Veterans Services
Emerald Coast Technical College is approved to certify VA education benefits, including GI Bill®, Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness & Employment – VR&E), and VA Dependents’ Education Assistance (Chapter 35).
New Students – GI Bill® (Chapters 33, 35, Reserve & Dependents)
Student completes the VA Application for Education Benefits online.
Student receives a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA.
Student provides ECTC with a copy of the COE.
Certification is processed within 5–7 business days after:
All required documentation is received
Clock hours are verified
Tuition and fee payments are applied according to the VA benefit chapter.
Transfer Students – GI Bill® (Chapters 33, 35, Reserve & Dependents)
Student completes the Request for Change of Program or Place of Training (VA Form 22-1995) online.
Student receives an updated Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
Student provides ECTC with the updated COE.
Certification is processed within 5–7 business days after:
All required documentation is received
Clock hours are verified
Chapter 31 – Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E)
Students using Chapter 31 benefits must work directly with their assigned VR&E Counselor.
Students are responsible for requesting their Purchase Order (PO) from their VR&E Counselor.
Chapter 31 does NOT use a Certificate of Eligibility for billing purposes.
Before ECTC can invoice the VA, the following is required:
An approved Purchase Order (PO) issued by the VR&E Counselor
PO must include authorized program, dates, and approved charges
ECTC submits invoices to the VA through the Tungsten system.
The VA pays the school directly for authorized charges.
Students are responsible for any charges not covered by the PO.
🔔 IMPORTANT UPDATE – Chapter 35 Enrollment Verification (Effective January 2026)
Beginning January 2026, Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) beneficiaries must verify their enrollment each month for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to process benefit payments.
Monthly verification is required before the VA can begin payment processing. Once enrollment is verified, payment processing may take 5–7 calendar days, depending on the beneficiary’s financial institution.
The VA automatically verified December 2025 enrollments. December payments are expected to be processed by early January 2026.
How Chapter 35 Beneficiaries Verify Enrollment
Chapter 35 beneficiaries may verify enrollment using one of the following VA options:
Text Message (Recommended):
Beneficiaries may opt in to receive a monthly text message from the VA to confirm enrollment. This is the fastest method for verification and payment processing.Email:
Beneficiaries who do not opt into text verification will receive a monthly enrollment verification email from the VA.Online:
Enrollment can be verified using the VA’s online enrollment verification tool.Ask VA:
Beneficiaries may submit enrollment verification through Ask VA by sending their enrollment dates. This is a manual review process, and payment processing begins after VA review, not when the message is submitted.
If a beneficiary previously opted out of text or email verification and would like to opt back in, they may contact the VA Education Call Center at 888-442-4551, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–6 p.m. CT.
Important Notes for Students and Dependents
Enrollment verification is not attendance verification
Verification is the responsibility of the student or dependent
Payment delays may occur if enrollment is not verified monthly
Beneficiaries should ensure their contact information is current in their VA.gov profile
Emerald Coast Technical College certifies enrollment based on information provided by the VA and does not control benefit payment timelines.
Important Notes
Processing timelines begin after all required documentation is received
Changes to enrollment may require updated VA authorization
Students are encouraged to contact their VA Counselor directly regarding benefit eligibility
Rudisill v. McDonough – GI Bill® Benefit Update
In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Rudisill v. McDonough that may allow some veterans to receive up to 48 months of combined GI Bill® benefits if they qualify for both Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapter 30) and Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) based on separate periods of service.
Eligibility and entitlement determinations are made solely by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Students who believe they may be impacted by this decision should contact the VA directly or speak with their VA Education Counselor to determine their remaining entitlement.
Emerald Coast Technical College certifies enrollment based on the benefit chapter and entitlement information provided by the VA.
Chapter 30-Montgomery GI Bill® (MGIB) Active Duty MGIB
Chapter 31-Vocational Rehabilitation (Disabled Veterans)
Chapter 35-Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program
Chapter 1606-Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserves (MGIB-SR)
Chapter 1607-Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP)
‘‘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.