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New Students
- Be admitted to the university as a student earning a graduate degree
- Submit a PDF copy of the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to the Registrar’s Office
- Register for Classes
- Complete your financial aid package if you have opted to receive other awards. Contact Financial Aid for assistance.
Continuing Students
- Register for classes
- Notify the Registrar's Office if you wish to waive using your benefits for the semester.
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Students should allow 4 to 6 weeks for the VA to process the enrollment certification and issue benefit payments.
- The VA will cover a set net tuition and mandatory fees cap set at the national level
- Students with Chapter 31, 33, 33YR, and Fry Scholarship benefits will have the tuition and fees paid directly to LLS.
- Students in other chapters should make arrangements with the Student Accounts Office for payments.
- VA payments do not cover room or board or parking
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The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is not required to receive veteran’s benefits or for the Yellow Ribbon program. However, as a veteran, you may also apply for other forms of financial aid. Review our financial aid website for information on grants and other forms of financial aid for which you might qualify as well as the details on how to apply.
**All students with VA benefits must have their SSN on file with the University**
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Post-9/11 GI Bill rates
The VA determines your eligibility for a book and supplies stipend, which is given to you at the beginning of each term or enrollment period.
Ch 31 Rates
VR&E pays all invoices in arrears directly to the institution for the CH31 tuition, required fees, books, and supplies.
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LLS offers a cumulative total of 10 placements for the Yellow Ribbon Benefits. Spots on the list becomes available as students graduate or leave LLS.
Federal law states that Yellow Ribbon awards must be made on a first-come, first-serve basis after a student has been accepted into LLS.
Yellow Ribbon may only be applied after the Post-9/11 (Chapter 33) tuition cap has been met.
The sum total of the Post-9/11 (Chapter 33) benefit and Yellow Ribbon scholarship may not exceed the cost of tuition and fees.
Students with 100% benefits coverage in Chapter 33 are enrolled in the YR program with no other application. A student who is eligible for YR, but wishes not to participate, must make this request in writing to the SCO each semester in which Ch 33 benefits, but not YR, are used.
Once accepted in the YR program, LLS guarantees continued participation in Yellow Ribbon with the following conditions:
- You must be accepted into the LLS YR program.
- You have VA eligibility in each fall and spring semester.
- LLS certifies you for participation in the YR program each semester.
- You maintain continuous enrollment during your academic career (fall and spring semesters only) at LLS.
- If you take a Leave of Absence or otherwise not enroll for a semester, the resumption of YR benefits is not guaranteed. Every effort will be made to place you again in the YR program.
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How does the LLS Certification Process Work?
When submitting enrollment certifications, LLS certifies the units in which the student is enrolled and the resulting tuition and fees. LLS does not certify eligibility to receive VA funds; only the VA can do that. In order to prevent gaps in benefit payments, LLS follows the dual certification process recommended by the VA.
Pre-certification: LLS submits a preliminary certification in advance of the term which allows benefits to continue or begin. This certification is submitted on the first Friday of the semester.
Certification: LLS certifies your enrollment data (term dates, hours, enrollment status, tuition and fees) beginning on the first workday after the close of the first week of school.
**LLS will certify you every semester that you are enrolled. If you wish to skip a semester, please contact the SCO at registrar@lls.edu to make the request before the first Friday of the semester.
Additional Reporting Requirement for those with Chapter 33 or 33 YR Benefits
Enrollment verification is a requirement for Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) students to verify every month that you are still enrolled in the same courses or training that your school certified to VA. It’s not about verifying that you are attending classes, but whether your certified enrollment has changed.
Attendance
It is important to understand that the VA pays you for being in and completing courses, not just registering for them. The VA expects you to remain enrolled through the end of the term and earn a passing grade. When using benefits, it is the student's responsibility to notify the University's SCO of all enrollment changes to your schedule as soon as they occur during the semester. This may be done in-person and/or by email from your LLS email account only to registrar@lls.edu. Failure to do so may result in delayed payment and/or VA debt.
Students with benefits under Chapter 33 Ch 33 YR: the VA requires that you report your enrollment on a monthly basis to them using one of two methods. See the information here: https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/isaksonRoe/EV_FAQs.asp
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Grades, Repeat Courses, and VA Benefits
May I retake a class to improve my grades?
If you received a passing grade in the course whether at LLS or any previous institution, the VA will not pay for you to take the course again.
What if I do not earn the passing grade for the course?
If the course has a minimum grade requirement for passing, you must earn that grade. If you fail to do so, you may retake it until you do and the VA will pay for the course.
What if I withdraw from a class?
If you withdrew from the course (W grade), the W is reported to the VA and it will not pay for you to take the course again.
What if I receive an F?
Scenario 1 - the earned grade of F: You completed the course but failed to understand the material and submitted work which did not allow you to pass the course. You will receive an earned grade of F due to the poor quality of work. Under these conditions, the VA will pay for you to take the course again.
Scenario 2 - the unearned grade of F: If you stop attending a class before the end of the semester, the professor will assign a grade of F and note the last date of attendance. This can be determined by the last time homework was received, last test, etc. If this date is earlier than the end of the semester, the unearned grade of F is treated like a grade of W and is reported to the VA. The VA will not pay for you to take the course again.
What if I audit a class?
The VA will not pay for a grade of audit and you may incur a debt to the VA for the cost of the tuition and fees.
Academic Progress and Standing
All students receiving VA education benefits are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress according to published standards established and enforced by the University. LLS's progress to degree standards have been approved by the State Approving Agency (SAA) and accepted by the VA.
U.S. Code, Title 38, Sections 1674 and 1724, requires that education assistance benefits to veterans and other eligible persons be discontinued when the student ceases to make satisfactory progress toward completion of her or his training objective. Accordingly, LLS will discontinue certification of enrollment and will inform the VA of a termination (due to unsatisfactory academic progress) for graduate students who are subject to disqualification.
The VA uses the same progress standards listed in the LLS catalog. If low grades lead to academic probation or eventual disqualification from the University, the probation and disqualification status are reported to the VA.
A disqualification of a student from the University for other than academic reasons is also reported to the VA
Overpayment of Benefits
All Veteran Benefit payments are made at the discretion of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). LLS will only confer expected payments and apply funds received from the VA to a recipient’s student account. If the VA determines that a student is not eligible for expected funds, it is the student’s responsibility to repay the overpayment of funds to the VA and LLS.
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Can I use my VA educational benefits at LLS?
Loyola Law School is an accredited university. VA Educational benefits can be used to pursue all LLS’s currently established degree programs.
How do I become eligible for VA benefits?
Eligibility for education benefits is determined solely by the VA. Visit the GI Bill website for answers to most questions regarding benefits. You can also call the VA Education Hotline/Call Center at 1(888) GI-BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) to inquire about education benefits.
How do I obtain a VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE)?
You will need to fill out what is called the Veterans Online Application (VONAPP). The is the VA's general application for any education and training benefits. You may locate this document through either the VA's eBenefits site https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/vonapp or through the GI Bill® website following the Apply for Benefits links.
I have question/concerns about specific payments made to me by the VA. Whom should I contact?
If you are receiving CH 1606, CH 33, CH 30 or CH 35 benefits, please contact the VA directly through their Education Benefits hotline for assistance: 1-888-442-4551. If you are receiving CH 31 benefits, please contact your VR&E counselor directly for payment questions or concerns.
How can I find out how many months of education benefits I have remaining?
You can view this information if you have an eBenefits account. You can also call the VA Education Benefits hotline at 1-888-442-4551 to receive an update on the status of your remaining eligibility.
How much will my payment be for Veterans Benefits? When will I get paid? What Benefits am I eligible for?
The LLS certifying officials do not have this information. Instead, contact the Department of Veterans Affairs directly at 1-888-442-4551 or go to the GI Bill® website.
What VA benefits are available to dependents of veterans?
Dependents and spouses of veterans may also be eligible for the GI Bill; see the GI Bill website for eligibility information. You can also call the VA Education Hotline/Call Center at 1(888) GI-BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) for eligibility information.
If I am using the Post 9-11 GI Bill®, will I need to pay my bill out of pocket if the school has yet to receive my tuition and fee payment from the VA by the tuition due date?
No, LLS will incorporate the anticipated amount of your VA Educational Benefits into your semester bill. You are only responsible for paying the portion of your bill not covered by your benefits or other types of financial aid by the tuition due date. If you are receiving Post 9-11 GI Bill® benefits you will not be assessed any financial penalties or holds while the school waits to receive your anticipated tuition and fee payment from the VA.
When will I be paid my monthly stipend from the VA?
The VA typically pays on the first of every month for the previous month. For example, on October 1st you’ll get a check for the month of September. Payments are prorated, meaning checks will be less during months we aren’t in school from beginning to end (August, December, January and May).
How many credits do I need to take each semester to be eligible for the full Basic Housing Allowance (BAH) under the Post 9-11 GI Bill®?
Please refer to the Full-time or Part-time Enrollment Status section for your specific program.
Whom do I contact for veteran’s benefits assistance and information at LLS?
The LLS School Certifying Officer (SCO) is Melissa Vega in the Office of the Registrar. She may be reached at registrar@lls.edu
What Is Considered Full-Time Coursework During Summer Sessions for GI Bill Purposes?
Please refer to the Full-time or Part-time Enrollment Status section for your specific program.