Veterans

Springfield College understands the importance of providing a caring and supportive environment for veterans, reservists, and their families.  We work to ensure a successful transition and positive educational experience for individuals studying here. 

This page contains information about the following topics:

• Veterans Admissions
• VA Certification and Enrollment Steps
• Payments and Satisfactory Academic Progress
• 38 USC 3679(e) Compliance
• Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018 S.2248 Section 103.1.(b)
• GI Bill® Trademark Policy
• The Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014

Updated admissions information is available for veterans on the Springfield College website.  

Students applying for educational benefits through the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) for the first time must apply for online through the VA website: https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/.  Students must submit a copy of their up-to-date Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and a copy of 22-DD214 to our School Certifying Official.

To be certified for VA benefits, students must enroll in the respective semester, submit all applicable financial aid documents to the Financial Aid Office, and submit the Springfield College Veterans Request for Certification Form with the student’s VA file number issued by the VA to the School Certifying Official.  These specific steps must be completed each semester as students will not automatically have their VA benefits certified for a course or program because they were certified in a previous semester.  Students do not have to apply, submit their COE, and/or submit a copy of 22-DD214 a second time unless their eligibility has changed. 

Students will need to contact the School Certifying Official if their credit total, program of study, eligibility status, or contact information changes after being certified for the given semester, as well as if they are withdrawing from their full schedule of courses. 

In addition, students receiving educational benefits are recommended to contact the VA if they are required to verify monthly enrollment. This can be completed by either contacting their office at (877) 823-2378 or done online by visiting the WAVE website: https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/index.do and selecting Verify School Attendance.

At Springfield College, we understand the importance of providing a caring and supportive environment for Veterans, Reservists, and their families.

Delayed VA Payments

Under S2248 PL 115-407 Section 103, Springfield College will not impose a late fee, denial of access to facilities, or other penalties against a veteran or eligible dependent due to a late payment of tuition and/or fees from the VA up to the certified benefits amount.  Any portion of the student bill not covered by VA benefits is still expected to be settled by the due date.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

The satisfactory academic progress policy can be found here (undergraduate policy, graduate policy). More information about how satisfactory academic progress affects financial aid, tuition assistance, and VA benefits can be found here. Veterans not meeting the SAP policy will have their VA benefits terminated.

For assistance regarding your tuition benefit, please contact our School Certifying Official (Taija Newton: tnewton@springfield.edu; 413-748-3183).

For more information about the admissions process and other Veteran benefits, please visit our Veteran’s website.

For Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Ch 33) students and VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch 31) students, the Springfield College tuition policy complies with 38 USC 3679(e) which means Post 9/11 and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment students will not be charged or otherwise penalized due to a delay in VA tuition and fee payments.  For eligibility consideration, a Post 9/11 GI Bill® student must submit a VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and a Vocational Rehabilitation Student must provide a VAF 28-1905 form. Please see 38 USC 3679(e) for complete details.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill

(Added 8/9/2019)

• A Covered Individual is any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or chapter 33, Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits.  Covered individuals must provide Springfield College with a Certificate of Eligibility and DD-214 in order to be certified for benefits.

• Springfield College will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under chapter 31 or 33.

• Springfield College will permit any covered individual to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 a “certificate of eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) website - eBenefits, or a VAF 28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes) and ending on the earlier of the following dates:

               - The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution.

               - 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility.

• The GI Bill® trademark is not to be incorporated or included in company or product names, trademarks, logos or internet domain names.

• The term “GI Bill®” is to be used solely to promote official VA benefit programs and services and must include the proper trademark symbol.

• Use of the trademark attribution notice, indicating that the mark and all associated services belong to VA, is required and shall be taken as evidence that use of the mark is in good faith.

• No entity shall use the GI Bill® trademark in any manner that directly or indirectly implies a relationship, affiliation, or association with VA that does not exist.

• Disparagement or misrepresentations of VA services through use of the mark, or by the use of confusingly similar wording, are strictly prohibited.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is vailable at the the official U.S. government Web site at: https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.  

• For courses, semesters, or terms beginning after July 1, 2017, public institutions of higher education must charge qualifying veterans, dependents, and eligible individuals tuition and fees at the rate for in-state residents. Any institution not meeting this requirement will be disapproved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® and the Montgomery G.I. Bill®.

• For courses, semesters, or terms beginning after March 1st,2019, public institutions of higher education must charge individuals using education assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) the in-state residential rate.