When students dial the number to check the status of their Post-9/11 GI Bill claims, they are greeted by an automated message urging them to be patient — not all of the requests have been processed yet. But with registration for the spring semester approaching, some students don’t have time to be patient.
Because an unprecedented number of veterans applied for benefits under the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, more than 10,000 students from around the country are still waiting to receive their money from the government.
The new bill, which was implemented this August, offers tuition and housing reimbursement to veterans who served in any branch of the military for at least 90 days after Sept. 11, 2001. The number of benefits depends on where a veteran goes to school and the type of degree he or she pursues.
Department of Veteran Affairs spokeswoman Jo Schuda said the department anticipated a backlog of claims because the program is new and the benefits can be used any time in the next 15 years. Students who weren’t planning on enrolling in college this fall still applied as early as possible, which further backed up the system.
“This new program has a lot more required data than the existing GI Bill,” Schuda said. “It requires a more complex IT system that we are in the process of installing.”
In addition to the hold-up caused by the number of people who applied, the department could not start processing requests until states set tuition rates for individual universities, Schuda said.
Almost 300 UT students requested Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for the fall semester. Assistant registrar Vasanth Srinivasa said there are still some students who haven’t received their money, but she wasn’t aware of anyone who had to drop out because of it.
The VA offers emergency $3,000 loans to anyone who is still waiting on benefits when tuition payments are due.
Srinivasa said the University has tried to spread information about how obtain the emergency money and encourages anyone still waiting for money to contact the VA immediately.
“If they are having more problems, we can contact the VA directly,” Srinivasa said. “We’re trying to do anything we can to help these students out.”
Journalism and English senior Brandy Brown, the president of the Veteran’s Student Association, received her money from the VA several weeks ago. She had enough financial aid to cover her tuition and housing until the money came through.
“I was one of the lucky ones,” Brown said.
Brown said she was frustrated with the University for not setting up a tuition deferment plan for students who are still waiting on money this late in the semester.
“I expected to see hold ups with the VA because it’s a new program and we’re dealing with the government,” Brown said. “But UT has absolutely not made exceptions for students who are still waiting.”
Emily Minter, a sociology and premed junior, served for four years in Korea, Fort Hood and Iraq. She did not get her money from VA in time to pay for this semester’s tuition and had to apply for one of the emergency checks. The $3,000 and the salary from her job was not enough to cover all her expenses, and she had to take out an emergency tuition loan.
“Now, my emergency loan is overdue because I don’t even have enough money to pay it back,” Minter said. “I’m not going to be able to register for classes next semester if I don’t get this straightened out.”
Minter said most student veterans only have time to work and study, and dealing with the VA should not be necessary this late in the semester.
“[The department] needs to fix it for next semester.” Minter said. “We can’t really get any answers out of them, and we don’t know what’s actually taking so long. It’s been ridiculous, and it’s frustrating because I can’t do anything.”
