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Yellow Ribbon Program
The Yellow Ribbon Program, under veteran benefits in Chapter 33, is a partnership between schools and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, designed to cover tuition and education-related expenses that exceed the standard Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. This initiative ensures veterans can access higher education without financial burden, fostering their academic pursuits and future success.
Enrollment Verification
Chapter 30, Chapter 33, and Chapter 1606 students must verify their enrollment monthly by Interactive Voice Response (IVR) or by Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE). When these students are awarded benefits, the award letter they receive describes IVR and WAVE verification of enrollment.
- IVR allows students to “phone in” their monthly verifications to 1-877-823-2378 (toll-free).
- WAVE allows students to verify their enrollment on the internet at the Education Services website. Click the link to WAVE under Information for Benefit Recipients in the left hand column. Students must be currently enrolled in an approved education program and must have a current benefit award to use WAVE.
Education Assistance Programs
The following program descriptions are up-to-date, thumbnail descriptions. Detailed descriptions are available at the Education Benefits and Services Homepage. From the menu in the left frame of the page, click “Education Benefit Programs” to view a general description of each program.
NOTE: All students who feel they may be eligible for education benefits should submit an application. Even if someone appears ineligible, VA should review their application and officially grant or deny benefits.
Chapter 30 – Under Chapter 30 of veteran benefits, eligible individuals can access educational assistance through the Montgomery GI Bill®, providing financial support for education and training programs. This chapter outlines the criteria and benefits available to veterans, offering crucial support in their pursuit of academic and vocational goals.
Chapter 31 – If you have a service-connected disability that limits your ability to work or prevents you from working, Veteran Readiness and Employment (formerly called Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) can help. This program—also known as Chapter 31 or VR&E—helps you explore employment options and address education or training needs. In some cases, your family members may also qualify for certain benefits.
Chapter 32 veteran benefits, also known as the Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP), offers a flexible savings plan for military personnel, allowing them to contribute to their education fund with government matching. Eligible veterans can use these funds for various educational pursuits, empowering them to invest in their future and achieve their academic goals.
Chapter 33 of veteran benefits, covers the Post-9/11 GI Bill® which provides comprehensive educational assistance to eligible veterans, including tuition and fees, housing allowance, and a stipend for books and supplies. This chapter outlines the generous provisions of the program, ensuring veterans have the necessary resources to pursue higher education and achieve their career objectives.
Tutorial Assistance Program
The Tutorial Assistance Program under veteran benefits provides financial support to eligible veterans, helping them cover the costs of tutoring services necessary for their academic success. This program ensures veterans receive the additional educational assistance they need, fostering a supportive learning environment and aiding them in their pursuit of academic excellence.
Chapter 35 of veteran benefits, also known as the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program, offers educational assistance to the spouses and children of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition or have died in service. This program provides valuable financial support, enabling eligible family members to access education and training opportunities, empowering them to build a brighter future.
Chapter 1606 of veteran benefits, known as the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR), provides educational assistance to members of the Selected Reserve, including the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard. This program offers financial support for approved training programs, allowing reservists to pursue higher education and enhance their skills while serving their country.
Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Administration Regional Office
PO Box 888
Muskogee, OK 74402-8888
Muskogee Education Benefits Newsletter is available at the VA website.
Call: 1-888-442-4551 or 1-888-GI BILL® 1 (Muskogee Regional Office) for information regarding eligibility for benefits and/or for any information regarding processing of VA paperwork and/or payment problems.
Army ROTC
Bushnell University partners with the University of Oregon to offer Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).
Enrollment Information
A standard semester is 14-16 weeks in length with courses beginning the first week and ending the last week.
- 12 or more credits is full-time
- 9-11 credits is 3/4-time
- 6-8 credits is 1/2-time
- 4-5 credits is less than 1/2-time
- 1-3 credits is 1/4-time or less
To learn more about the program offerings please visit our undergraduate programs page.
The Online Undergraduate Program doesn’t follow a standard semester format. BA Accounting, BA Business Administration, BA Interdisciplinary Studies, and BA Psychology are the programs offered through the Online Undergraduate Program.
Non-standard semester training time isn’t measured like standard semester training time. Students considering enrolling in a non-standard undergraduate program should meet with a School Certifying Official to better understand how financial disbursements occur in the non-standard terms.
To learn more about the program offerings please visit our Academics page.
Graduate programs don’t follow a standard semester format. Courses are taken sequentially, and the programs usually are completed within five to seven semesters, depending on the program.
Non-standard semester training time isn’t measured like standard semester training time. Students considering enrolling in a non-standard undergraduate program should meet with a School Certifying Official to better understand how financial disbursements occur in the non-standard terms.
To learn more about the program offerings please visit our Academics page.
Only credits that apply toward completion of the student’s degree can be certified for VA purposes. If 12 credits are certified, all 12 must apply. If a student enrolls in 12 credits, but only nine satisfy a degree requirement, then the student is certified for nine credits.
There are two exceptions to the rule about course applicability:
- The last semester before graduation, all credit taken can be certified if one or more of the credits satisfy a graduation requirement.
- If the university allows substitutions for program requirements, we will allow course substitutions if they are approved by the university and documented in the student’s file.
Courses that are failed or for which the grade does not meet the minimum requirements for graduation may be certified for VA purposes if they are repeated. Courses that are successfully completed may not be certified for VA purposes if they are repeated.
If students must take additional courses in order to raise their GPA to graduate, the courses must be courses that have not already been successfully completed by the student.
Advance Pay may be paid if:
- The student requests advance pay, and
- There is more than 30 days between terms and interval pay won’t be paid, and
- The student is enrolled at least half-time.
Advance pay requests should be submitted 30-to-120 days before the begin date. The check will be sent to the school, payable to the student. A separate Certification of Delivery (VA Form 22-1999V) will be sent to the school. Schools must handle advance pay checks securely and give the advance pay check to the student when he or she registers (or not more than 30 days before the beginning of school if registration is earlier).
An advance will pay the first and second month. The first month may be a partial month, with payment pro rated for the number of days attended that month. For example, advance pay for a student enrolled 9/28/24 through 6/1/24 would pay 9/28/24 through 10/31/24. Since VA normally pays after a month is completed, the student wouldn’t receive another check until December, when payment for November is made.
A student may take courses at more than one school that apply to his or her degree. The school that will grant the degree is the student’s “parent” school. All other schools are “secondary” schools.
VA can pay benefits for courses taken at secondary schools. If the student is enrolled at the secondary school, VA will pay for the credit taken at the secondary. If the student is enrolled at the parent and the secondary school at the same time (“concurrent”), VA will pay for the combined credit, taking overlapping enrollment dates into account.
GI Bill
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website.
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