Getting Started

You can attend the University of Idaho under the GI Bill if you are an Idaho Resident and also if you are an out-of-state resident, but the process is different for in-state and out-of-state applicants.

Out-of-State Residents:

• Post 9/11 GI Bill/Chapter 33 Recipients
  

  If you are an out-of-state applicant you will need to qualify and apply for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

• Montgomery GI Bill and Other GI Bill Chapter

  If you do not qualify as an Idaho resident, you will be charged out-of-state tuition, unless you qualify for any other university waivers.

• Gaining Residency Upon Separation:
  

  A veteran may qualify for Idaho residency if he/she is separated under honorable conditions from the Armed Forces after at least two years of service and at the time of separation designated the state of Idaho as their intended domicile or indicated Idaho as their home of record of service; and will be entering the university within one year of the date of separation, or who moves to Idaho for the purpose of establishing domicile; provided however, to maintain status as a resident student, such person must actively establish domicile in Idaho within one (1) year of matriculation in a public institution of higher education in Idaho. The dependent of a person who qualifies as a resident student under this paragraph and who receives at least fifty percent (50%) support from such person shall also be a resident student.

  
  

Idaho Residents:

If you are an in-state applicant your next step is to identify your Anticipated Start Date.

Unsure of your residency status?

Determine if you are an Idaho State Resident and learn how to become an Idaho Resident at the Office of the Registrar.

Action Items:

• In-State Residents: Identify Your Anticipated Start Date
• Out-of-State Residents: Learn about the Yellow Ribbon Program at U-Idaho
• Not sure if you are an Idaho Resident?
• Want to become an Idaho Resident?

The University of Idaho is a Yellow Ribbon Program School
This Means:

• All resident tuition & fees are paid by the Post 9/11 GI Bill
• 100% of out-of-state tuition is covered through an agreement between the the University of Idaho and the Veterans Administration. 
• 50 student Yellow Ribbon placements are available for Academic Year 2013-2014
• Placements are granted on a first-come, first-serve basis with current enrolled students grandfathered into the program. Placements for Fall 2013 are currently available. When placements are filled, applicants are placed on a wait-list.
  
  

Learn More About the Yellow Ribbon Program

Only veterans entitled to the maximum benefit rate of 100% (based on service requirements) or their designated transferees may receive this funding. Active duty servicemembers and their spouses are not eligible for this program (child transferees of active duty servicemembers may be eligible if the servicemember is qualified at the 100% rate).

Therefore, you may be eligible if:

• You served an aggregate period of active duty after September 10, 2001, of at least 36 months;
• You were honorably discharged from active duty for a service connected disability and you served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001;
• You are a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on a veteran’s service under the eligibility criteria listed above.

If you do not qualify as an Idaho resident, you will be charged out-of-state tuition, unless you qualify for any other University of Idaho tuition waivers.

• The University of Idaho does not offer veteran specific waivers or assistance other than for Yellow Ribbon Qualifying applicants, but there are a number of other scholarships and financial aid opportunities available.
• When you fill out your University of Idaho Application you are also completing the first step in applying for financial aid and scholarships.
• The second step is to fill out your FAFSA
• Then the University automatically begins to find any financial aid for which you might qualify for.
• The third step is to evaluate the Financial Aid that might be available to you

Action Items:

-Learn about gaining Idaho Residency
-Learn about Financial Aid at the University of Idaho

An Anticipated Start Date  is when you expect to start attending the University of Idaho (e.g. Fall Semester 2013, Spring 2014). 

This can depend on when your expiration of active service ends; if you have time to apply and gather the necessary application materials (transcripts if you qualify as a transfer student, or SAT/ACT scores if you are a new student); and relocation time before the beginning of the next semester.

Identifying which semester you would like to begin at the University of Idaho will help us help you in your application process both at the University of Idaho and for your Veterans benefits. 

Applying for Benefits:

• You should apply online using the VONAPP Veterans Online Application on the GI Bill Website
  • You will need to know which form to use once you login to VONAPP.
    These hard copy forms may guide you in gathering the necessary information. 
    • For Veterans or Active Duty use VA Form 22-1990
    • For Dependents using Post 9/11 GI Bill Chapter 33 Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB), use VA Form 22-1990e
    • For Dependents of Deceased or 100% Disabled Veterans (Chapter 35 - Survivor's and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program - DEA) or the GySgt John David Fry Scholarship, use VA Form 22-5490

• If you are in the Moscow area you may schedule an appointment with the Veterans Assistance Office for help with your application including submission; call 208-885-7979 or 208-885-7989 or email: veterans@uidaho.edu.

Having the following documents can make the application process easier:

Many Veterans are Transfer Students:

A transfer student already has at least 14 college-level credits. Applying as a transfer student is as easy as 1..2..3..

1. You will need to apply,
2. have your previous college credits evaluated so they can be transfered to Idaho,
3.  prepare to register for your classes. 

At the University of Idaho a transfer students should have at least 14 college credits a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 (C average) on all college-level study attempted in all accredited colleges attended, exclusive of course for which credits are not allowed.

Students transferring from out-of-state schools in the College of Engineering must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.80. Other departments may have additional requirements pertaining to transfer students.

Applicants with fewer than 14 semester hours of transfer credit since high school graduation must meet both
freshman and transfer admission requirements, including submission of the required test scores. (See
"Freshman Admission Requirements," above.)

Transfer students do not need to submit SAT/ACT scores when applying as long as they have a certified GPA in transfer transcripts. 

All Veterans are Non-Traditional Students:

There are a lot of new terms to get used to in transitioning from military life to college life. You will probably hear the term Non-Traditional Student from time to time. 

A Non-Traditional Student is an undergraduate student who answers yes to one or more of the following:

• A veteran of the US armed forces
• Older than 23
• A Parent
• Married
• Attending the University after taking a break between high school and college
• The primary caregiver of elderly parents

• Certified copies of your separation papers, form DD-214, should be submitted with an initial application for benefits.
• Submission of a DD-214 is not necessary for students who have used the benefit before. All forms should be mailed, emailed, faxed, or brought in person to the University of Idaho Veterans Assistance Office.
• If you have multiple periods of non-continuous active duty, the most current and previous DD-214s are advisable.

If you are attending college for the first time, you will need to present ACT or SAT scores. If you have not taken the ACT or SAT you can do that at many locations in the US and at some international locations. The University of Idaho Counseling and Testing Center administers both tests.  

Fees for approved required tests can be reimbursed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, learn more at the GI Bill Website page on National Testing Program Q&A.

After taking the approved test, fill out the Reimbursement Form and submit it to the Department of Veterans Affairs. If you have questions or need to use a fax machine, stop by the Veterans Center in Idaho Commons room 305 on the University of Idaho Moscow Campus.

Transfer Students:

If you are a transfer student with a certified GPA from another college or university, then you do not need to submit ACT or SAT scores to apply for admission.

Action Items:
Sign up to take the SAT
Sign up to take the ACT
Learn about taking the ACT/SAT at the University of Idaho Counseling and Testing Center
Learn about being reimbursed for your test fees

Applying for Admissions

You can apply online for admission to the University of Idaho.  
There are admission sections for:

• Freshman/First Year Students
• Transfer Students
• Graduate Admissions
• Law Admissions

Applying for the GI Bill and Other Veterans Benefits

GI Bill:

• Determine if you are eligible to receive GI Bill Education Benefits and if so what chapter. To do so, visit GIBILL.VA.GOV
• If eligible for more than one benefit, determine which is most beneficial in your situation. There is a comparison tool on the VA website.
• Apply for the GI Bill Education Benefits, using VONAPP on the VA website.
• Notify the University of Idaho Veterans Advisor of Award of Benefits, Intent to Attend, Admission and Anticipated Start Date. To do so, once you are registered for classes, submit our Request for Certification from our website each semester.

Other Veterans Benefits:

• Veterans Benefits Publications in our Veterans Center, Room 305 in the Idaho Commons Building.
• Contact Latah County Veterans Service Officer (VSO) Tom Idol at (208) 883-2274 veterans@latah.id.us if you have non-GI Bill Education Benefit questions.

Once you are Admitted:

Once you are admitted you should check out the Admitted Students website. 
You can also watch these videos by Andrew Brewick, Director of Academic Advising on how to register for classes.
If you are a transfer student there is a separate set of videos just for you on registering as a transfer student.

What is the FAFSA?

The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid it can be filled out online, and it can be filled out at any time, but to receive priority consideration for all aid, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be received by the U.S. Department of Education Federal Processor by February 15, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. You can file your FAFSA after the priority date, but some types of aid will be limited after that date.

Action Item:

Helpful hints for filing the FAFSA:

• Filling out the FAFSA
• The FAFSA website

GI Bill Approval:

The first GI Bill benefit check will traditionally be received approximately six weeks after the first day of class. 
Veterans benefit allowances, Department of Veterans Affairs programs and policies, and University of Idaho services and procedures frequently change. To obtain current information about VA benefits, your eligibility for benefits, rate and method of payment, or the address of the nearest regional office, call 1-888-442-4551.

To get the most out of your GI Bill and Benefits it is helpful to ask yourself some questions when considering where to go and how to use your benefits to best suit your needs. We want the University of Idaho to be the right fit for you, a place where you will thrive and succeed.

Helpful Questions to Consider:

• What do I want to do?
• What are my goals?
• Will this set me up for success?
• Does the University of Idaho have the right program for me? Check out our degrees, majors and colleges.
• Did you know the GI bill covers a wide range of educational opportunities, including on-the-job training, internships and apprenticeships and more?
• Do you need to be in close proximity to a VA hospital and services? The nearest VA Hospital is in Spokane, Washington, about 85 miles away; a second VA Hospital in Walla Walla, WA, about 130 miles away which has the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center, a Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), in Lewiston, Idaho 30 miles away.
• Will you need to be in close proximity to your support network of friends and family?

Disability Support Services:

The University of Idaho has a Disability Support Services Office that will assist you in determining eligibility for services and assistance to accommodate for qualifying disabilities. Services offered by Disability Support Services include assistive technology, alternate text, notetaking, testing accommodations, hearing-loss services, learning disability and ADHD/ADD services as well as accessibility maps and list of accessible classrooms and information about shuttle services on campus.   

The Veterans Assistance Office and the Disability Support Services offices are co-located in the Idaho Commons. 

Disability Determination and Ratings:

The Veterans Administration is responsible for disability determination and ratings. The local resource for assistance with disability ratings is the Latah County Veterans Services Department, the Veterans Service Officer (VSO), Mr. Tom Idol may be contacted at (208) 883-2274. Office hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. -5 p.m. and Wednesday from 8 a.m.-noon. 

To Determine GI Bill Eligibility

• You may be eligible for more than one chapter of GI Bill so it is important to determine what you may rate and what will be to your best advantage if qualified for more than one. 
• It may be helpful to view the Benefit Comparison Chart on the GI Bill Website. 
• If you have questions concerning your eligibility contact the National GI Bill Call Center toll free at 888-442-4551 Mon - Fri 0500-1700 Pacific Time.   
• Should you then have additional questions or concerns regarding eligibility and/or use of benefits at U-Idaho contact the Veterans Assistance Office at veterans@uidaho.edu or (208) 885-7979.

Military Service and Training Evaluation for Credit

• The University of Idaho is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium
• The ACE guide to the evaluation of education experiences in the armed services is a reference for recognizing learning acquired in the military that you may find useful.
• Military transcripts for the Army and Navy may be requested at Army (AARTS transcript), Navy and Marine Corps (SMART Transcript). 
• Your military service and training can be evaluated for college credit
• For more information contact the Registrar's Office.

Important Dates and Deadlines for Veterans Assistance:

For New GI Bill Students:

• To have GI Bill Benefits available at the start of the semester allow 4-6 weeks from the submission of the GI Bill Application to the Veterans Administration for review and approval of eligibility and award of benefits (issuance of Certificate of Eligibility).
• Meet in person or via telephone with the U-Idaho Veterans Advisor to provide basic background data necessary to establish a local case file. The Veterans Assistance Office is located in the Idaho Commons building, room 305, or call (208) 885-7979.  
• Submit the University of Idaho GI Bill Enrollment Certification Request Form 120 days prior to start of semester/session, or as soon as possible.
• Plan on registering for New Student Orientation; you may register in advance online. 

For Current GI Bill Students: 

• Submit the University of Idaho GI Bill Enrollment Certification Request Form 120 days prior to start of semester/session, or as soon as possible. 
• Once you have submitted the GI Bill Enrollment Certification Request Form, notify the Veterans Assistance Office within 72 hours if there is any change in course credit load (courses added or dropped, or a change in course fees). 
• Notify the Veterans Assistance Office of any type of withdrawal, medical or otherwise, as soon as practicable or no later than 1 week after withdrawing.

Important University of Idaho Dates and Deadlines:

• Academic Dates and Deadlines
• Add/Drop Deadlines
• Registration Schedule
• FAFSA Deadlines