Veterans’ Benefits

Each CUNY college has appointed a veterans affairs representative to address the needs of veterans on campus. Baruch College has a veterans’ affairs representative. Certifying Official, John Seto works with veteran students to ensure they are receiving appropriate educational and financial aid benefits. The Veteran’s Affairs representative can be reached by phone at (646) 312-1264 and by email at John.Seto@baruch.cuny.edu. He is located at the Registrar’s Office Room 850 at 151 E. 25th Street.

You may be eligible for VA educational assistance if: A) You are on, or were on active duty for at least two years, and received any honorably characterized discharge; B) You have a six-year obligation in the Selected Reserves, and remain in good standing with your reserve unit; or C) You are a spouse or child of a veteran who died or was totally disabled while in military service. Your college’s veterans’ affairs representative can help you determine eligibility.

No, you do not have to reapply. Once you have applied and have received benefits at one CUNY institution, you need only complete a form to change your place of training and a brief personal data form. This can be done through your campus’s veterans’ affairs representative.

No, the educational benefit checks are sent directly to you or your dependent, but arrangements can be made for direct deposit, which can be requested when you apply for benefits. Direct deposit is available for all programs except for Chapter 35 educational assistance.

First-time applicants should expect to have to wait at least 6 to 8 weeks from the time the enrollment certification is sent before payment is received. Continuing students will be processed quicker provided there have not been any changes in program or address.

No, veteran’s benefits, paid under any law and administered by the VA should not be reported as income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

No, dependents or spouses receiving educational assistance under Chapter 35 do not have to verify their enrollment to the VA each month.

Yes, Chapter 30 and Chapter 1606 recipients may request the direct deposit option by completing VA Form 22-0296 or through your e-benefits account.

If you are currently receiving benefits, or have received benefits in the last year, you can use the WAVE system to update your address or your financial institution information. Visit the G.I. Bill WAVE page, and follow the instructions on to WAVE. Follow the links to change your address and your direct deposit information on the “Main Menu” page of WAVE.

If you drop a course and the adjustment changes your training time you must notify your college’s veterans’ affairs representative so that this official can then inform the VA of a change in training time. This must be done even if you have already notified the VA on the WAVE system. A change in training time will affect your rate of payment, and failure to notify your college’s veterans’ affairs representative in a timely manner could result in an overpayment.

If you are activated during a semester, you have a number of options open to you depending upon the length of the deployment. You should first discuss this situation with your advisor and instructors to help you decide upon a course of action. The options available to you would range from special arrangements for make-up work, to an incomplete grade, to withdrawal from a course or semester. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs would pay you educational assistance benefits up to the date you withdraw or resign from a course or semester. For more information see Returning or Leaving for Active Duty.

No, you must apply through your unit for the New York State Educational Incentive Plan using DMNA Form 96-1. You can then obtain a Tuition Deferment, and must inform the bursar that the NYS Department of Military & Naval Affairs will be making payments.

Veterans who are matriculating students may earn up to 18 credits in United States Armed Forces Institute courses, in which they have passed final exams, and for other military education and training. The decision regarding the granting of credit for these courses resides with the individual colleges.

Some veterans are eligible for tutorial benefits. In order to be eligible for tutorial benefits, veterans must be receiving monthly veteran’s benefits on at least a half-time basis. Such veteran students are entitled to 12 months of tutorial benefits to a maximum of $100.00 per month. Contact your veterans’ affairs representative for additional information.

Students may be eligible for Veteran’s Work Study benefits. In order to be eligible, students must be receiving full-time veterans’ benefits. Such students can work up to 750 hours per year at a rate of at least the federal minimum wage.

No, only dependents that are eligible for the Fry Scholarship or Chapter 35, Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program may be considered for benefits. Chapter 35 provides educational assistance to the spouses and children of veterans who died while on active duty or were totally disabled due to their military experience. The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship) provides Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to the children and surviving spouses of Service members who died in the line of duty while on active duty after September 10, 2001. Eligibility questions can be directed to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Vocational Rehabilitation services are available through the VA for veterans with disabilities. Vocational Rehabilitation Services are available to full- and part-time students who have at least a 20% disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. These services include payment for tuition, fees and a monthly stipend. In addition, reasonable accommodations and support services are available to veterans with disabilities through your college’s Office of Disability Services.

There are several federal and state programs available to dependents of disabled veterans. For more information contact your college’s veterans’ affairs representative or the University’s Office of Student Affairs at (646) 344-7277.

New York State Veterans Tuition Award Is an award from New York State. For more details please follow the link.

• CUNY Veterans: https://www.cuny.edu/about/university-resources/veterans-affairs/about-us/
• Department of Veterans Affairs : http://www.gibill.va.gov/