1. Make sure you have registered for classes before submitting the Semester Certification Request form. You must resubmit the form if you make any changes to your schedule. It is best to have you class schedule finalized before submitting the form.
2. Identify classes that are not in your degree program.
   • Determine if the identified classes are prerequisites for classes that are in your degree program.
   • Determine if the identified classes can be taken as general electives.
   • To find out if classes can be taken as general electives, add up all the required credits for your degree and subtract that amount from 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree or 60 credits for an associates degree.
3. Consider first registering for classes that are required for your degree program until you reach full-time status for VA education purposes, then add additional classes you want to take, but are not in your degree plan.
4. Build an academic plan with your advisor to determine in which semesters classes will be taken during your academic career.
   • Identify the semesters when you might not be able to have enough required classes to reach full-time status for VA education certification purposes.
   • Ask the advisor how to build an academic plan that ensures you are able to reach full-time status for VA education purposes.
   • Consider adding a minor to provide more required classes to ensure you can reach full-time status for VA education purposes.
5. Be cautious in changing a major. Certification requirements change when the degree program changes. Use the “What If” tool in “Degree Works” to determine how VA education benefits will be given for your new academic plan.
6. If you are waitlisted for a class, build a reasonable back-up plan that you can be satisfied with in case you are not added to the waitlisted class. Request certification for the back-up plan to start the clock for receiving VA education benefits.
   • Make sure you use the Add/Drop function of the Semester Certification Request form if changes are made to your class schedule.
7. Be careful about the workload your semester class schedule may have. You may feel that you need to withdraw from classes. Understand that the VA will not pay for a “W.” The VA will require the student and Utah Tech to return funds issued for classes that result in a “W.”
   • To avoid a debt with the VA and Utah Tech, do not withdraw from classes.
   • To avoid having your GPA affected by a poor grade in a class you believe you will not do well in, consider taking a “W” unless you plan to retake that class.
   • Retaking classes in which you received a grade that is not satisfactory for your degree allows you to retake the class for a better grade and still receive VA education benefits for the retaken class. The poor grade will be replaced by the new grade.
   • If you do not plan to retake the class, consider if a lower GPA or a debt to the VA is prefered over the other option.
   • If your credit load brings you to half-time or less, you may not receive the monthly amount for your stipend or housing allowance.
8. If you are taking a remedial class, which is a class at or below the 1000 level, make sure you have a test placement exam on file first. The VA will not give education benefits for the class without the placement score on file.
9. Watch for the dates you are in class. Some classes do not go for the entire semester. The VA only gives education benefits based on your enrollment status for each day.
10. You may repeat a class if you did not get a passing grade and the class is still required for your degree.
11. Use your academic advisor and the department chair to determine the best order to take classes.
12. Consider asking your department chair and academic advisor if closely related classes can count toward your degree plan when you cannot find another suitable class that can be certified.

1. The VA pays housing or stipend benefits monthly unless:
   • The student is enrolled half-time or less for CH 31/33 housing allowances, or
   • The student is enrolled less than half-time for CH 30/35/1606 stipends.
2. The VA pays CH 33 beneficiaries a maximum of $1,000 each academic year for books and supplies.
   • This is based on $41.67 per credit, up to 24 credits per academic year.
3. The VA pays benefits based on a student’s enrollment status:
   • Full-time: 12+ credits (8+ in summer for 12-week semester)
   • Three-quarter-time: 9–11 credits (6–7 in summer)
   • Half-time: 6–8 credits (4–5 in summer)
   • Less than half-time: 4–5 credits (1.5–3 in summer)
   • One-quarter-time or less: 1–3 credits (0.5–1 in summer)

   Summer Term Enrollment (12-week semester):

   • Full-time: 8+ credits
   • Three-quarter-time: 6–7 credits
   • Half-time: 4–5 credits
   • Less than half-time: 2.5–3.5 credits
   • One-quarter-time or less: 0.5–2 credits

   6-week summer blocks:

   • Full-time: 4+ credits
   • Three-quarter-time: 3–3.5 credits
   • Half-time: 2–2.5 credits
   • Less than half-time: 1.5 credits
   • One-quarter-time or less: 0.5–1 credit
4. Students enrolled half-time or less may lose housing or stipend benefits.
   • These financial benefits cannot be recouped once lost.
   • It is financially best to enroll full-time.
5. Credits can be divided across blocks to maximize benefits.
   • Example: A 3-credit 12-week course counts as 1.5 credits per 6 weeks.
   • A 3-credit 6-week block course adds 3 credits, totaling 4.5 credits during that 6-week period (full-time).
6. Be cautious with general electives:
   • They must apply to the 120-credit requirement for a Bachelor’s or 60 for a General Studies Associate’s degree.
   • Once elective space is used up, additional electives cannot be certified.
   • Students with under-120-credit degree plans can use electives to reach 120 credits for graduation.
   • Military JST evaluations can reduce flexibility in schedule planning by using up elective slots.
7. VA rounds CH 31/33 housing allowance to the nearest 10%.

   Here is the monthly percentage chart:

   Credit Hours	% Enrolled	% of MHA
   12	100%	100%
   11	92%	90%
   10	83%	80%
   9	75%	80%
   8	67%	70%
   7	58%	60%

8. CH 31/33 housing allowance is not paid at the local zip code rate if all classes are online.
   • At least one in-person credit is required.
   • That in-person class must span the full semester; otherwise, benefits drop to half the national average when it ends.

Fall/Spring Semester Class Schedule Planning

Questions to consider when planning

• Are you taking classes in the best order? Some classes may not be prerequisites, but they are good primer classes for other classes.
• Have you considered the study and homework loads for the classes in your semester schedule? Some classes are lighter than others in these areas.
• Have you considered whether the class is best taken in-person or online?
• Have you considered the time of day the class is scheduled and when you are most prepared to learn? Many students do not function well in the morning. An early morning class may not be as fitting as an afternoon class for such students.
• Have you planned when you are likely to graduate? Many classes are offered only once per year and missing out on the class can set you back a s much as a year.
• Have you discovered which classes are major prerequisites for following classes? Missing these significant classes can result in have fewer options for classes that can be certified.
• Have you found a class time with friends who can help you study and be a part of class projects? Having a good support system in your classes sets you us for success. Make sure you consider this when scheduling classes.
• Have you planned a back-up schedule?
• Have you considered work, meal times, transportation availability to help you get to classes ontime?
• Are you planning to include fun classes, exercise, social activities, etc?

Summer specific topics:

• • Have you ensured that the class is available in the summer?
  • Do you have a plan in case the class is cancelled for the semester?
  • Do you have enough credits planned to maximize your VA education benefits?
  • Have you considered there are less weekend days and holidays to study, work on projects, and catch up on homework in the short summer blocks than there are in fall and spring semesters? Many students struggle to stay in difficult summer classes such as math because there is little time to study and do homework.
  • Have you considered there are many distractions during the summer, such as social activities, and less support, such as tutoring, student events and activities, and less university faculty and staff on campus during the summer?
  • Below is a link to a summer planning guide that you may find useful to understanding the complexity of receiving VA benefits while taking classes in the summer.

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Summer Planning Guide

1. Veteran students at Utah Tech are given priority registration.
   These students typically register the Friday before registration is open to seniors.
2. VA benefits sent directly to students are prorated on a 30-day month.
   Students can estimate their VA education benefits for the first and last month of school by:
   • Subtracting the days before school begins or after school ends from 30.
   • Dividing the result by 30.
   • Multiplying that number by the monthly amount the VA sends.

   You can find that amount on the VA website or by using the College Financing Plan worksheet given to students annually.

3. There are some reasons students may want to skip requesting certification:
   • To save benefits for future semesters.
   • The student isn’t taking enough certifiable credits to receive a monthly stipend or housing allowance.
   • A student using CH 33 benefits plans to attend a more expensive school in the future.
4. Once a student reaches full-time enrollment at 12 credits, Utah Tech doesn’t charge additional tuition and fees until the student takes 21 credits.
5. Students using CH 33 benefits can request certification any time. Students not using CH 33 benefits must wait until 120 days before the first day of class to request certification.
6. The VA and staff in the Utah Tech Veterans and Military Services office are very busy at the beginning of each semester.
   Try to request certification no later than 30 days before classes begin to ensure your request is processed timely and benefits come in time.
7. During the summer semester:
   • Utah Tech counts 12 credits for full-time enrollment.
   • The VA counts:
     • 8 credits as full-time for a 12-week semester.
     • 4 credits as full-time for a 6-week block.