General Information for Veterans
California State University, Bakersfield is approved by the State of California as a training facility for veterans applying for VA benefits. The Office of Veterans Affairs provides services to veterans and dependents of veterans who are eligible for VA Educational Benefits. These services include certification of enrollment for educational benefits; direct liaison between the University and the Veterans Administration Regional Office regarding underpayment, overpayment or nonpayment of benefits; veteran's work-study; and information concerning University services.
Chapter 30: Montgomery GI Bill®(opens in new window), active duty members enroll and pay $1200. They are entitled to receive a monthly education stipend after completing a minimum service obligation.
Chapter 31: Veteran Readiness and Employment®(opens in new window) (VR&E) program assists veterans with service connected disabilities explore employment options and address training needs.
Chapter 33: Post-9/11 GI Bill®(opens in new window) provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least
90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged
with a service-connected disability after 30 days.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Chapter 1606: Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve®(opens in new window) program is for reservists with a 6-year service obligation. Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, the Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard.
You can request certification of your VA educational benefits on mycsub
Service members, veterans and dependents who want to use their federal VA educational benefits while enrolled at CSUB must submit a Veterans Benefits Certification Request each term of enrollment.
CLICK HERE to access the guide on how to request certification using mycsub
Note: Students receiving only the Cal Vet Fee Waiver are NOT required to fill out the form. Please email your Certificate of Eligibility to either org-veterans@csub.edu or kschneider@csub.edu
Any changes to enrollment (adds/drops/complete withdrawal must be reported to the Veterans Success Center immediately.
Enrollment verification is a new requirement for Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) students to verify every month that they are still enrolled in the same courses or training that the school certified to VA. It's not about verifying that students are attending classes, but whether the student's certified enrollment has changed.
Students expecting to enroll under educational benefits administered by the Veterans Administration may obtain application forms from the Office of Veterans Affairs or they may apply on-line at the va.gov website. Students applying for benefits for the first time should file the "Application for Veteran Benefits" (VA form 22-1990).
Transfer students should file the "Request For Change of Program or Place of Training" (VA form 22-1995). Returning CSUB students need only notify the Office of Veterans Affairs of their enrollment intentions. It is desirable that students make applications well in advance of anticipated enrollment to avoid unnecessary delays.
The University will certify the following course levels to the Veterans Administration:
- Full Time: 12 or more units
- 3/4 Time: 9 to 11.9 units
- 1/2 Time: 6 to 8.9 units
Less than 1/2 time (1-5.9 units) will receive payment for tuition and fees only. Graduate students enrolled in graduate level courses (courses numbered 500-699), or courses acceptable by the particular curriculum department as work towards a Master's degree, will have their course units weighted at a scale of 1.5.
Students eligible for VA Educational Benefits must have all documents and transcripts pertaining to prior civilian or military training sent directly to the Admissions Office before a certification of eligibility can be sent to the VA. The Code of Federal Regulations requires a transfer evaluation of prior credit be completed and sent to the student and to the VA within two quarters after admission to the University. Failure to adhere to this regulation will result in the termination of educational benefits.
Students receiving VA Educational Benefits who have been placed on probation must raise their cumulative GPA to a 2.0 the following quarter. Students who remain on probation two consecutive quarters will run the risk of having their educational benefits terminated until they are taken off probation.
Students receiving VA Educational Benefits must be enrolled only in courses that lead to their declared educational objective (BA, BS, MA, MS, Credential, etc.). Cooperative Education courses may be taken only if the student is enrolled on a full-time basis.
Students do not have to report VA education benefits on FAFSA. However, students do need to report non-education VA benefits on the FAFSA. Non-education benefits include: disability, death pension, dependency indemnity compensation and/or VA Work-Study allowances.