2023-2024 Catalog

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Veterans Benefits

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Arkansas National Guard Soldiers & Airmen Waiver. The Arkansas National Guard Soldiers & Airmen waiver will cover 100% of tuition costs. This waiver is for active duty National Guard soldiers and airmen who complete a National Guard Soldiers & Airmen waiver form each semester for which the waiver is to be received; provide a Memorandum for Record from Battalion as proof of active service and good-standing each semester for which the waiver is to be received; and maintain good academic standing according to SAU Tech’s Academic Probation & Suspension Policy. Students must be considered as complete in Admissions. Students will be responsible for any fees. Waivers may be obtained in SAU Tech’s Financial Aid Office or online at http://www.sautech.edu/studentResources/veterans.aspx.

Federal Tuition Assistance. Qualifying soldiers must apply online at www.virtualarmory.com by July 31st for fall term and by December 31st for spring term. Print the completed application form and submit to the Financial Aid Office. The military typically pays 75% of tuition and fees through this program. SAU Tech waives the other 25% of tuition upon submission of the completed application form.

GI Bill®. Veterans Benefits are awarded to veterans and their dependents that qualify under Chapters 30, 32, 33, 1607, and 35 of Title 38 USC and Chapter 1606 of Title 10. For information and application forms, contact the Financial Aid Office, call the Department of Veterans Affairs at 1.888.442.4551, or visit their website at www.gibill.va.gov. You must submit your class schedule each semester to the Certifying Official in the Financial Aid Office. You must notify the Certifying Official any time changes are made to your schedule or your selected major. Payments that are made directly from the Veterans Affairs Office to the qualifying student are not posted to your student account at SAU Tech.

Military Activation Waiver. A student who ceases attendance at SAU Tech without completing and receiving a grade in one or more courses shall receive compensation for the resulting monetary loss if the student ceases attendance because the student is activated/deployed by the military or the student’s spouse is activated/deployed by the military and the student or the student’s spouse has dependent children residing in the household. The student or student’s spouse will be required to complete a Military Activation Waiver form and turn in specified documentation. Additional information is available in the office of SAU Tech’s Vice Chancellor for Academics.

Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation. Any veteran with a compensable disability rating of 10% or more is invited to file an application for Vocational Rehabilitation by completing VA Form 28-1900 and submitting it to the Department of Veterans Affairs in North Little Rock. Once the application is filed, an appointment will be scheduled for you to discuss your educational plans, test your aptitude, interests and abilities as well as review the nature of your disability and how it affects your ability to gain employment. A decision of your entitlement to the benefit will be rendered after the counseling appointment. If the veteran is eligible, the program makes direct payment to the school for tuition, fees, and books.

Veterans Educational Assistance. The following individuals shall be charged in-state/in district rate, or otherwise considered a resident, for tuition purposes:

  1. A veteran using educational assistance under either chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill®-Active Duty Program) or chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill®) of title 38, United States Code, who lives in the state of Arkansas while attending a school located in the State of Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge from a period of active duty service.
  2. Anyone using transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits (38 U.S.C. & 3319) who lives in the State of Arkansas while attending a school located in the State of Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor’s discharge from a period of active duty service.
  3. A spouse or child using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. & 3311 (b) (9) who lives in the State of Arkansas while attending a school located in the State of Arkansas (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the Service members death in the line of duty following a period of active duty service.
  4. Anyone described above while he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school. The person so described must be using educational benefits under either chapter 30 or chapter 33, of title 38, United States Code.

Title 38 US Code 3679(c). In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679(c), Southern Arkansas University Tech (SAU Tech) will not impose any penalty, including but not limited to, the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, institutional facilities/resources, or require students to borrow additional funds for which interest or other charges are assessed, on any covered individual that is unable to meet his or her financial obligations because of a delayed disbursement of funds from the Veterans Administration (VA) for tuition payment under chapter 31 or 33. Effective July 1, 2019.

A covered individual is any individual entitled to educational assistance for tuition payment under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or chapter 33, Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits who has submitted to Southern Arkansas University Tech:

  1. A certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance no later than the first day of a course of education (a “certificate of eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the VA website –eBenefits, or VAF 28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes), and
  2. SAU Tech’s Request for certification of Veteran Benefits to declare the individual’s intent to use the benefits for the given semester, and
  3. Payment for the remaining tuition and fee charges not covered by the anticipated VA tuition payment.

Students who need assistance with anything concerning their VA educational benefits should contact SAU Tech’s VA School Certifying Official, Shannon Green at 870-574-4669 or sgreen@sautech.edu.