During a regular semester (16 weeks), undergraduates enrolled in at least 12 hours and graduates enrolled in at least 9 hours are considered full-time. You have to remain a full-time student to receive full benefit.
Classes that only go through part of the term will affect your rate of pursuit. For example, if you sign up for 12 credits for the 1st half of the semester, you will only receive benefits for the 1st half of the semester regardless of how you are classified by the university. Once your classes end, the VA considers the semester over. It is especially important to remember this when you are registering for summer classes. The VA will calculate full-time status based on where dates overlap.
Undergraduate Credit Hours
Term Length | Full-Time Requirements |
16-week | 12 hours |
12-week | 9 hours |
8-week | 6 hours |
6-week | 4 hours |
4-week | 3 hours |
Graduate Credit Hours
Term Length | Full-Time Requirements |
16-week | 9 hours |
12-week | 6 hours |
8-week | 4 hours |
6-week | 3 hours |
4-week | 2 hours |
Course Types
Online Courses
You may enroll in online courses, however if you choose to enroll in only online courses the VA will only pay 50% of the national average for E-5 with dependents even if you are full-time. If you maintain at least one face-to-face course, you will receive standard BAH.
Elective Courses
The VA will not pay for open electives that are not part of your degree plan. If you wish to get the course certified, please have your advisor send email to the Office of Veteran Services indicating where the class will fit into your degree plan.
Undeclared Major
Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree may not have to declare a major; however, only “General Education” courses can be certified prior to the declaration of a major. In addition, the student cannot be certified beyond his/her first sophomore semester unless a major has been declared.
Remedial Classes
These courses can be certified but only for students with established need-based requirement. Please bring us test scores to validate your personal requirements. Chapters 30, 33, 1606: Entitlement is charged for remedial and deficiency training. Chapter 35: Entitlement is not charged up to 5 months of full-time remedial and deficiency training. Independent study (online) remedial and deficiency courses cannot be certified.
Graduate Courses
Provided you have remaining entitlement, the VA will cover graduate and post-baccalaureate classes.
Excessive Hours
The VA will pay for Excessive Hours, but will not pay penalty (excessive hours) fees.
Leveling Courses
Courses required for admission to the next level of training may be approved in two situations. The first is when the University requires a student to pursue courses at an educational level for which he or she already holds a diploma. The second is when a University requires a student to pursue courses at an educational level for which he or she appears qualified by reason of previous training. For example, a college may require a student with a B.A. degree to take some undergraduate subjects for admission to a graduate degree program, or to gain teacher certification for specific subjects. If a graduate program requires a student with a bachelor’s degree to pursue undergraduate courses to satisfy admission requirements for a graduate degree program, then the courses required for admission may be certified as part of that graduate degree program. In order to certify the courses, however, the following requirements must be met:
- The student must be accepted into the Graduate Program
- The graduate program advisor must note the necessary leveling classes on the student’s Degree Works report. The advisor can also send written consent to our office that a class will fit into a student’s degree plan and exactly what requirement it will satisfy.
ROTC Courses
Students in a ROTC program can be certified for courses required for their degree (including electives) and for courses required for the ROTC program.
Study Abroad
If the course satisfies degree requirements, your Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 benefits will cover Tarleton’s basic tuition and fees. You will also receive your BAH as well as normal book stipend. In order for the VA to pay additional fees specific to the Study Abroad program, the program must be required for graduation.
Internships
Please provide documentation of weekly required hours for your course.
Clinical Work
Please provide documentation of weekly required hours for your course.
Student Teaching
Please provide documentation of weekly required hours for your course.