Request for Certification (RFC)
Complete this form each semester/term.
Please submit a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility to veterans@american.edu Once received, you will be granted access to the Request for Certification Page
VA Benefits Application Form (COE)
This initializes your benefits and must only be completed once
After completing this form, the VA will mail you a Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Yellow Ribbon Program (YRP)
The Yellow Ribbon application must be completed once unless you change programs and must be completed within the year you are applying for benefits.
Please complete every semester/term
This form may be completed retroactively (late), however completing a retroactive (late) request for certification does not guarantee funds will cover excessive cost of attendance if a student complete multiple subsequent enrollments and exceeds benefit caps (see Yellow Ribbon tab). Completing a retroactive (late) request for certification will cause a delay in submitting your enrollment to the VA and may result in unexpected expenses to the student as well as delays in housing allowance/BAH and books & supplies stipend.
Non-credit programs are not eligible for VA Benefits.
What is Chapter 33? Post 9/11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon
Newly admitted AU students who meet the basic eligibility requirements should apply (between August 1st - July 31st) Current Yellow Ribbon Program recipients need not reapply UNLESS you're changing your degree program (BA/BS to MA/MS, etc) and you must apply between August 1st - July 31st)
How to understand the GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon: GI Bill® Cap (green box below) + YR VA + YR AU = total funding GI Bill® cap must first be exhausted before Yellow Ribbon funds can be dispersed Full time undergraduates exhaust their GI Bill® cap in the Fall, then exhaust Yellow Ribbon in the Spring. This maxes undergraduate funding for the academic year until caps reset on August 1. Undergraduates who enroll in a full-time status during Fall and Spring exhaust their funding for the academic year and it is not recommended to enroll in the Summer.
No tuition funds can be dispersed to undergraduates who enroll in the Summer after enrolling full time during Fall and Spring. Prior to enrolling, undergraduates considering to enroll in the Summer should contact the Veterans Office at least a week prior to the add/drop deadline.
Undergraduates who exceed the caps and/or flat rate on tuition (12-17.5 CH) are responsible for the excess costs Graduate students and Law students vary in their use of funds. Students who exceed both the GI Bill® cap and the Yellow Ribbon cap within an academic year are responsible for the excess costs. Any funds not used in GI Bill® Cap or Yellow Ribbon do NOT roll over (use it or lose it)
When eligibility ratings change that result in an increase to where the student becomes potentially eligible to receive Yellow Ribbon (ex: 80% to 100%), the date the applicant became eligible is considered the effective date of eligibility to be awarded Yellow Ribbon. AU will only award and disperse Yellow Ribbon funds from that date forward. Retroactive Yellow Ribbon funds cannot be dispersed to previous semesters.
I understand that I must exhaust my full annual-benefit cap at American University (AU) before I am eligible to receive Yellow Ribbon. If I am transferring from another private university to AU during the same funding year and have used part of my cap, I will NOT be eligible to receive AU Yellow Ribbon during that year.
Am I eligible?: 2 Examples Example 1) I attend private University X during FALL 18 and transferred to AU during Spring 19. -In this case, you would NOT be eligible for Yellow Ribbon until Aug 1 of 2019 Example 2) I attended private University X during SPRING 19 and transferred to AU in Summer 19 where I enrolled in courses. In this case, you would NOT be eligible for Yellow Ribbon until Aug 1 of 2019.
This policy is not applicable to students transferring from state schools within the same academic year.
Post 9/11 GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon 2018 - 2019 Academic Year
American University
General Institutional Policies on Yellow Ribbon
American University is a proud participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program (YRP) and committed to serving military Veterans and their families who are utilizing VA Educational Benefits such as the Post 9/11 GI Bill® to help finance their education at AU.
Under this commitment AU will:
Enable an unlimited number of YRP-qualified undergraduate students (for certain programs; others are limited) and an unlimited number of YRP-qualified graduate students to receive benefits for the respective academic academic year. This is expected to cover all YRP-qualified individuals enrolled as degree-seeking students.
Under this commitment, YRP applicant’s participants should note the following:
Neither non-degree students nor visiting undergraduate students from other institutions are eligible, under University policy, to participate in AU’s Yellow Ribbon Program
AU cannot certify YRP benefits retroactively. AU will not certify any student for past semester in which a student may have been eligible for YRP benefits but did not properly apply for YRP within the prescribed deadline of Aug 1 – July 31
Failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will result in the students’ removal from the Yellow Ribbon Program participation list
Under AU Policy, a student must exhaust the full annual benefit cap at American University (AU) before being designated as eligible to receive Yellow Ribbon. Students transferring from another private university to AU during the same funding year (Aug 1 – July 31) who use part of the cap at another private University, will NOT be eligible to receive AU Yellow Ribbon during that year.
AU reserves the right to revise certifications and/or awards in the event of miscalculation or clerical error(s)