Education Benefit Programs

4. Request Transcripts for Evaluation - Any forms of training, whether military or other institutions, should be evaluated by our Registrar. Request transcripts be sent directly to them through the institution or if military through Joint Services Transcripts (JST) or the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF).  Once reviewed, your credit evaluation transfer can be viewed on your Degree Works transcript.

If you believe you should have a specific military course or experience evaluated, please contact your academic advisor.

• Army, Marines, Navy and Coast Guard:  Joint Services Transcripts
• Air Force: Community College of the Air Force

5. Apply for Scholarships - Expand the opportunity to offset any costs that are not included in your benefits or financial assistance.  Visit the Student Financial Assistance office.

6. Apply for GI Bill® or Department of Defense Educational Benefits -

• VA Educational Benefits:
  
  • If you transfer your VA Educational benefits from another institution, simply complete a VA Form 22-1995 (GI Bill® ) or VA Form 22-5495 (Chapter 35) using Vets.gov or by visiting our office. 
• Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Programs:

  • Each service branch provides tuition assistance for voluntary off-duty education programs for active duty, National Guard, and Reserve Component service members. The application process varies by branch. Please check with your Educational Services Officer prior to enrolling.

    If you are awarded tuition assistance, your branch will pay your tuition directly to USI. You must provide documentation of your tuition assistance authorization to the Office of the Bursar to ensure that payment is processed correctly.

7. Apply for Campus Housing - If you opt to live on campus, there are certain options that you should investigate. http://www.usi.edu/housing/ or call 812-468-2000

1. Schedule and Orientation - Orientation is your opportunity to learn about the institution and get registered for your first semester courses. 

2. Be Involved - There are many activities and organizations that involve our student Veteran population including our Student Veteran Association Chapter. There are always a service-connected sources to assist you or your student.

In-State Residency Policy: Certain non-resident military-affiliated students who are eligible to be charged tuition at the same rate as Indiana residents under state and/or federal law. 

Active Military Duty: The Office of the Veteran, Military and Family Resource Center (VMFRC) works closely with students who are called to active military duty. Depending on the timing of the deployment, students have several options available to them. (Active Duty Policy)

Military Credit: Military credit may be granted for eligible coursework based on submission of an official Joint Services Transcript (JST) or Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript, and review of the American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendation. Students whose JST includes basic training can receive 2 credit hours in KIN, if not already awarded via evaluation of their DD-214 (credit offer form prepared by Veteran, Military, and Family Resource Center). The KIN credit satisfies the Physical Activity and Wellness requirement in Core 39. There is no fee assessed for evaluation of a JST transcript, a CCAF transcript, or submission of a DD-214 credit offer form.

Transfer Credit: Students are REQUIRED to provide official transcripts of his/her academic work at other institutions to be evaluated to determine the number of transfer credits accepted by this University toward the student’s program of study/degree, and to have this information submitted to the Office of the Registrar for transmittal to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs regional office.

• The Evaluation Process - This offers a general guideline regarding the length of time it typically takes our office to evaluate an official transcript, as well as a few factors that can delay the evaluation process
• Transfer Grades - This lists some of the transfer letter grades shown on the unofficial transcript (Self Service) and in Degree Works.  Three general categories of transfer grades include those that carry earned credit (TA, TB+, TB, etc.), in progress courses (TIP), and "no credit" courses (TND, TNF, TNW, TRP, etc.)

Enrollment as Progress Towards a Degree: All courses taken during a term for which you have been certified for VA benefits must apply toward your degree. Veterans can be charged with an overpayment for any courses taken which are not applicable toward their degree. If you are in doubt as to whether certain courses are required for your degree, please contact your academic advisor, your academic dean’s office, or the Office of the Registrar immediately as this could affect your VA Benefits.

Prerequisite Courses: VA beneficiaries required to take prerequisites not identified in the current Bulletin must have their departments provide this office with a list of prerequisite courses. Such a list should identify prerequisites by both course name and number. The VA may charge beneficiaries who fail to do this with an overpayment for taking courses not included in their program.

Courses Taken Under the Audit Option: Courses taken on an audit basis cannot be used in computing enrollment status. In order to permit certification of full-time status, undergraduate students must have 12 credit hours or more in A - F grade option, Pass/No-Pass option, or equivalent credit. When you report your enrollment status in Section 1, DO NOT include any courses taken under the audit option. If you report and are certified for courses taken under the audit option, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs can charge you with an overpayment.

Repeating Courses: Once a student has received a passing grade (D or better) in a course, he/she is typically no longer eligible for VA benefits for repeating that course. Exceptions can be made if the course requires a minimum grade for admission into a specific program of study.

Independent Study Courses: Veterans enrolling in independent study courses must notify the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the University of Southern Indiana Office of the Registrar at the beginning of that term.

Graduate Enrollment: Graduate students who enroll in undergraduate courses may be paid at the undergraduate rate for those courses.

Changes of Address: All VA recipients must notify both the University (update via MyUSI) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (888-442-4551) of any change of address.

Application for Degree: All VA recipients must apply for graduation by the end of their junior year. If you do not comply with this requirement, the USI Veteran Military and Family Resource Center office may only certify your eligibility for VA benefits for one term until you have applied for your degree.