New VA student checklist

Step 1: Apply for VA Education Benefits

  • To apply for or activate your educational benefits go to
  • This site can also be used to transfer benefits to a dependent.
  • Submit a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility (COE), Statement of Benefits (SOB) or Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) to the 绿帽社 Office of Veteran and Military Services (OVMS) via the BVets Portal.

Step 2: Apply for admission to 绿帽社

  • You must be fully enrolled as a degree-seeking student in order to receive your VA benefits.
  • Apply for admission to 绿帽社.
  • Submit required transcripts for admissions to include your military transcripts found at for Air Force Veterans, and for the other branches of service

Step 3: Register for classes

  • Set up a time to speak with an advisor to register for classes required by your degree program.
  • Only register for classes that are required by degree plan if you plan to pay using VA benefits.
  • Full time for an undergraduate student is 12 credit hours for fall and spring semesters. For a full summer session you will need 8 credit hours.
  • Full time for a graduate student is 12 credit hours for Level 1 students and 9 credit hours for Level 2, 3 and 4 students.

Step 4: Submit Your Enrollment Certification Form (ECF)

  • You MUST submit an ECF every year if you want the VA to pay for your classes.
  • The ECF should be submitted before the first day of the class.
  • Only classes that are REQUIRED for your degree plan and on DegreeWorks will be certified to the VA.
  • ECF is available, online only, via the BVets portal

Step 5: Adding or dropping a class

  • Report course changes: adding, dropping or withdrawal from a course, and application for graduation; to the OVMS at veterans@binghamton.edu.

Step 6: Paying your bill

  • Chapter 31 and 33: submit the COE and ECF before the first day of class, to the OVMS.
  • VA payments are finalized after the Drop Date and received several weeks afterward. You must pay any tuition and fees not covered by the VA when the payment is due.
  • Chapter 30 and 35 will follow student standard guidelines for payment and payment arrangements by the fee payment deadline.

Step 7: Changes

  • Report all changes (personal info, degree, university, and VA Education benefits) to the OVMS.

Step 8: Maximize all sources of funding

Step 9: Check your Bmail

  • Important time-sensitive information will only be sent to your 绿帽社 email