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Veteran FAQs
General Questions
The Assistant Director of Veteran Affairs is Paul Lazaro, and the Office of Veteran Affairs can be found in the Paul Robeson Campus Center, Room 316A.
The VA School Certifying Official is Daniel Villanueva, Associate Registrar. His office is located in the Office of the Registrar at Blumenthal Hall, Room 313r.
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers various educational assistance programs for eligible veterans, certain members of the selected reserve, and certain spouses and children of veterans.
Active-duty service members, reservists, and National Guardsmen who are eligible for Department of Defense Tuition Assistance may utilize those benefits.
The New Jersey National Guard Tuition Program is available to eligible members of the New Jersey Army National Guard and New Jersey Air National Guard.
Your supporting documents depend on the military education benefits that you wish to utilize, which are listed below by the benefit and the supporting document:
All students: Most recent Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD 214, "Member – 4" copy)
Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606): Notice of Basic Eligibility (DD Form 2384-1)
Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30): Certificate of Eligibility issued by the VA
Dependents Educational Assistance program (Chapter 35): Certificate of Eligibility issued by the VA
Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33): Certificate of Eligibility issued by the VA
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Chapter 31): Authorization and Certification of Entrance or Reentrance Into Rehabilitation and Certification of Status (VA Form 28-1905)
The New Jersey National Guard Tuition Program ("tuition waiver"): Signed Commander's Certificate
You can request certification of your benefits through My VetCert.
If this is your first time utilizing your benefits at RU–N, you will need to log in to your My VetCert account. Once you have done that, you will be able to upload your supporting document(s). After registering for your courses, you will be able to request certification of your benefits.
You can find more information about requesting certification of your military education benefits at registrar.newark.rutgers.edu.
The VA School Certifying Official (SCO) is responsible for verifying the documents for military-affiliated students and certifying enrollment for GI Bill benefits to the VA. The SCO is currently located within the Office of the Registrar, which is in Blumenthal Hall, 3rd floor, 249 University Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07102.
You may visit the SCO during the Office of the Registrar's normal hours of operation during the academic year (Sept. through mid-May): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Summer hours of operation (mid-May through the end of Aug.) are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
If the SCO is not available, you may contact the Assistant Director of Veteran Affairs at lazaro.paul@rutgers.edu or (973) 353-5515. The Office of Veteran Affairs is located in the Paul Robeson Campus Center, Room 316A, 350 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Newark, NJ 07102. The office’s hours of operations are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To access the My VetCert system, follow these steps:
You must first scan and save your document(s) as a .pdf or .jpg file.
If you are uploading your supporting document(s), click on the "My Supporting Documents" tab at the top of the page.
Scroll to the bottom, and select the appropriate "Document Type."
Click "Browse," and find the document on the computer. Then select it, and click "Upload."
Verify that your document(s) display in your profile.
If you are requesting certification of your military education entitlements, click the "Request Enrollment Certification" tab at the top of the page.
Complete the form.
Under the “Benefit" drop-down menu, select the military education benefit that you will be utilizing for the term.
Note: When you select "Federal GI Bill Only" or "BOTH," the section expands to present the different GI Bill types for selection.
Note: If you are utilizing Department of Defense Tuition Assistance, you must have completed the TA process with your branch of the military in order for those benefits to be certified.
Complete the remaining sections of the form.
Note: You must be registered in courses in a given term for that term to be displayed in the drop-down menu of the "Select Term" section.
Note: If you are a newly admitted student, you will see only the upcoming term in the "Select Term" section once your document(s) and military educational benefits have been verified by the SCO.
Click the “Request Certification” button at the bottom of the form.
NJ National Guard Tuition Program (NJNGTP): Speak to your unit’s education officer or noncommissioned officer, or the individual responsible for Commander’s Certificates to have the form generated. To utilize the NJNGTP, you must also apply for financial aid, via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Please visit fafsa.ed.gov or financialaid.rutgers.edu/apply for more information.
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance: Set up an account and apply through your respective branch of service:
As a transfer student, you will find it easy to transfer your benefits to RU–N. Choose your program, and take the following steps:
VA educational benefits: Complete and submit a VA Form 22-1995 ("Request for Change in Program or Place of Training") via eBenefits or VONAPP. Once the VA approves your application, they will send you a new Certificate of Eligibility which you will scan and upload to the Rutgers My VetCert system. You may then request certification of your VA education benefits per the instructions above.
NJ National Guard Tuition Program: Notify your unit’s education officer or noncommissioned officer that you are attending a different institution. This change must be reflected on the Commander’s Certificate. Sign and upload the document per the instructions above.
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance: Follow the established procedures specific to your branch of service for transferring benefits to RU–N.
Your payments work differently depending on the benefit you use. Choose your program for more information:
Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) (Chapter 31) and the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33): You will have your tuition and fees paid (in part or in full, depending on your eligibility) directly to RU–N. If you are a VR&E student, the cost of pertinent course materials will be covered by the VA and paid to RU–N. VR&E Subsistence Allowances will be paid by the VA to you. If you are a Post-9/11 GI Bill student, the VA will make payments for book stipends and your Monthly Housing Allowance to you.
Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606), Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty (Chapter 30), and Dependents Educational Assistance (Chapter 35): You are required by RU–N to pay all tuition and fees costs when due, per university policy. The cost of books and supplies are also your responsibility. Under these education benefit programs, the VA will disburse monthly allowances for each month of schooling based upon your rate of pursuit (credit hours enrolled).
You are also required to verify your enrollment monthly to receive payment for your attendance. Verify your enrollment via the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) application or by using the Automated Telephone System (IVR) at (877) 823-2378.
Inquiries regarding payment status or other issues may be made directly to the VA at (888) 442-4551.
Note: The payment is made to you for the number of days you are certified for the month. If you are certified for a whole month, the full monthly benefit is paid. If you are certified for only part of the month, the benefit is prorated.
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance benefits: Refer to your respective branch of service’s policies and regulations regarding payments.
If you are called to active duty during a semester, immediately inform your school's dean, the Assistant Director of Veteran Affairs, and the VA School Certifying Official. Failure to do so in a timely manner could result in your incurring a debt to the Department of Veterans Affairs, RU–N, or the Department of Education, based on your source of funding for school.
Rutgers' Policy for Military Leave, Academic Credit, and Tuition Refunds for undergraduate and graduate students who are called to active duty is explained on the "Military Leave, Academic Credit, and Tuition Refunds" policy document.
Here are a few additional websites where you can find more information about potential benefits:
Any students with questions regarding changes in VA education benefits, drilling/activation status for Guardsmen/Reservists, or general concerns should contact the Office of Veteran Affairs.
