Offers education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition or of Veterans who died while on active duty or because of a service-related condition.

Monthly stipend does not pay Tuition and Fees. Tuition and Fees are the responsibility of the student.

Items for Certification

• Certificate of Eligibility
  The COE states how much the student has of their benefits. This will be mailed to the student after each certification. Students must have at least one COE on file at the Center for America’s Veterans
   
• Military Benefits Form
  Authorizing form for certification. Must be filled out separately for each semester.
   

1. If you are a dependent (child or spouse) of a 100% disabled and/or deceased veteran, using Dependents Education Assistance (DEA)Program (CH 35) for the first time, submit the online application (22-5490) and select ‘start your application without signing in’.

   After this is complete, the VA will send a Certificate of Eligibility by mail.
    

2. It will take the VA approximately 30 days to mail the Certificate of Eligibility . Once received, you may submit the form(s) to the Center for America’s Veterans via scanning and e-mailing (pictures are not accepted), or by mail, fax, or drop off: veterans@msstate.edu; 250 Bailey Howell Dr. MSU, MS 39762; 662.325.6723(fax).
    
3. If you are admitted to a program at Mississippi State University and you are ready to enroll, you will need to complete and submit the Military Benefits Form. It can also be found at veterans.msstate.edu under the forms tab. You will need to submit a form every term you wish to use your benefits. The Center for America’s Veterans will send a reminder when it is time.

What Happens Next?

1. Once all paperwork has been submitted to the Center for America’s Veterans, students’ names are submitted to the Sponsored Students Office so that payments from the VA are expected on their behalf (CH 33 ONLY).
   • A credit memo is created on the students’ account so that if a payment plan is necessary, tuition is not included in the remaining balance.
      
2. The Center for America’s Veterans will report the number of hours and base tuition prior to the start of the semester to initiate book and monthly housing allowance payments from the VA (CH 33 ONLY).
   • After the last day to add a class, additional fees associated with classes will be reported to the VA, as well as an adjustment in hours (if applicable).
      
3. Payments are distributed as such:
   • Tuition is paid directly to the school.
   • Book allowance is directly deposited into the bank account provided during the application process approximately two weeks before the semester starts, provided paperwork is submitted reasonably (CH 33 ONLY).
   • Monthly housing allowances are also directly deposited into the bank account provided during the application process. MHA is paid at the end of every month during the school semester. For example, the monthly housing for August will be directly deposited on August 31st or September 1st. Monthly housing deposits will work the same way each month for both CH 33 and CH 35.
     • Also, MHAs are prorated for the first and last month of each semester (August, December, January and May). This is because students are not paid for days that are not included in the semester.
        
4. Priority registration is offered to all students using benefits.
   • The Center for America’s Veterans will place an administrative hold on student accounts as a reminder to submit the Military Benefits Form. This hold will prevent students from registering for classes.
   • When pre-registration for the upcoming semester comes, all students using benefits will receive an email from our office that includes the military benefits form.
   • The email will also include early registration date and time.