Certification Process

Using Your VA Education Benefits at UNM

Each semester, students using VA Education Benefits must complete the certification process so the Veteran & Military Resource Center can submit their enrollment to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Whether you're using your benefits for the first time or returning for another semester, we'll guide you through each step. Start by selecting the option below that best describes your situation.

 

How Can We Help You Today?

 

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First-Time Benefit Users

Use this guide if this is your first semester using VA Education Benefits at UNM or your first time working with the Veteran & Military Resource Center.

First-Time Guide →
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Returning Benefit  Users

Use this guide if you have previously certified your VA Education Benefits with the VMRC and are returning for another semester.

Returning Guide →
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Additional Information

Looking for answers to a specific question? Browse certification timelines, student responsibilities, payment information, and other important VA Education Benefit topics.

Browse Topics →

 

 

First-Time Benefit Users

Welcome to the Veteran & Military Resource Center! If this is your first time using VA Education Benefits at UNM, follow the steps below to complete your first certification.
1

Apply for VA Education Benefits

If you have not already applied for VA Education Benefits, begin by completing your application through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Our Benefits Guide can help you determine which education benefit you may qualify for and what to expect after submitting your application.

Learn How to Apply →
2

Attend VMRC New Student Orientation

First-time benefit users are strongly encouraged to attend a Veteran & Military Resource Center New Student Orientation before completing their certification.

During orientation, you'll learn how VA Education Benefits work at UNM, understand your responsibilities, and learn how to complete the certification process.

View Orientation Information →
3

Register for Classes & Prepare Your Documents

Once you have registered for classes, gather the required documents needed to complete your certification.

  • Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
  • Concise Student Schedule
  • Certification Cover Sheet
  • Student Information Sheet
  • Semester Hold Acknowledgement Form, if applicable

Access Certification Forms →

4

Bring All Documentation to the VMRC

After registering for classes and preparing your documents, visit the Veteran & Military Resource Center to complete your initial certification.

In-Person Requirement

Students who live in the Albuquerque Metro area (including Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas, Belen, and the East Mountains) and/or who will attend at least one class in person at UNM Main Campus must submit their certification paperwork in person at the Veteran & Military Resource Center.

Exception: Students who live outside of these areas (including out-of-state) or are enrolled in a 100% online degree program may complete the certification process remotely. Please contact the VMRC before submitting your documents for additional instructions.
5

VMRC Reviews & Certifies Your Enrollment

After you complete your initial intake and submit all required documentation, the VMRC will review your information to ensure everything needed for certification has been received.

Once your documentation has been verified, your School Certifying Official (SCO) will submit your enrollment certification to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

After your certification has been submitted, Enrollment Manager will send a confirmation email to the email address you have on file with the VA.

Important: Please monitor your UNM email throughout the certification process. Your School Certifying Official may contact you if additional information or documentation is needed before your certification can be completed.

 

↑ Back to Choose Your Path

 

 

Returning Benefit Users

Welcome back! If you've previously certified your VA Education Benefits with the Veteran & Military Resource Center, follow the steps below each semester to continue receiving your education benefits.
1

Register for Classes

Register for the courses required for your declared degree or certificate program before beginning the certification process.

Reminder: Only courses that apply toward your current degree program can be certified to the VA.
2

Submit Your Certification Documents

Once you've registered for classes, submit all required certification documents for the semester.

  • Concise Student Schedule
    • Go to MyUNM.
    • Enter LOBOWeb.
    • Click on "Registrations and Records."
    • Scroll about 3/4 of the way down.
  • Certification Cover Sheet
  • Semester Hold Acknowledgement Form (Ch. 33 & Ch. 31 Only)
  • Any additional documentation requested by your School Certifying Official
Access Certification Forms →
3

Submit Your Documents to the VMRC

To complete your certification in a timely manner, we currently require students who live within the Albuquerque Metro area to submit their certification documents in person.

In-Person Requirement

Students who live in the Albuquerque Metro area (including Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas, Belen, and the East Mountains) and/or who will attend at least one class in person at UNM Main Campus must submit their certification paperwork in person at the Veteran & Military Resource Center.

Exception: Students who live outside of these areas (including out-of-state) or are enrolled in a 100% online degree program may complete the certification process remotely. You may email all certification documentation to vrc@unm.edu. In your email, please include the following:
  1. State the reason you are emailing the documentation via email. (I.e. "I live outside the local area." Your address on your concise student schedule will confirm this.
  2. Which chapter benefit you wish to use for the certifying semester you are emailing about.
  3. All documentation in a PDFformat.
4

We'll Review & Submit Your Certification

After you complete your initial intake and submit all required documentation for the semester, the VMRC will review your information to ensure everything needed for certification has been received.

Once your documentation has been verified, your School Certifying Official (SCO) will submit your enrollment certification to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

After your enrollment certification has been submitted, Enrollment Manager will send a confirmation email to the email address you have on file with the VA.

Important: Please continue monitoring your UNM email throughout the certification process. Your School Certifying Official may contact you if additional information or documentation is needed before your certification can be completed.
↑ Back to Choose Your Path

 

 

Certification Knowledge Center

Browse answers to common questions about maintaining your VA Education Benefits at UNM, including certification timelines, enrollment changes, payments, and student responsibilities.

Certification & Enrollment

Information about getting certified, staying certified, and verifying enrollment.

Student Responsibilities

Students using VA Education Benefits are responsible for understanding and maintaining their education benefits throughout their enrollment at the University of New Mexico.

Students are expected to:

  • Review and understand their Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Students should know:
    • Their VA education benefit chapter
    • Their remaining months of entitlement
    • Their percentage of eligibility (if applicable)
    • Their eligibility period or delimiting date (if applicable)
  • Submit certification requests and all required documentation to the Veteran & Military Resource Center in a timely manner each semester.
  • Understand Course Applicability and ensure that only courses required for their declared degree or certificate program are certified to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  • Notify the Veteran & Military Resource Center immediately of any changes that may affect their certification, including:
    • Adding, dropping, or withdrawing from classes
    • Major or degree program changes
    • Changes to their VA education benefit chapter
  • Declare a major upon reaching sophomore standing (undergraduate students only).
  • Monitor communications from both the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Veteran & Military Resource Center, and respond promptly to requests for additional information to help avoid delays in processing your education benefits.

Important: Students are ultimately responsible for understanding the requirements of their VA education benefits. Failure to report enrollment or academic changes in a timely manner may result in delays in certification, overpayments, or other impacts to VA education benefits.

Certification Timeline

Whether you are certifying with our office for the first time or returning for another semester, the timeline below outlines what you can expect throughout the certification process.

  1. Registration Opens
    The Veteran & Military Resource Center begins accepting certification requests as soon as registration opens for the upcoming semester. To help ensure timely processing of your VA education benefits, we encourage you to submit your certification documents as soon as you have registered for classes.
  2. VMRC Review & Processing (1–2 Weeks)
    Once all required certification documents have been received, please allow approximately 1–2 weeks for your assigned School Certifying Official (SCO) to review your enrollment and submit your certification to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  3. Certification Submitted to the VA
    After your enrollment certification has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation email from Enrollment Manager at the email address you have on file with Enrollment Manager.
  4. VA Processing (30–45 Days)
    Once your certification has been submitted, the VA may take approximately 30–45 days to process your enrollment certification and issue any applicable education benefit payments.
  5. School Billing After Drop/Add Deadline
    The University of New Mexico begins billing tuition and fees after the drop/add deadline (approximately three weeks after the start of classes). At that time, the VMRC reviews enrollment changes and submits any necessary amendments to your certification. If an amendment is submitted, you will receive an updated notification from Enrollment Manager.
  6. Questions About Your VA Benefits
    For questions regarding your VA education benefit payments, processing times, or claim status after your certification has been submitted, please contact the VA Muskogee Regional Education Call Center at (888) 442-4551.
Monthly Enrollment Verification

Some VA education benefits require students to verify their enrollment each month to continue receiving payments.

Who needs to verify?

  • Chapter 33 – Post-9/11 GI Bill®
  • Chapter 30 – Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty
  • Chapter 35 – Dependents' Educational Assistance

Students may verify their enrollment by:

  • Responding to the monthly VA text message
  • Calling (888) 442-4551
  • Completing verification through VA.gov

Important: VA education benefits are paid monthly in arrears, meaning payment is issued after each month of enrollment has ended. Your first payment each semester may take longer to arrive.

Academic Changes

Information about schedule changes, degree requirements, and course eligibility.

Schedule Changes

Changes to your class schedule may affect your VA education benefits. It is important to notify the Veteran & Military Resource Center as soon as possible if you add, drop, withdraw from, or stop attending a course.

  • Students using Chapters 31 and 33 must report all enrollment changes, including increases or decreases in their academic load. Changes to your registration or class attendance may affect your VA education benefits and monthly payments.
  • Students using Chapters 30, 35, 1606, and 1607 are generally required to report enrollment changes only when the change affects their enrollment status, such as dropping from full-time to part-time or another rate of pursuit.

Important: Do not assume a schedule change will have no impact on your benefits. Before making changes to your schedule, we strongly encourage you to contact the Veteran & Military Resource Center so we can explain how the change may affect your certification and VA payments.

Major Declaration / Change of Major

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs requires students using VA education benefits to declare a major once they reach sophomore academic standing. In most cases, students cannot continue receiving certification beyond their freshman year unless a declared major is on file with the University.

Only courses that apply toward your declared degree or certificate program can be certified to the VA.

If you are considering changing your major, we strongly recommend speaking with the Veteran & Military Resource Center before making the change.

Important: Changing your major during the semester may affect your certification and could result in changes to your VA education benefits or an overpayment. Whenever possible, students should wait until the end of the semester to change their major.

Course Applicability

To use VA education benefits at UNM, you must be enrolled in an approved degree or certificate program. The Department of Veterans Affairs only allows the University to certify courses that apply toward your current program of study.

Your School Certifying Official will review your schedule using your LoboTrax Degree Audit to determine which courses can be certified to the VA.

If a course does not clearly satisfy a degree requirement, you may be asked to provide documentation from your academic advisor explaining how the course applies toward your declared degree or certificate program.

Important: Elective courses, prerequisite courses, or courses taken outside your degree requirements may not be eligible for VA certification unless your academic department verifies that they are required for your program.

Repeating Courses

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs allows students to repeat certain courses; however, eligibility for VA certification depends on the reason the course is being repeated.

Courses may be certified for VA education benefits if:

  • You failed the course.
  • You earned a grade that does not meet the minimum requirement for your degree or certificate program.

Courses that have already been successfully completed generally cannot be certified again for VA education benefits if they are repeated.

 

Payments & Benefits

Information about tuition, housing payments, full-time status, and benefit changes.

Tuition & Housing Payments

VA education benefits are processed differently depending on the benefit chapter you are using. Understanding when payments are made and how they are applied can help prevent confusion throughout the semester.

Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA): Students receiving a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) are paid monthly in arrears, meaning payments are issued at the beginning of each month for the previous month's enrollment. For example, your September payment is typically received during the first week of October.

Tuition & Fees: Students using Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 benefits will have an anticipated VA tuition and fee credit applied to their UNM student account after their enrollment has been certified. This allows the University to recognize the expected payment from the VA, helping students access financial aid and avoid tuition-related penalties while waiting for VA payment. Once payment is received from the VA, the University will reconcile your account and notify you of any discrepancies.

Late Fees: Students using Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 benefits will have tuition-related late fees waived, provided all other student account balances have been paid by the University's established due dates.

Important: The anticipated VA credit only applies to tuition and fees expected to be paid by the VA. Students remain responsible for any charges not covered by their VA education benefits.

Determining Full-Time Status

Your enrollment status for VA education benefits is determined by the number of credit hours you are enrolled in and the beginning and ending dates of each course.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs requires UNM to report the actual start and end dates of every course. If you enroll in courses that begin or end at different times during the semester (non-standard-length courses), your rate of pursuit may change throughout the term. As a result, your Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) may increase or decrease during the semester.

 

VA Training Requirements

Undergraduate Students

  • Full-Time: 12 or more credit hours
  • ¾-Time: 9–11 credit hours
  • ½-Time: 6–8 credit hours
  • ¼-Time: 1–5 credit hours

 

Graduate Students

  • Full-Time: 9 or more credit hours
  • ¾-Time: 6 credit hours
  • ½-Time: 4 credit hours
  • ¼-Time: 3 credit hours
Important: Your VA training time determines your rate of pursuit, which may affect your Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and other education benefit payments. If your schedule includes courses with different start or end dates, contact the Veteran & Military Resource Center to understand how your enrollment may impact your benefits.
Change in Benefit Chapter

Students are responsible for notifying both the VA and the VMRC if they plan to change the VA education benefit chapter they are using.

Before changing benefit chapters, students should ensure that all required documentation has been submitted and, when applicable, ask their Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) Counselor to coordinate the chapter change with the VA.

Students switching from Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®) to Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness & Employment) should be aware that the change cannot take effect during a semester if a Chapter 33 payment has already been issued by the VA. In these situations, the chapter change will typically become effective beginning with the following semester.

Important: Before requesting a change in benefit chapter, contact the Veteran & Military Resource Center. We can help you determine what documentation is needed and explain how changing benefit chapters may affect your certification and VA education benefits.

Student Records

Information about in-state tuition eligibility, address updates, and direct deposit.

Choice Act / In-State Tuition

The University of New Mexico will charge in-state tuition (regardless of formal state of residence) to any individual who is eligible to use educational assistance under:

  • Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill® — Active Duty Program);
  • Chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment);
  • Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®) of Title 38, United States Code;
  • Chapter 35 (Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program);
  • Chapter 1606 (Montgomery GI Bill® — Select Reserve) of Title 10, United States Code; and/or
  • The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship

Please visit our Forms Page for the Active Duty Waiver and email it along with a copy of the military member's orders to vrc@unm.edu. 

Change of Address & Direct Deposit

Students are responsible for keeping their contact and payment information up to date with the VA. This includes your mailing address and direct deposit information.

Failure to keep your information current may result in delays in receiving VA education benefit payments or important correspondence from the VA.

The fastest way to update your mailing address, establish direct deposit, or change your existing direct deposit information is to contact the VA directly at (800) 827-1000.

Contact the VMRC
Physical Address Veteran & Military Resource Center
608 Buena Vista Dr. NE, Bldg. 20A
MSC03 2215
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
Emailvrc@unm.edu
Phone (505) 277-3181
Fax (505) 277-3539
Hours Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Support & Crisis Resources
Veterans Crisis Line 988, then Press 1
Text 838255
New Mexico Crisis & Access Line 1-855-NMCRISIS
(662-7474)
Agora Crisis Line (505) 277-3013
Homeless Veterans 1-877-4AID-VET
(424-3838)
VA Caregiver Support Line 1-855-260-3274
Wounded Warrior Resource Center 1-800-342-9647
LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center Support for students impacted by sexual misconduct, relationship violence, stalking, or harassment.