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Chapter 31 - Veteran Readiness and Employment

Support our troopsGeneral Overview

This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

Basic Eligibility

Website: https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/index.asp

  • Duty members who enroll and pay $100 per month for 12 months are then entitled to receive a monthly education benefit once they have completed a minimum service obligation.

  • The veteran MUST have received an honorable discharge.

  • Entitlement to services is established if the veteran is within his or her 12-year basic period of eligibility and has a 20 percent or greater service-connected disability rating and an employment handicap.

  • If the service-connected disability rating is less than 20 percent or if the veteran is beyond the 12-year basic period of eligibility, then a serious employment handicap must be found to establish entitlement to VR&E services.

  • As a result of the veteran's disability, vocational rehabilitation is required for gainful employment. For more information, contact the Vocational Rehabilitation program at 800-827-1000.

To Enroll

  • Apply for benefits through the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs website.

  • Your assigned VA case manager will complete a VA Form 22-1905 and forward it to UC Merced's Veteran Certifying Official.

  • All requests for personal reimbursements should be completed on a VA Form 28-1905M.

  • Each semester, the veteran must fill out a Veteran Enrollment Card and submit it to UC Merced's Veteran Certifying Official no later than 30 days after the start of the semester.

Changes to Schedule

  • All changes to the veteran's schedule (major/minor, adds, drops, class cancellations, and/or withdrawals) must be reported to UC Merced's Veteran Certifying Official.
  • If you are transferring in from another school you are required to complete and return VA Form 22-1995 to the VA Regional Processing Office.

Tutoring

If a veteran needs a tutor, they should apply for tuitorial assistance.  They must meet all of these requirements:

  • You're enrolled in an educational program for half-time or more, and
  • You're taking a course that's difficult, and
  • You have to take the course as part of your educational program.

How to get this benefit

  1. Complete form VA Form 22-1990t 
  2. Take form to your professor or instructor of the course for which tutoring was necessary to sign and date the application.
  3. Take form to UC Merced's Veteran Certifying Official to sign and date the application.
  4. Mail the completed form to VA Regional Processing Office after your tutoring is complete.

Note

  • Contact, negotiation of wages and pay is the veteran's responsibility.
  • The veteran is eligible to receive $100 per month and up to $1200 total, for tutor-reimbursement expenses.

Contact Information

UC Merced's Veteran Certifying Official
209-228-7641 | veteranservices@ucmerced.edu

Veterans Administration Educational Office
888-442-4551

Veterans Administration Direct Deposit information
888-838-2778