Terminology

Advance Payment

An optional payment arrangement available to eligible students under certain benefit chapters. Advance payment pays the monthly benefit for the first and second month of the term upfront, before the regular payment schedule begins. Not available under Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) or VR&E (Chapter 31). See Advance Payment for eligibility details.

Award Letter

Issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs when payment for your VA education benefits has been authorized. Serves as notification that your enrollment certification has been processed.

Certificate of Eligibility (COE)

Issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs when your completed application has been reviewed. Includes the benefit chapter you are eligible for, your delimiting date, and the amount of benefit entitlement remaining.

Certification Request Form (CRF)

The form students submit to the APSU Veterans Education Benefits office each term to request that their enrollment be certified to the VA. Must be completed every term, including first-time enrollments. See Request Certification (CRF).

Change of Major/Minor/Bulletin Form

An APSU form used by students to officially declare or change their major, minor, or academic bulletin (catalog year). Changing your major with APSU does not automatically update your program with the VA — additional VA paperwork is required. See Continuing & Returning Students for details.

Deferment

An agreement through which the APSU Veterans Education Benefits office temporarily postpones your tuition and fee obligation because your VA benefit payment has not yet been received. Requires proof of VA benefit eligibility. If the deferred balance is not paid by the deadline, future registration, grade release, and transcript access may be withheld.

Delimiting Date

The date by which you must use your VA education benefits. Benefits not used before the delimiting date expire. The delimiting date is shown on your Certificate of Eligibility.

Enrollment Certification

The formal process by which APSU notifies the VA that a student is enrolled and eligible for education benefit payments for a given term. Triggered by the student's submission of a CRF.

Matriculation

The point at which all documents required to make a student degree-seeking have been received by the University. This can include, but is not limited to, high school transcripts or GED scores, official college transcripts, DD-214 (member 4 copy), and/or military transcripts.

Mitigating Circumstances

Defined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as "unanticipated and unavoidable events which interfere with the pursuit of a course." A student may cite mitigating circumstances when requesting a waiver of an overpayment. The VA's Debt Management office will review the claim and either waive the overpayment or require repayment.

Overpayment

A debt owed by the student to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Most commonly results from course drops, withdrawals, or receiving a non-attendance grade (FN/FA) after VA benefits have already been paid for that enrollment. See Attendance & Enrollment Changes.

Prior Credit Evaluation (PCE)

A federally mandated review of a student's previous education, training, and military experience to determine how those credits apply toward their current degree program at APSU. Must be completed within a student's first term. See Prior Credit Evaluation.

School Certifying Official (SCO)

A designated APSU staff member responsible for certifying VA enrollment to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. SCOs verify that students are enrolled in courses that apply toward their approved program of study, then submit enrollment certifications to the VA. APSU's SCOs are listed on the Contact page.

Training Time

A student's enrollment level, which determines the rate at which VA benefits are paid. For most chapters, training time corresponds to credit hours (full-time, three-quarter time, half-time, etc.). For the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33), training time is expressed as a rate of pursuit (percentage), where 100% corresponds to full-time enrollment.

Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE)

A document prepared by the APSU Office of the Registrar indicating which credits from previous institutions have been transferred to and accepted by APSU.

Transient Enrollment

Enrollment at a secondary school (another college or university) while maintaining primary enrollment at APSU. The primary institution must validate the courses being taken at the secondary school before VA education benefits can be paid for that enrollment. See Guest & Secondary-School Students.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

The federal agency responsible for processing and paying VA education benefits in accordance with Title 38 of the U.S. Code. The staff at the APSU Veterans Education Benefits office are not affiliated with or employed by the VA — they are APSU employees who facilitate the certification process on behalf of students.