Office of Financial Aid

Frequently Asked Financial Aid Questions

1. How long does it take to receive GI Bill payments if I'm a returning student
2. How long does it take to receive GI Bill payments if I'm a new student?
3. I am a new Chapter 35 student (Dependent of a Veteran), and I have my COE, and I came to orientation and registered for classes. Can I receive my first GI Bill payment at the end of August?
4. I just had my dependent/veteran benefits processed, and some of my grants and scholarships disappeared from my account. Why did this happen?
5. I heard some people receive advanced GI Bill pay before the semester begins. Is this true?
6. Does Coastal Carolina University waive fees or tuition for veteran students until they receive their benefits?
7. Does the VA send the money to the school?
8. Is there a website where I can ask questions directly of the VA?

How long does it take to receive GI Bill payments if I'm a returning student?

The VA needs 8 weeks to process a request for pay. Payment is made at the end of the month.
Your school must submit your certification by June 15th to receive payment at the end of August.
Your school must submit your certification by November 15th to receive payment at the end of January.

How long does it take to receive GI Bill payments if I'm a new student?

The VA needs a minimum of 12 weeks to process a new request for pay. New students also face a delay in that the school cannot send a certification to the VA until they have registered for classes. To speed up the process, new students should apply for their VA Educational Benefit approval as early as possible. Once they receive the approval, Certificate of Eligibility (COE), and they have registered, processing time is the same as a returning student.

I am a new Chapter 35 student (Dependent of a Veteran), and I have my COE, and I came to orientation and registered for classes. Can I receive my first GI Bill payment at the end of August?

Unfortunately, new chapter 35 students cannot be certified until after the first day of attendance. You should expect your first check at the end of October. However this is only for your first semester. Once you become a returning student you have the same processing time as other chapters.

I just had my dependent/veteran benefits processed, and some of my grants and scholarships disappeared from my account. Why did this happen?

Your veterans or dependents benefits are part of your financial aid package, and so are treated just like other forms of aid. Federal law prohibits us from allowing you to have more financial aid than it costs you to go to school. If your VA benefits cause your total financial aid package to exceed what it actually costs you to go to school, we must reduce other forms of your financial aid in order to stay within federal guidelines. This may mean that some or all of your grants, loans and scholarships may be reduced or eliminated entirely from your account. Should this occur, you will be responsible for paying back to the school any balance that was created on your account.

I heard some people receive advanced GI Bill pay before the semester begins. Is this true?

Some schools do process advance pay. Advanced pay is not recommended at the Coastal Carolina University.

Does Coastal Carolina University waive fees or tuition for veteran students until they receive their benefits?

No. Prepare to pay initial costs out of pocket, get set up on the payment plan and start making payments, or apply for financial aid. For more info on applying for aid go to: http://www.coastal.edu/financialaid.

Does the VA send the money to the school?

No. In most cases the VA pays the student directly either by mailed checks or direct deposit.

Is there a website where I can ask questions directly of the VA?

Yes. The VA has two online question/answer options. The first is a searchable database, and the second is an email address. They can be found at www.gibill.va.gov by following the link labeled "Questions & Answers".