Financial Aid for Veterans:
For information about applying for financial aid please visit www.fafsa.ed.gov or view our brochure: How to Apply for Financial Aid on the Web. Further information for veterans is available at www.newpaltz.edu/veterans.
A high school student can complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after January 1 of the student’s senior year. Continuing undergraduate students, transfer students, and graduate students should complete the FAFSA by the college’s priority deadline.
For questions about your financial aid, please contact the Office of Financial Aid by phone at 845-257-3250 or by mail at:
Office of Financial AidState University of New York at New Paltz200 Hawk DriveNew Paltz, NY 12561-2437
Veterans Education Programs:
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
- Post 9/11 GI Bill Chapter 33
- 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.
To learn 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 faxed to (845) 257-3495 or mailed to:
Office of Student AccountsState University of New York at New Paltz400 Hawk DriveNew Paltz, NY 12561-2438Academic Instructions For Students Called to Active Military Duty:
The following steps apply to matriculated SUNY New Paltz students who are called to active military duty while enrolled at the college:
Call to Active Service:
1. Contact the Office of Academic Advising (by phone at 845-257-3015 or by e-mail at advising@newpaltz.edu) to complete and submit a Military Leave of Absence form and provide a copy of your redeployment orders. The leave of absence form is available at www.newpaltz.edu/advising/forms.html. Completed forms can be faxed to 845-257-3575 or mailed to:
Office of Academic AdvisingState University of New York at New Paltz
1 Hawk Drive
New Paltz, NY 12561-2443
The student should indicate the dates of expected active duty; however, this leave of absence can be extended until such time as the student is released from active duty. The allowable time period for a military leave of absence without academic penalty shall not exceed five years.
2. If the student is unable to complete the above request because of time constraints between the notification of the call to active service and the reporting date to active service, the student can provide a copy of his/her deployment orders to the Office of Academic Advising and they will make the necessary status changes for the student.
3. The student should contact the Office of Financial Aid (by phone at 845-257-3250 or by e-mail at fao@newpaltz.edu) and the Office of Student Accounts (by phone at 845-257-3150 or by e-mail at stuacct@newpaltz.edu) and provide each office with a copy of the student's deployment orders.
Return from Active Service:
1. Upon notification of impending return from active duty, the student shall contact the Office of Academic Advising and provide the semester they wish to return to SUNY New Paltz. Academic Advising shall return the student to active student status and provide them with information regarding advisement and registration.
Financial Aid Instructions for Students Called to Active Military Duty:
For students who are called to active military duty, need to take a leave of absence or withdraw from school, or return to school after military duty, the following scenarios detail how to handle your Federal Student Loans. It is important to contact your school and servicer of your Federal Student Loans when appropriate.
1. Leave of absence/ 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 the servicer of your federal student loans by visiting the website of the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) at www.nslds.ed.gov. 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.
2. Loans that are in the “grace period”: Contact the servicer of your Federal Student Loans by visiting the website of the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) at www.nslds.ed.gov. 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.
3. Loans in repayment:
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Forbearance - You or a member of your family, need to contact the servicer of your Federal Student Loans by visiting the website of the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) at www.nslds.ed.gov. 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 to contact the servicer of your Federal Student Loans by visiting the website of the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) at www.nslds.ed.gov.
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Deferment: All borrowers who serve on active duty are eligible for a military deferment. If you qualify for the military deferment, the government will pay interest accruing on your subsidized loan. You or a member of your family should contact the servicer of your Federal Student Loans by visiting the website of the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) at www.nslds.ed.gov.
4. Loans in Default: You, or a member of your family, need to contact the servicer of your Federal Student Loans by visiting the website of the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) at www.nslds.ed.gov. Collection activities will cease during your active duty service.
Free Parking For Veterans:
Veterans are exempt from paying the parking fee at SUNY New Paltz.
To file for exemption:
1. Complete the Parking Application. The application for a Parking Hangtag Form is available at http://www.newpaltz.edu/parking or at the Parking Office in HAB 35.
2. Present the Parking Application along with your Vehicle Registration and a Picture ID to the Parking Office in Haggerty Administration Building (HAB) 35. Please contact the Parking Office at 845-257-3347 with any questions.
Scholarships and Awards for Veterans:
For further information about scholarships and awards for veterans and to apply please visit the Military Corner at hesc.com. Questions may be addressed by phone to 1-888-697-4372 or by e-mail at militarycorner@hesc.com.
- Veterans Tuition Awards: Provides awards for full-time or 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 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.
For Further Information Please Contact:
Ulster County Veterans Service. Agency308 Flatbush Avenue
Kingston, NY 12401-2742
Telephone: 845-340-3190
Fax: 845-340-3194 Department of Veterans Affairs Eastern Regional Office
PO Box 4616
Buffalo, NY 14240-4616
Telephone: 1-888-442-4551
www.gibill.va.gov New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)99 Washington AvenueAlbany, NY 12255Telephone: 1-888-697-4372www.hesc.com
