UCLA
Veteran Resource Center

Chapter 33

Chapter 33 is also known as GI Bill® and Post 9/11

Who qualifies for the benefit?

What does the benefit cover?

  1. In-state portion of your tuition & fees, equivalent to GI Bill® eligibility percentage (50-100%)
    • This percentage will be on your Certificate of Eligibility letter from the VA
  2. Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition Waiver
    • If you are deemed a non-resident/out-of-state student for tuition purposes and use this benefit for your first term at UCLA, you will receive a non-resident tuition fee waiver.
    • This will waive the non-resident supplemental tuition fee waiver for your degree program so long as you maintain continuous enrollment at UCLA (fall, winter, spring terms) AND use the benefit for your first term at UCLA.
      • If the student runs out of benefits or chooses not to use their benefits after their initial term of benefit usage, they still receive the waiver.
    • A waiver does NOT make the student a CA Resident for tuition purposes.
    • The percentage of the Post 9/11 GI Bill® does not matter (50% - 100%). Students still get the full waiver even if they have less than 100% eligibility for Ch 33 Post 9/11 benefits
  3. Monthly Housing Allowance: With the UCLA zip code, $3,531 per month for a full-time in-person student for a full month of coursework
    • For a full-time, in-person student for a full month of coursework, monthly housing allowance is $3,636 beginning Aug 1, 2024
    • Important Notes:
      • MHA is based on the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rate for an E5 with dependents for the UCLA zip code.
      • You can look up current rates at the DOD Defense travel management office.
      • MHA is prorated to the dates of enrollment and always paid 30 days in arrears and on the first of the month
      • If the student takes a mix of online and in-person classes, the student still get the in person rate of MHA.
        If the student takes ONLY online classes, this rate decreases
      • The MHA funding is sent directly by mail or direct deposit from the VA to the student.
      • If a student has any question about their MHA, the student should call the GI Bill® Hotline at 1- 888-GIBILL® -1 (888-442-4551). Call between 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Central Time, Monday-Friday.
      • UCLA does not have access to any BAH payment information.
  4. Book stipend: Up to $1,000 per school year
    • VA pays this at a rate of $41.66 per unit for a max of 24 units.
    • Often included in student’s Monthly Housing Allotments (MHA) payments – sent directly to the student from the VA

How do I apply for the benefit?

VA-Online-screenshot

Once I am awarded the benefit, how do I submit the benefit award letter to UCLA?

Once my award letter is submitted to UCLA, what I should expect next?

Listed below is a step-by step process for what happens once you submit your award letter to UCLA:

  1. Student submits Certificate of Eligibility to UCLA through the Benefit Certification Request portal
  2. Student enrolls in classes at UCLA with a full-time status
    • See FAQ below titled “What is considered full-time?”
  3. UCLA Financial Aid releases students Financial Aid notification
    • Note: For the academic year, this typically happens in mid-July.
  4. UCLA Student Accounts assesses student’s tuition and fees assessed on BruinBill
    • Note: For Fall term, this typically happens that last week of August
  5. UCLA Veteran Resource Center processes benefit certification. To do this, the VRC must report to the VA:
    • Enrollment Dates
    • Unit Count
    • $0 for tuition & fees (VA’s dual certification process) as a placeholder
      • Note: A credit memo is placed on your BruinBill for anticipated CH 33 benefits. This credit memo will be removed once VA pays UCLA.
  6. VA sends email to students confirming certification has been received
  7. After the Add/Drop date, UCLA updates certification to the VA with:
    • Unit count
    • Calculated Tuition & fees
      • Note: You will receive another email from VA

What is considered full-time?

For Fall/Winter/Spring Terms:

  • Full-time units for an undergraduate at UCLA are 12 units or more.
  • Full-time units for a graduate student at UCLA are 8 units or more.

For Summer Terms:

  • Full-time units for an undergraduate or graduate student at UCLA are 1 unit per week of courses
  • Ex: For a student enrolled in a 6 week session, in order to be considered full-time, the student must be enrolled in 6 or more units.

If I have questions, who should I contact?

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).