Please note that veterans education benefits are considered a resource in the Financial Aid package and adjustments to other aid will be made as required by law. To find out what education benefits you qualify for and an application for VA benefits, please visit: www.gibill.va.gov. The Office of Student Accounts at SUNY New Paltz certifies Veterans Benefits. Completed applications can be mailed to:
Office of Student Accounts
State University of New York at New Paltz
400 Hawk Drive
New Paltz, NY 12561-2438
Veterans Education Programs that Veterans Affairs (VA) Administers:
- Montgomery GI Bill (Active Duty) Chapter 30
- Montgomery GI Bill (Selected Reserve) Chapter 1606
- Dependents Educational Assistance Chapter 35
- Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) Chapter 1607
- Post-Vietnam Era Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) Chapter 32
- Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
- Restored Entitlement Program for Survivors
Veterans Education Programs that the VA Does Not Administer:
- Reserve Officer Training Corps Scholarship
- Reserve Officer Training Corps Program
General Payment Rules for VA Programs:
- Payments generally are made to the student.
- Payments are generally made monthly.
- The program and the student’s “training time” affect payments.
Instructions for Students Called to Active Military Duty:
For students who are called to active military duty, need to withdraw from school, or return to school after military duty, the following scenarios detail how to handle your Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL). It is important to contact your school, lender, or guarantor when appropriate.
- Withdrawal from school: Contact your school to ask if a full refund or credit (to be used for future classes you take when you return) can be provided to you. If you are being deployed you will need to provide the school with deployment papers from your commanding officer. When you return, the school will work with you to get you re-enrolled in your program. For those students who take out student loans, contact your lender. They will maintain your loans in an “in-school” status for up to three years while you are on active duty. This means your loan will not go into repayment.
- Loans that are in the “grace period”: Contact your lender. The grace period for your student loan begins the day after you are no longer enrolled in school at least half time. You typically receive a 6-month grace period. Your grace period can be extended for up to three years during the time you are on active duty up until the time you re-enroll in classes.
- Loans in repayment:
- Forbearance - You or a member of your family, need to contact your lender. You are eligible for an initial 15-month forbearance due to a military mobilization. During a forbearance period, no payments need to be made on your student loan. Interest that accrues on your loan during this period will be capitalized (added to the principal of the loan) unless you make arrangements with your lender to make interest only payments.
- Deferment: For those of you who took out your loans prior to July 1, 1993 or all of your loans were disbursed after July 1, 2001, you may be eligible to receive up to three years of a military deferment (cessation of payments). If you qualify for the military deferments, the government will pay the interest accrued on your subsidized loans. To apply for a deferment, contact your lender.
- Loans in Default: You, or a member of your family, need to contact your guaranty agency. Collection activities will cease during your active duty service.
Scholarships And Awards for Veterans:
For further information about scholarships and awards for veterans and to apply please visit the Military Corner. Questions may be addressed to 1-888-697-4372 or e-mail at militarycorner@hesc.com.
- Veterans Tuition Awards: Provides up to $1,000 per semester for full-time study or $500 per semester for part-time study to eligible veterans matriculated at an undergraduate or graduate degree-granting institution or in an approved vocational training program in New York State.
- Military Service Recognition Scholarship: Provides financial aid to children, spouses and financial dependents of those who, while New York State residents in service in the Armed Forces of the United States or state organized militia, at any time on or after August 2, 1990, died, became severely and permanently disabled, or was classified as missing in action in a combat zone while engaged in hostilities or training for hostilities.
- NYS Regents Award for Children of Veterans: Provides $450 per year to students, whose parent(s) served in the U.S. Armed Forces during specified periods of time and died as a result of such service, was discharged under other than dishonorable conditions and suffers a 40% or more disability as a result of such service, is now deceased and suffered a 40% or more disability as a result of such service, is classified as a former prisoner of war, or is classified as missing in action. The veteran must be a current New York State resident or was a New York State resident at the time of death or classification as missing in action.
- Children of Vietnam Veterans Born With Spina Bifida Award: Provides $450 per year to Vietnam veterans’ resident children born with Spina Bifida enrolled in approved undergraduate or graduate programs at degree granting institutions.
- Recruitment Incentive and Retention Program: Provides financial aid to any active member who has successfully completed advanced individual training or commissioning and other requirements of the NYS Division of Military and Naval Affairs for tuition benefit eligibility upon his or her enrollment in a degree-producing curriculum in any institution. Information and applications for this program may be obtained from the N.Y.S. Division of Military and Naval Affairs.
- Military Residency Waiver: New York State residency eligibility requirement for recipient of awards administered by HESC is waived for a member of, or the spouse or dependent of a member, of the armed forces of the United States on full-time active duty and stationed in this state.
Additional Educational Benefits For Members Of The Military:
- Military Loan Repayment Program: Your branch of the service may partially pay or fully repay college loans. This benefit is negotiated at time of enlistment or re-enlistment. Contact your enlistment officer for additional details.
- Military Education Benefits: You may qualify for education benefits whether you’re in the National Guard, Reserve, Active duty member, or a Veteran. For a listing of the different programs and eligibility requirements, visit this Web site.
- Scholarships for Severely Injured Service Members and their Spouses: For a listing of schools that are offering education programs and scholarships explicitly for the Severely Injured and their spouses, visit the Department of Defense Web site.
Contact Information:
New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)
99 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12255
Telephone: 1-888-697-4372
www.hesc.com.
Department of Veterans Affairs Eastern Regional Office
PO Box 4616
Buffalo, NY 14240-4616
Telephone: 1-888-442-4551
www.gibill.va.gov
Ulster County Veterans SVC. Agency
308 Flatbush Avenue
Kingston, NY 12401-2742
Telephone: 845-340-3190
Fax: 845-340-3194
