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Important Updates

Veterans Educational Benefits

Veteran Educational Benefits

There are a variety of financial aid resources available to assist veterans with educational goals. The role of Financial Aid and Scholarships is to coordinate all veteran benefits with federal, state, and institutional aid to ensure UC Davis students receive the maximum eligible aid.

Please note: University Grant eligibility on MyAwards may be reduced up to the amount of the veterans or ROTC benefit that covers the fees for eligible students. If students have incurred significant education-related expenses not reflected in the Cost of Attendance and would like Financial Aid and Scholarships to consider these expenses, students may submit a Cost of Attendance Appeal.

Federal Updates

A federal updates page on the University of California website tracks evolving federal policy shifts and provides resources as they become available. This resource includes a student financial aid section.

Read UC updates

Federal Veterans Benefit

This is an earned benefit, under the GI Bill, provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for education and training purposes to students who earned these Federal VA Education Benefits through military service. The GI Bill has several different "chapters" of educational benefits. All chapters of Federal VA Education Benefits under the GI Bill pay a Monthly Housing Allotment (MHA), in varying amounts, directly to the student from the VA. Chapters 33 and 31 are the only Federal VA Education Benefits that pay UC Tuition and other fees directly to the campus. Dollars paid directly to the campus may affect other forms of financial aid, beginning with loans and Work-Study, and may affect UC Grant.

Federal Veterans Dependent Aid

This is an earned benefit, under the GI Bill, provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for education and training purposes to students who earned these Federal VA Education Benefits as dependents of current or former military service members. The GI Bill has two different "chapters" of educational benefits available to these dependents: Ch. 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill and Ch. 35 Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA). Both of these Federal VA Education Benefits under the GI Bill pay a Monthly Housing Allotment (MHA), in varying amounts, directly to the student from the VA. Chapter 33 is the only Federal VA Education Benefit for military dependents that pays for UC Tuition and other fees directly to the campus. Dollars paid directly to the campus affect other financial aid programs, starting with the UC Grant.

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Veterans Educational Benefits Certification

Veteran Affairs (VA) Educational Benefits Certification is provided by the Office of the University Registrar (OUR). Students using Veteran Educational Benefits at UC Davis need to apply through the OUR Veterans Portal. 

FAQs

  • Can I receive both financial aid and Veterans Benefits?
  • Yes. The place to start is with the UC Davis Veterans Success Office. If you have not already done so, you will also want to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine if you are eligible for student financial aid from the federal and state governments in addition to Veteran's Benefits.
  • Do I have to report my Veterans Education Benefits on the FAFSA?
  • No. You are not required to report Veterans Education Benefits on the FAFSA. However, non-education Veteran Benefits must be reported.
  • Do I have to report my Veterans Fee Waiver or Fee Award to Financial Aid and Scholarships?
  • Yes. You will need to report the following as Additional Resources in MyAwards: ROTC Fee Awards, Veteran Fee Waivers, or fee awards.
  • What is the Cal Vet Tuition Waiver?
  • A California state program that offers gift aid in the form of a waiver of UC systemwide - or base - tuition and fees for eligible dependents of deceased or disabled veterans. Eligibility is determined by the student's local county Veterans Services Office. If deemed eligible, students supply their Certificate of Eligibility to the university's veterans-certifying official annually.
  • Can I receive both the Cal Vet Tuition Waiver and the Cal Grant at the same time?
  • No. The California Veteran Tuition Waiver and the Cal Grant are both considered fee-paying resources and, therefore, students are only eligible to receive one during a period of enrollment. The Cal Grant will take precedence over the Cal Vet Tuition Waiver. The Cal Vet Tuition Waiver can be applied to a summer program at the student’s request.
  • Who should I notify when my Veterans Benefits expire?
  • Contact the UC Davis Veterans Success Office.
  • What happens to my financial aid if I am called to Active Duty?
  • You will not lose financial aid eligibility if you take a leave of absence from school. Future aid will not be disbursed; you will not be responsible for paying back any funds. Please notify UC Davis Financial Aid and Scholarships when you return so that we can prepare an award package that reflects your current status. Your loans will automatically enter repayment because you will be enrolled less than half-time. To prevent this, complete a Military Deferment Request Form on the Federal Student Aid website.

Additional Resources

We encourage you to explore these websites for more information:

Veterans Success Center Contact Information