerequisite within your degree program the prerequisite can be certified for enrollment.


  • Mitigating circumstances are situations or events beyond your control that cause you to withdraw from (or “drop”) a class. We consider your reason for withdrawing from a class when we decide if you and your school need to pay us back the benefits already received.

    Mitigating circumstances include:

    • An illness or death in your immediate family
    • An injury or illness you had while you were enrolled
    • A change in your conditions of employment that you couldn’t avoid
    • A job transfer to a new location while you were enrolled that you couldn’t avoid
    • Immediate family or financial demands that you had no control over
    • Active military service that you didn’t know about ahead of time
    • A sudden end to (or cancellation of) the course you were taking
    • A sudden end to child care coverage that you didn’t know about ahead of time

    If we recognize that you had mitigating circumstances, we may decide that you can keep a portion of any benefits you received up to the day you stopped attending the class.


  • You’ll need to tell your School Certifying Official (SCO) about any mitigating circumstances if you reduce your credit hours. When the SCO notifies us about changes to the credit hours you’re taking, they’ll report any mitigating circumstances.

    If your SCO doesn’t tell us why you dropped credit hours, we’ll send you a letter asking you to submit any mitigating circumstances you experienced while you were enrolled. You’ll need to explain to us in writing why you dropped credit hours. Send your explanation to your Regional Processing Office or submit it online through Ask VA.

    Find the address for your Regional Processing Office
     
    Contact us online through Ask VA

    We’ll notify you by mail about whether we accept your mitigating circumstances. If we don’t accept your reason for dropping credit hours, we’ll explain why and note your repayment amount for housing, books, and supplies. We’ll contact your school directly about repayment of tuition, fees, and Yellow Ribbon benefits.


  • The 6-credit-hour exclusion is a 1-time exception that lets you drop up to 6 credit hours and still keep the benefits you received up to the day you stopped attending classes. You don’t have to show mitigating circumstances to keep those benefits.

    You can use the 6-credit-hour exclusion only once, even if you drop fewer than 6 credits. So, you can’t use it to drop 3 credits, then use it a second time to drop 3 more credits.


  • If you withdraw from (or “drop”) a class, you may need to pay us back for the cost of any housing or books and supplies that we gave you money for. Your school may need to pay us back for tuition, fees, and Yellow Ribbon benefits paid on your behalf. But if we recognize that situations or events beyond your control (mitigating circumstances) caused your withdrawal, we may decide that you don’t need to pay us back in full. Keep reading to find out what situations and events we recognize and how to report them.

    Learn about VA debt management

Tuition and Billing


  • It depends on your entitlement. If you are at 100% entitlement VA will pay 100% of your in-state tuition and fees. The chapter 33 education benefit does not cover out of state tuition.


  • It depends. The book stipend caps at $1,000 per academic year. The academic year runs from August to July. If you have received $1,000 between the fall and spring semesters, you have exhausted your stipend for the academic year. The book stipend is paid by credit hour. Generally, the VA will pay $41.67 per credit hour ($41.67 x12= $500.04).


  • No. VA will only pay the amount of in-state tuition and fees. Out-of-state tuition must be covered by out of pocket or by external funds. In some instances, chapter 31 (voc rehab) will pay out of state tuition. However, you could qualify for temporary qualification of non-residents for in-state status. Please visit link for more information here Residency Information | Bowie State or contact the Military Resource Center for more information.


  • Chapters 30, 35, 1606, and 1607: VA will make payment directly to the student. It is your responsibility to see that your tuition and fees are paid on time by the fee deferment date each term. Your benefits are paid a month behind. For example, payment for August would occur around Sept 1.  For chapter 33 students your fees are paid directly to Bowie State. It is still your responsibility to pay your balance by the fee deferment date if VA has not paid your balance.

Additional Student Information

Your Rights Under the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018

Bowie State University proudly supports student veterans and is a participant in the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018. This law protects students using VA education benefits — like the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) or Veteran Readiness & Employment (Chapter 31) — from being penalized due to payment delays from the VA.


  • If you’re a “covered individual” (see below), and you're waiting for the VA to send tuition and fee payments:

    1. Charge late fees just because VA payments are delayed
    2. Stop you from registering for classes
    3. Require you to find other money upfront to cover tuition
    4. Block your access to classes, the library, or campus services

    You can continue your studies without interruption while we wait for the VA to process your payment.


  • To stay in good standing under this policy, we just ask that you do your part by submitting the following before or by the first day of class:

    • A Certificate of Eligibility or a Statement of Benefits
      • You can download this from your eBenefits account, or if you're using Chapter 31, a VA Form 28-1905 from your counselor
    • A written request to be certified for your VA benefits (your school certifying official can guide you)
    • Any other documents or info we might need to properly certify your benefits


  • If your VA benefits don’t cover 100% of your tuition and fees, or if there are any charges that aren’t covered, you may still be responsible for paying the difference. We’ll let you know if this applies to you.


  • Once you’ve submitted everything we need, the VA will usually send payment by the earlier of these two:

    • The date the VA actually sends the money, or
    • 90 days after Bowie State has certified your enrollment and received your Certificate of Eligibility


  • You are considered a "covered individual" if you're:

    • Using Chapter 33: Post-9/11 GI Bill®, or
    • Participating in Chapter 31: Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E)


  • If you're unsure what to submit or where to start, don’t worry — we’re here to support you. Reach out to the Military Benefits Team:

    militarybenefits@bowiestate.edu  

    You’ve earned these benefits — and we’re committed to helping you use them smoothly and with confidence. 

How Your Tuition & Fees Are Paid Through VA Benefits

If you’re using VA education benefits (like the Post-9/11 GI Bill®), here’s what you need to know about how your tuition and fees are covered and what’s included.


  • When your school certifies your enrollment, the VA pays your tuition and required fees directly to the school — not to you.

    The amount paid depends on your benefit level (for example, 100%, 70%, etc.), and it's usually prorated based on that level.


  • Starting August 1, 2011, if you're attending a public college or university, the VA will cover:

    • The actual in-state tuition and required fees,
    • After subtracting any financial help that goes directly to the school and is specifically for tuition and fees — such as:
      • VA-approved scholarships
      • State or institutional aid
      • Employer tuition programs

    What’s NOT subtracted: Loans or grants like the Pell Grant.


  • If you’re attending a private or foreign school, the VA will pay:

    • The actual net cost of tuition and fees after approved aid (as above), or
    • A set annual cap (which changes each year for inflation)

    Whichever is less.

    You can check the most recent yearly cap on the VA website here: VA Rate Tables


  • The VA only covers mandatory fees — these are fees:

    • Charged to all students, not just VA students
    • Required to enroll in or attend a course or program

    Examples of covered fees may include:

    • Lab fees
    • Health service fees
    • Graduation fees
    • Freshman or orientation fees
    • Required course kits or materials
    • Technology or student activity fees
    • Application fees and study abroad costs are generally not covered, unless study abroad is required for your degree program.
    • Room and board charges are never covered as part of “tuition and fees,” but housing costs may be supported through your Monthly Housing Allowance if you're eligible under Chapter 33.


  • If you're on active duty, the VA may cover your full tuition and fees, regardless of state maximums or caps, especially if federal tuition assistance doesn’t cover it all.


  • Once your enrollment is certified and the VA has processed your tuition and fee payment:

    • The amount will appear on your student account balance
    • Any remaining costs not covered by the VA will be your responsibility
    • You should always review your student billing statement to understand what's been paid and what (if anything) you owe

 

Chapter 33 Enrollment Certifications


  • Bowie State University can begin certifying your enrollment up to 180 days before the start of the semester. To help avoid delays in your benefit payments (like housing allowance), we aim to certify students as early as possible.

    Important Deadline: Certifications must be submitted no later than 30 days after the term begins. If your eligibility proof (Certificate of Eligibility or COE) is still pending, the 30-day clock starts when we receive it.


  • Sometimes, tuition and fees aren't immediately available when your enrollment is first certified. In that case, we follow this two-step process to make sure you still get your housing allowance on time:

    1. Initial Certification
      • If your tuition and fees are known, we submit the actual in-state amount.
      • If they're not yet known, we submit your credit hours with $0.00 for tuition and fees, which allows the VA to begin paying your Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA).
    2. Amended Certification (after drop/add period)
      • Once your tuition and fees are finalized, we send an updated certification with the actual net amount (after applying eligible scholarships, grants, etc.).


  • If you add, drop, or withdraw from courses after your certification has already been submitted, we’ll adjust your record accordingly. Here’s how it works:

    • Before the semester starts: We’ll update your certification with your new course load and revised tuition/fees.
    • On or after the first day of class:
      • First, we report on your original hours and tuition.
      • Then the very next day, we submit another update showing your new hours and updated charges.


  • Per Public Law 111-377, we must report your net tuition and fees — that’s the amount after applying:

    • Tuition waivers
    • Institutional scholarships and grants (specifically for tuition and fees)
    • Veteran discounts
    • Any other aid that's designated for reducing tuition costs (excluding loans or federal Pell Grants)

    Example

    Let’s say your tuition bill looks like this:

    • In-State Tuition: $4,000
    • Veteran Discount: -$400
    • Tuition Scholarship: -$2,000
    • Pell Grant: -$2,500 (not counted toward net cost)
    • General Scholarship: -$1,000 (not specifically for tuition)

    Net Tuition Reported to VA: $1,600

    We only deduct aid that is designated to cover tuition and fees. Aid used for general expenses (like housing or books) doesn’t get subtracted.


  • Only in-state charges should be included in your Tuition and Fee amount unless you’re using the Yellow Ribbon Program.

    The VA defines the academic year as August 1 through July 31, which matters for calculating annual benefit limits.

Chapter 31 (VR&E) Enrollment, Billing & Tuition Guidance

If you're using Chapter 31 Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) benefits to help cover your education, here’s what you need to know about how your tuition, fees, and financial aid are handled.


  • Chapter 31 students (and eligible children under Chapter 18) don’t need to worry about being dropped for non-payment. VR&E covers:

    • Tuition and required fees
    • Books and supplies

    These costs are paid directly to the school by VR&E — after the semester’s drop/add period ends, or once the term is over.

    • The school waits until after the drop/add period to send your tuition and fee bill to VR&E.
    • VR&E pays these costs in arrears — that means after the term has started.
    • Your registration should not be canceled while waiting for payment, because VR&E has already agreed to cover your charges.


  • To avoid overbilling, VR&E only pays what’s actually owed after certain types of aid are applied.

    Here’s what gets deducted before VR&E is billed:

    • Tuition waivers or discounts
    • Grants or scholarships that are specifically designated for tuition and fees

    But here’s what doesn’t get deducted:

    • Pell Grants or other Title IV financial aid
    • Student loans
    • General scholarships (unless you choose to use them for tuition)

    If you receive aid that could be used for other expenses (like housing or food), you don’t have to apply it to your tuition unless you want to. If you do want to apply it, the school will reduce what they charge VR&E by that amount.


  • Sometimes a duplicate payment or an error happens. In that case:

    • The school is responsible for fixing it.
    • Any unused or duplicate funds must be returned to the correct source — including VR&E.
    • Refunds to VR&E are handled through the Tungsten payment system.

    (Need help creating a refund in Tungsten? Click here for the step-by-step guide).


  • Thanks to Public Law 115-251, if you’re using Chapter 31 benefits and living in the state, you’re entitled to in-state tuition rates, even if you haven’t established official residency yet.

    Note: You’re expected to take steps to establish residency if you plan to stay in the state. If the school has additional steps to qualify for in-state tuition, you’ll need to meet those too.

    VR&E's policy regarding tuition and fees is governed by VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR), 48 CFR 831.7001-1.

    Financial Aid, In-State Tuition, and Billing

 

Student Responsibilities

    • If you’re using Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®)and your enrollment started after August 1, 2021, you must verify your enrollment every month to keep getting your housing allowance (MHA).
      • If you miss two months, your MHA payments will be paused until you verify.
      • Only you (the student) can do this — the school cannot verify enrollment for you.
      • You’ll get texts or emails from the VA with instructions each month.
    • For  30 or 1606 students, use the WAVEsystem to verify at the end of each month.
    • For 35 students, you must verify your enrollment every monthto keep your monthly stipend. You’ll get texts or emails from the VA with instructions each month.


  • To stay in good standing with the VA and Bowie State, here’s what you need to do:

    1. Verify all VA info with our team — don’t rely only on outside sources. Email us at: militarybenefits@bowiestate.edu
    2. Submit official transcripts from all colleges you've attended (yes, even if you didn’t use VA benefits).
    3. Tell us right away if you:
      • Add or drop classes
      • Change your major
      • Modify your degree plan
      • Take classes at another college (dual enrollment)
    4. Stay on track for your degree. We can only certify classes that apply directly to your graduation requirements.
    5. Declare your major by the end of your sophomore year (undergrads only). VA won’t pay beyond that without a declared major.
    6. Understand overpayments. If the VA overpays — even if funds go directly to BSU — you’re responsible for repaying them.