Certification Request Form

If possible, please finalize your enrollment before sending your Certification Request Form. If you add or drop classes after completing your semester's initial Certification Request, you are required to submit a new Certification Request Form listing all added and/or dropped classes.

Important: Your form will not be sent until you click "SUBMIT CERTIFICATION REQUEST" and receive a confirmation.

Please review the list of Student Responsibilities below before clicking "SUBMIT CERTIFICATION REQUEST" at the bottom.

Updated 8/1/2021:

1. Verify that each class you are certifying to the VA is required for your degree or certificate program (including prerequisites). The VA cannot certify a class if it is not required, including repeat classes.

2. Submit a Certification Request Form each semester that you wish to utilize VA education benefits.

3. If you change enrollment (adding or dropping classes) at any time after submitting a semester’s initial Certification Request Form, you must submit a new Certification Request Form to verify the added and/or dropped classes.

4. Contact veterans@bu.edu or 617-353-3678 prior to switching degree or certificate programs to verify your new program is approved for VA benefits. Failure to inform BU Veterans Services of any change in degree or certificate program may impact your ability to use VA benefits.

5. Students are responsible for paying any balance not covered by their VA benefits prior to the payment deadline. Students are responsible for understanding the benefits the VA will provide. You may contact the VA directly at 1-888-442-4551 ten to twelve business days after you receive the automated VA email verifying your semester’s certification was sent.

6. Ch. 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill® and Ch. 31 Veteran Readiness & Employment recipients will have a Pending VA Payment added to their account prior to the payment deadline for the amount we anticipate the VA to pay. You do NOT have to pay the Pending VA Payment amount while we wait to receive VA funds. However, students are responsible for any balance not covered by the VA, including prorated payments due to exhausting VA benefits mid-semester.

7. After your initial Certification Request Form is processed and your semester is certified, the University is required to report all enrollment changes to the VA, even if we do not receive a new Certification Request Form listing added or dropped classes. Changes in your enrollment may alter your VA payments, including incurring a financial debt with the VA or Boston University.

8. The University is required to report all classes that receive a withdrawal “W” grade to the VA as a “non-punitive grade” and students may incur a debt for any overpayments the VA calculates. If possible, please contact veterans@bu.edu or 617-353-3678 prior to withdrawing to determine the potential impact on your VA benefits.

9. The University is required to report all academic suspensions to the VA, and the VA will not allow students who are academically suspended to utilize VA benefits unless they are taken off academic suspension by the University.

10. If the VA determines a tuition over payment was made to the University, the University is required to return the funds to the VA, and the student is responsible for paying any balance with the University.

11. Contact Boston University Veterans Services (veterans@bu.edu ; 617-353-3678) as early as possible with questions or concerns about your VA education benefits. The earlier you contact us, the more likely we can provide assistance that may help avoid debts with the VA or the University.