Applying for Benefits

If you have a service-connected disability that limits your ability to work or prevents you from working, Veteran Readiness and Employment (formerly called Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) can help. This program—also known as Chapter 31 or VR&E—helps you explore employment options and address training needs.

Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31) benefits are managed by the VA Veteran Readiness and Employment Division in the Winston-Salem, NC Regional Benefit Office. In order to receive CH31 benefits, you must have submitted an application and been approved for CH31 benefits.

Step 1. If you have not been approved for CH31 benefits, apply for Veteran Readiness & Employment (CH31) benefits online on the www.va.gov website.

• Note that this process can take a while. You’d be assigned to a VR&E counselor (or case worker), who will work with you to build a case for you with your academic and professional goals.
• After you receive an acceptance letter from VR&E, we recommend holding onto it.

Using Benefits at NC State

Step 2. Once approved for VR&E services, register for classes at NC State as soon as your Enrollment Wizard opens. To see when you may begin enrolling for the upcoming term, log into your MyPack Portal and view your Planning & Enrollment tile within the Student Homepage.

Step 3. Submit a benefits request in the MyPack Portal after you have completed class enrollment. You can access the Certification Request by following the steps below. You can also click on this link for a video walkthrough.

• MyPack Portal: Student Homepage > Personal Information tile > Veterans Information > Request Benefits Certification

Step 4. Upload your CH31 Veteran Readiness & Employment approval letter.  The request will require you to upload it as the COE, or you’ll encounter errors. If you do not possess proof of benefit, please upload a Word document listing your VR&E counselor’s name and email address. Either way, ensure you upload it as the COE.

• When uploading your acceptance letter or supporting documentation:
  • Select the “COE” bubble
  • Enter a file description
  • Select the ‘upload’ button and locate the file on your device
  • Select the ‘return’ button

NOTE: Any schedule change made after the term’s census date resulting in reduced credit hours may result in a VA or school debt.

Understanding Payments

While using CH 31 VRE, upon completion of your benefits request, the Cashier’s Office will be informed that the VA will pay for your tuition and fees.

Tuition and Fees

• Your deadline for tuition and fees will be deferred to the end of the semester, protecting your classes from the general tuition and fees deadline.
• The VA only pays for the in-state tuition and fees, and only pays for required fees for graduation (e.g. the VA will not pay for Greek or study abroad fees).
• Payments for tuition and fees will be wire transferred by the VA directly to your NC State student account. However, at the direction of the VA, the amount of your tuition and fees is not reported to the VA until after NC State Census Day, normally the 10th day of the term.
• CH 31 does not pay for the mandatory health insurance fee. As a result, if you have not opted out of this fee before the deadline, you are accountable for the payment of this fee. To submit a waiver, visit Student Blue.
• If you are an undergraduate student, VRE will cover the course ready program fees.

Monthly Stipends

If you are eligible for CH 33 Post 9/11 while using CH 31 VRE, you are eligible to use the CH 33 rate for MHA without using your months of CH 33. To do so, present your CH 33 COE to your VRE counselor/case worker.

Your Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) will be wire transferred to the bank account identified in your VA benefit application. It is paid on the first of the month for the previous month and is only paid for the days that you are enrolled in class (e.g., approximately half of August would be paid on or around September 1st).

Maximizing Monthly Benefits

• Only classes and programs that are approved by your VRE counselor/case worker can be certified. To get the full amount each month, ensure that you are enrolled in enough certifiable credit hours to be full-time the entire semester. 12 credit hours for undergraduate programs and 9 credit hours for graduate programs.
• Keep in mind that the VA goes by enrollment periods, not total credit hours. This means that you’ll need to be enrolled full-time the entire duration of the term. For instance, if you are enrolled in 12 credit hours, but a 3 credit hour class ends mid-way through the semester, you’ll drop to 9 credit hours after that class ends.
• The VA pays for the classes that you enroll in. Enrollment changes that occur after certification (e.g. Withdraw, Grade Exclusion, “U” Grade in an S/U Course) may result in VA debt. If you are unsure of the potential debt impact of contemplated enrollment changes, please check with NC State Veterans Education Benefits.

Optional GI Bill® Payment Plan

Upon completion of VA Enrollment Certification processing, an indicator is placed on your student account informing the NC State Cashier’s Office that you are a Chapter 33, VA Benefits student. For student account charges above the Post-9/11 VA wire transfer amount (such as housing and meals), the Cashier’s Office can offer a GI Bill® Student Payment Plan, a four-month plan that coincides with the VA release of wire transfers and student monthly stipends. This would make the first payment due after the start of the term, either September 15th or February 15th.