seam.jhu.edu

Veterans Affairs

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS USING POST 9/11 GI BILL® BENEFITS Students using Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits will be required to verify their enrollment at the end of each month. Failure to verify for two consecutive months will interrupt the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). A simple and convenient verification option is to sign up for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) text message verification. Students with a US mobile phone number on file with the VA will receive an opt-in text as their next enrollment period approaches. Students who do not have a US mobile phone number on file with VA will not be able to use text verification and instead be automatically enrolled into email verification system. Another option for students who do not opt-in for text is to call the VA Education Call Center at 888-442-4551 to verify their enrollment status.

On behalf of the University, we take this opportunity to thank you for your service to our country and for choosing Johns Hopkins University to fulfill your educational goals. We sincerely hope that your experience with our institution is a rewarding one.

Johns Hopkins is approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission for the training of veterans, service members, eligible spouses, and dependents under the provisions of the various federal laws pertaining to Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits. For more information, visit the VA education and training benefits webpage or call 1-888-442-4551.

If you need assistance utilizing VA benefits at Johns Hopkins University, you can request support through SEAM’s online form.

How to use VA benefits at JHU

To utilize veterans’ educational benefits at JHU, students must comply with the following procedures:

Apply for VA benefits

After acceptance to JHU, you can apply for VA benefits.
Eligible dependents of veterans should refer to the VA website to obtain the correct application form, depending on the service member’s dates of service and chosen benefit.
If you have used VA education benefits previously at another university, you must complete the VA 22-1995 Form (Change of Program or Place of Training).
Once submitted, the VA typically takes about 30 days to review applications. If approved, the VA will send you a Certificate of Eligibility (COE).*
Once you receive your COE, submit a copy of it via SEAM’s online form.

*Students may enroll in courses while waiting for their COE.

GI Bill Payments

The payment amount from the VA to JHU is governed by the student’s eligibility as established by the VA.

The 2023-2024 annual tuition cap set by the VA for private schools is $27,120.05.

Students are responsible for tracking their remaining eligibility, both annual and lifetime. Any balance not paid by the VA is solely the responsibility of the student.

Request VA certification

Students are required to submit a Third Party Payer (TPP) request for every term of enrollment they wish to be certified to the VA. Failure to submit a request will result in the presumption that benefits are not being sought for that term.

To submit a VA certification request, follow the instructions below.

Log in to SIS Self-Service.
On the left pane, click the “Billing” tab.
Select “Third Party Payers.”
Click “Add New.”
Select the semester/term you are requesting to be certified from the drop-down menu.
Select the payer from the drop-down menu by typing “VA Chapter” in the search box, and then select the chapter you are using. For example, if you are using the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you would select “VA Chapter 33-Post 9/11 GI Bill.”
Follow the remaining instructions to sign and submit your agreement.

For more information, request support through SEAM’s online form.

Note: Students utilizing VA education benefits must let their School Certifying Official know immediately of any change in their status or program that might affect the amount of their payment from the VA.

Notify school certifying official

Students utilizing VA education benefits must let their School Certifying Official (SCO) know immediately of any change in their status or program that might affect the amount of their payment from the VA.

The School Certifying Official is responsible for processing certification of enrollment for all students receiving veteran educational benefits; updating and reporting accurate enrollment to the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA); and maintaining federal compliance. Students should understand that an SCO cannot determine eligibility for benefits; this is the sole responsibility of the VA. Johns Hopkins University School Certifying Officials are committed to assisting you on your educational journey.

You can contact your SCO through SEAM’s online form or by calling 410-516-6635.

More information about VA benefits at JHU

Military scholarships

Many organizations offer scholarships to help cover education costs for veterans. View a list of external scholarships.

Yellow ribbon program

Johns Hopkins University is a proud participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which allows institutions of higher learning to voluntarily enter into an agreement with the VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed the amount payable to private institutions in an academic year. Yellow Ribbon awards are applied on a first-come, first-serve basis. The rates and maximums for the Yellow Ribbon Program can change from year-to-year. For more information, visit JHU’s Yellow Ribbon Program page.

Military tuition assistance

Military tuition assistance (TA) is a distinct source of financial aid for eligible service members and mandated to be the first payer of their college tuition. For more information, visit JHU’s Military tuition assistance page.

Title IV/federal financial aid

Students who complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may be eligible to receive federal financial aid, including grants, student loans, and/or work study opportunities. While students may borrow from any lender they chose, federal student loans often have lower interest rates and better repayment terms than non-federal or alternative loans. For more specific information, please navigate to your division’s financial aid website using the links provided below.

Undergraduate aid:

Graduate aid:

For more information about financial aid, visit SEAM’s online form.

Benefit eligibility

If you served on Active Duty, you might be eligible for education benefits offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. For example, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides financial support for educational and housing expenses to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service after September 10, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.

If you are the spouse or child of a service member, you may be eligible for transfer of the service member’s Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits to you.

If you are currently serving in the military, you may be eligible for funding offered through the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance program as well as the GI Bill®. Check your eligibility status and the amount for which you qualify with your Service prior to enrolling.

If you are the spouse or child of a service member who is serving on active duty Title 10 orders in the pay grades of E1-E5, O1-O2, or W1-W2, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the Department of Defense for education or training.

Unearned Tuition Assistance Refund Policy

For Military TA recipients: Upon withdrawal from a term, students utilizing military TA will have their funds returned to the US government according to the return policy for Title IV federal aid. To comply with the Department of Defense policy, the University will return any unearned TA funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending. Additional information can be found within the JHU Policy on Return of Title IV Funds.

Refund Schedule

Prior to start of semester – end of week 2: 100% refund
Week 3: 90% refund
Week 4: 80% refund
Week 5: 70% refund
Week 6: 60% refund
Week 7: 50% refund
Week 8: 40% refund
Week 9 (60% course completed): 30% refund
Week 10 – end of semester: No refund

GUIDELINES: If a student leaves the institution prior to completing 60% of a payment period or term, the Financial Aid Office recalculates eligibility for Title IV funds. Recalculation is based on the percentage of earned aid using the following formula:

Percentage of payment period or term completed = the number of days completed up to the withdrawal date divided by the total days in the payment period or term. Funds are returned to the appropriate federal program based on the percentage of unearned aid using the following formula: Aid to be returned = (100% of the aid that could be disbursed minus the percentage of earned aid) multiplied by the total amount of aid that could have been disbursed during the payment period or term.