An accelerated payment is a lump sum payment of 60% of tuition and fees for certain high cost, high tech programs. To qualify, students must be enrolled in a high tech program and must certify that they intend to seek employment in a high tech industry as defined by VA. Accelerated payment is paid in place of GI Bill benefits that the student would have otherwise received.

Back to top

This is additional money that increases an individual's basic monthly benefit and is included in a student’s VA payment.

Examples:
• College fund
• Selective reserve kicker
• MGIB $600 buy-up
• MEMBERS Should:

1. Reference KICKER in remarks section of the VONAPP or VA form 22-1990
2. UWF VSO will submit all documents to the Atlanta Regional Processing Office (RPO) upon request by student

Back to top

Student must provide proof of contribution at the time an application for VA educational benefits is submitted. Record the contribution in the remarks section of the VONAPP or on the paper application.

• DD-214 or Leave & Earnings Statement (LES) may serve as proof of payment
• Students who paid an additional $600 into the MGIB must provide a DD-2366

MGIB monthly benefits increase $150 per month additional benefit when a $600 contribution has been made
This benefit is not paid to students under Chapter 33

Back to top

Students who are full-time or 3/4-time in a college degree program, or a vocational or professional program, may apply at the VSO and "earn while you learn" with a VA work-study allowance.

Back to top

• Tuition fee waiver for combat-related recipients
• Student must be degree-seeking Florida resident
• Contact the UWF Cashier office at (850) 474-3033 for information and procedures

Back to top

Public Law 111-32, the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship, amends the Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33) to include the children of service members who die in the line of duty after Sept. 10, 2001. The benefit is effective August 1, 2009; the same day the Post-9/11 GI Bill takes effect. Eligible children attending school may receive up to the highest public, in-state undergraduate tuition and fees, plus a monthly living stipend and book allowance under this program.

Back to top

The Scholarships for Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans and Service members (CSDDV) provides scholarships for dependent children or un-remarried spouses of Florida veterans or service members who died as a result of service-connected injuries, diseases, or disabilities sustained while on active duty or who have been verified by the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs as having service-connected 100% permanent and total disability.

Information about the Ferguson Scholarship, the criteria and the application form are available on the scholarship page of the COB web-site at http://uwf.edu/cob/scholarships.cfm. You can contact Judith Perkins in the College of Business for more details at 850-474-2348.

• Classes are taken to complete a non-college degree (NCD) program or VA approved Certificate
• ONLY certain professional courses are approved for VA benefits
• NCD programs may use clock or semester hours
• Student MUST see the VA Certifying Official for certification of these courses
• Student needs to provide the Veterans Service Office (VSO) an acceptance letter into the certificate program from their academic advisor. The letter needs to include the following information:

1. Student name
2. Student ID number
3. Acceptance into the certificate program
4. Certificate name
5. Start and end dates
6. Withdrawal date for the courses
7. Expected Graduation date
8. Tuition Cost
9. Amount of Fees paid
10. Delivery method of instruction

Back to top

• CO-OP programs allow students to attend school and work at the same time.
• Rules for Cooperative Training:
Alternating Co-op: all training must be full-time
Parallel Co-op: attends school half-time (usually in the morning) and works half-time (in the afternoon) each day
• All CO-OP classes must be required in the degree program

There is a variety of Coop positions offered and students from just about any major can participate once they have the departmental recommendation. Once recommended you will be able to view all co-op postings on JasonQuest, Career Service’s on-line job posting site. Many of the Coop positions are with government contracts on military installations, including the Naval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology Center (NETPDTC) on Saufley Field and Eglin Air Force base. Qualified veterans receive consideration before qualified non-veterans, so UWF students using their GI Bill to go to school can apply and gain experience prior to graduation and in many cases they can be converted to full-time employees upon successful completion of the program and graduation. Students can apply for SCEP (Student Career Exploration) positions on the USAJOBS website using the keyword "student". They may also visit the OPM web site at: http://www.opm.gov/employ/students/index.htm, but remember you must be recommended for the co-op program prior to applying.

To find out about the Coop Information Sessions go to www.uwf.edu/career and view the calendar for upcoming events or call Career Services at 850.474.2254.

Back to top

Facilitates the path to teacher certification offered at the University of West Florida to serve our wounded, disabled military veterans and school districts of Northwest Florida.

Back to top

VA will pay for required courses for teacher certification if the following conditions are met:
• Chapter 31 students must be enrolled in an Education Program and contact their Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
• Student has never earned a teacher certificate and one is required
• Student has had a teachers certificate in one subject or discipline and now needs a certificate in a different subject or discipline
• The VA student applies for teacher certification to:

Florida Department of Education
Teacher Certification Section
2325 West Gaines St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399

The applicant will either receive a teacher’s certificate or a letter specifying what course work is needed to qualify for the particular teacher certification for which they have applied.
Certification renewal is prohibited

Back to top

Troops to Teachers is a U.S. Department of Education and Department of Defense program that helps eligible military personnel begin a new career as teachers in public schools.
John Carey (850) 474-3295, jcarey@uwf.edu

Each branch of service has their own tuition assistance program and application procedures. Contact your branch of service to find out what they provide and how to apply for benefits.
The general rule is students cannot use TA and VA benefits for the same classes. There are a few exceptions.
• Air force financial assistance program
• Navy financial assistance program
• Navy college tuition assistance form
• Federal tuition assistance application
• Air force tuition assistance
• Navy TA request form
• Army federal tuition assistance
• Tuition assistance program application

Back to top

• Filed directly with the Department of Veterans Affairs and NOT processed by the UWF Veteran Service Office (VSO)
• Student must:
– Be on active duty
– Be eligible for chapter 30 MGIB
– Receiving Tuition Assistance (TA) from active duty
– Submit VONAPP with TOP-UP written in the Remarks area

VA benefits pay the difference between total fees less tuition assistance

Each branch of the military has the discretion to determine whether they will allow the transfer of benefits to dependents. VA does not have any authority to grant this option. Currently, the only branch of the military to allow transferability of benefits is the Army.
• Service member must have served a minimum of 6-years of active duty
• Upon reenlistment, members may transfer up to 18 months of their 36 months of education benefits to their spouse or dependents

The Scholarships for Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans and Service members (CSDDV) provides scholarships for dependent children or un-remarried spouses of Florida veterans or service members who died as a result of service-connected injuries, diseases, or disabilities sustained while on active duty or who have been verified by the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs as having service-connected 100% permanent and total disability.

Back to top

Information about the Ferguson Scholarship, the criteria and the application form are available on the scholarship page of the COB web-site at http://uwf.edu/cob/scholarships.cfm. You can contact Judith Perkins in the College of Business for more details at 850-474-2348.

Back to top

The Military Spouse Career Advancement Account Program (MSCAAP) provides financial assistance to spouses of Active Duty Military personnel. The Career Advancement Account (CAA) distributes the funds allocated by Congress and administered by the Department of Defense. Each spouse may receive up to $6,000 for education, training, licensure or certification.

The goal of MSCAAP is employment. MyCAA will serve as an on-line tool to manage a spouses' CAA account and access resources and information on issues important to their career. Spouses will also have 24 hour-a-day access to Military OneSource career counselors who can help create an education plan and career goal, and assist spouses with any questions or concerns.
This Program is suspended at this time for more information contact
John Carey, (850) 474-3295 jcarey@uwf.edu

The leadership and management experience that students gain, combined with a degree, is sure to prepare students for a promising future in either the Air Force or the business world.

Back to top

The Argonaut Battalion is designed to shape the future leaders of America. Students will learn to lead and display personal courage. Students will become physically fit, and mentally strong. The program is open to all students and has many scholarships available to a variety of majors. At the end of 4 years students not only earn a degree, but also a presidential appointment and the accompanying bar of an officer.

The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has provided the following website for veterans to gain access to their DD-214s online: http://vetrecs.archives.gov/

Back to top

• Eligible for MGIB (Chapters 30, 32, 33,34)
• Approved for Chapter 35
• Chapter 1606 is NOT eligible
• Chapter 31 must be approved through Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
• Benefits not to exceed $2000 (Chapter 33 limit to one license or test)
• Reimbursement is available for approved licensing and certification tests taken after March 2, 2001

Back to top

• Goals: build up the selected reserves and facilitate follow-on service for national service providers
• Obligation: Eight years (96 months)
• Requirements: non prior service
• Incentives: bonus of $5K or repayment of qualifying student loans or 12 or 36 months of educational benefits

NOTE: This summary is for informational purposes only. Please see your Military Recruiter for additional information on this program.

Back to top

SOC is a consortium of colleges and universities that provides educational opportunities for service members and their families. Within each curriculum or degree network, member colleges agree to accept each other's credits in transfer.
UWF SOC Military Coordinator and point of contact:

Marc Churchwell (850) 473-7309 or 1-888-529-1823, mchurchwell@uwf.edu

Back to top

This benefit will reimburse eligible VA students for the actual cost of the tutorial sessions when tutoring is not available at UWF
To qualify for tutorial assistance student must be pre-certified by the VSO prior to tutoring and meet the following conditions:
• Be enrolled in a post-secondary program of education
• Be enrolled on at least a half-time
• Have a signed statement from their Advisor and Instructor stating the tutorial requirement. See the VSO for the form and additional information
In Florida, customary charges for tutorial sessions range as shown below:
• Freshman and Sophomore courses: $4.00 to $8.00 per hour
• Junior and Senior courses: $6.00 to $12.00 per hour
• Graduate courses: $10.00 to $16.00 per hour
All tutorial sessions must meet the following conditions::
• One-on-One sessions not group tutorial, self-help sessions, or study groups
When a school offers free tutorial services, VA students are expected to use those services. VA tutorial assistance may be paid only if a specialized tutor is needed who is not available through the schools free program. Documentation should be provided for the students’ record.

Back to top

The Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) (building 21/room 130, phone 850-474-2387) works with students and faculty to help make UWF an accessible learning environment in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The SDRC offers a variety of services for students with documented disabilities, including learning disabilities, deaf/hard of hearing, blind/low vision, mobility limitations, ADHD, psychiatric disorders, and medical disabilities.

Back to top

The University provides inclusion Services and Programs in conjunction with the Pensacola Vet Center. The Department of Veterans Affairs, will be offering readjustment counseling services to military veterans currently attending UWF as needed. Counselors from the Vet Center will be available on campus to provide counseling services for veterans and their dependents. To schedule an appointment or for more information, please contact the SDRC in the Dean of Student’s Office at 474-2387 or email sdrc@uwf.edu.

Back to top