Student Veteran Education Benefits
Program Information
Using Veterans' Benefits at Naropa
Naropa University is approved by the Colorado Office of Veterans Education and Training (COVET) for Veterans Education Benefits. Students can use their VA education benefits for approved degree programs.
Individuals with questions about their eligibility for VA benefits in general, please review the VA website or contact your local Veterans’ Administration branch.
Students eligible for any form of VA Education Benefits should notify the School Certifying Official team at vabenefits@naropa.edu to ensure timely certification of benefits.
VA Education Benefit Information
Yellow Ribbon
What is Yellow Ribbon?
Yellow Ribbon is an agreement between the Department of Veteran Affairs and the school, which helps cover required out of pocket tuition and fee costs that exceed the annual Chapter 33 cap.Is Naropa eligible?
Yes, Naropa participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. Naropa University’s agreement allows for a matching grant up to $10,000 for 100 eligible students in a given year (50 graduate/50 undergraduate).What students are eligible?
Students who are eligible for Chapter 33 benefits (Post 9/11 G.I. Bill®) at the 100% rate. This means you already served on active duty for at least 36 months or if you’re a spouse using the transferred benefits of an active-duty service member who meets these qualifications. GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).Students Using Chapter 30 benefits:
The Chapter 30-Active Duty GI Bill® provides up to 36 months of education benefits to eligible veterans. Eligibility of benefits last 10 years from the date you were discharged from service. You must have received an honorable discharge. Monthly benefits are paid directly to the veteran.
- This benefit pays the student directly. This means that the student is responsible for paying their balance at Naropa. Payment Plans are available.
Students Using Chapter 31 benefits:
The Veterans Readiness & Employment Program is available to veterans who have been determined eligible by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to have a service connected disability. Chapter 31 will make payment to the campus for tuition and fees, books and supplies, and a monthly basic allowance for housing.
- Chapter 31 will make payment to the campus for tuition and fees. These funds do not enter the school until after the add/drop period for each semester. This may cause a delay in refunds from other aid, as your financial aid cannot be disbursed until tuition and fees are paid.
- Chapter 31 will make payments to the student for books and supplies, and a monthly basic allowance for housing. Housing Allowances are determined by the VA.
Students Using Chapter 33 benefits:
Individuals who served a minimum of 90 days on active duty after September 10, 2001, are eligible for educational assistance under the Post 9/11 GI Bill®.
Transfer of Benefits-
The post-9/11 GI Bill® allows service members (officer or enlisted, active duty or selected reserve), on or after August 1, 2009, to transfer unused education benefits to immediate family members (spouse and children). The service member must have at least six years of service, and commit to an additional four years of service in order to transfer benefits to a spouse or child. Because of the potential impact of this benefit on military recruiting and retention, transferability policy is determined by the Department of Defense (DOD) and the military services.
- Chapter 33 will pay applicable tuition and fee charges to the school. These funds do not enter the school until after the add/drop period for each semester. This may cause a delay in refunds from other aid, as your financial aid cannot be disbursed until tuition and fees are paid.
- A book stipend and a monthly basic allowance for housing based on E-5 with dependent criteria is paid to the student.
- The amount of funds released for each category is dependent on the veteran’s level of entitlement for Chapter 33.
Students Using Chapter 35 benefits:
Chapter 35 provides educational benefits for eligible dependents of veterans who died or was permanently and totally disabled as a result of a service-connected disability. NEW: Per section 202 of the Colmery Act, eligible dependents using this benefit on or after August 1, 2018 will now only have 36 months of entitlement. The monthly benefit is paid directly to the dependent.
- Student’s will need to provide the SSN for the Veteran as part of documentation for certification.
- This benefit pays the student directly. This means that the student is responsible for paying their balance at Naropa. Payment Plans are available.
Students Using Chapter 1606 benefits:
Chapter 1606 is a benefit service members of the Selected Reserve can apply for that provides a monthly basic allowance for housing and 36 months of entitlement. Selected Reserve service branches include Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard.
- This benefit pays the student directly. This means that the student is responsible for paying their balance at Naropa. Payment Plans are available.
- Payment Plans
- Payment Options
- Billing & Payment
VA Education Benefit Checklist
STEP 1 – APPLY FOR BENEFITS or UPDATE PROGRAM/PLACE OF TRAINING
- Apply Online.
- Call/By Mail:
- 888-442-4551, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET, to request that we send the application to you. Fill it out and mail it to the VA regional claims processing office.
- In person:
- Go to a VA regional office and have a VA employee help you.
STEP 2 - SEND REQUIRED PAPERWORK TO NAROPA
- ALL Previous Education Transcripts –
- The VA requires all education transcripts to be reviewed, even if VA benefits were not being used at the time and/or you feel that the courses would not be relevant.
- Joint Service Transcripts (JST) –
- This is only a requirement for Veterans, not for Chapter 35 recipients or individuals using Transfer of Entitlement (ToE).
- Joint Service Transcripts can be requested for all military branches except Air Force.
- Air Force personnel should contact CCAF to receive transcripts.
- This is only a requirement for Veterans, not for Chapter 35 recipients or individuals using Transfer of Entitlement (ToE).
- Naropa VA Student MOU
- Students must read and complete the Naropa student MOU and upload it to the VA Document Portal. This document outlines rights and responsibilities for students using VA benefits.
STEP 3 - REGISTRATION
- Meet with your academic advisor –
- It is essential to meet with your advisor before registration each semester to review degree progress and build your course schedule.
- Register for courses –
- VA education benefits will only cover courses that are required for degree completion. If you plan to take a course that is not required for your degree, you MUST notify the SCO and you may be responsible for paying for the course out of pocket.
- Chapters 30, 35, and 1606 – Students using these benefits are responsible for setting up a payment plan or paying for their tuition and fees, as their VA benefits do not pay the school. They are sent directly to the student.
- VA education benefits will only cover courses that are required for degree completion. If you plan to take a course that is not required for your degree, you MUST notify the SCO and you may be responsible for paying for the course out of pocket.
- Complete the Veteran’s Benefits Certification Request Form– Your enrollment will not be submitted to the VA until this step has been completed.
- This must be completed each semester.
- 2025/2026 Veteran’s Benefits Certification Request Form
- Report any changes to the SCO immediately –
- If your course schedule or enrollment level changes, you are required to notify the SCO immediately (within 72 hours).
- Email us at VAbenefits@naropa.edu.
***Please note:
- 9 credit hours is considered fulltime for Naropa Graduate Students.
- Zero credit hour courses are not able to be certified with the VA if they do not have any tuition and fees charges.
STEP 4 - SUBMITTING ENROLLMENT (Certification)
- Enrollment Reported –
- The SCO will certify your courses with the VA once all required information is received.
- Secondary Certification–
- The SCO will perform a secondary certification once the add/drop period has ended, to request tuition and fees. Please keep in mind that it normally takes anywhere from 4-8 weeks for the VA to fully process and make payment after the enrollment has been sent.
- Any changes to your schedule/enrollment level after the beginning of the term may create a debt to the VA. If a tuition and fee debt is created, Naropa will initially return the fund to the VA, but you will be responsible for any balance this creates on your student account.
Allowing Veterans to Attend or Participate in Courses Pending VA Payment
Section 103 of Public Law (PL) 115-407, ‘Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018,’ amends Title 38 US Code 3679 by adding a new subsection (e) that requires disapproval of courses of education, beginning August 1, 2019, at any educational institution that does not have a policy in place that will allow an individual to attend or participate in a course of education, pending VA payment, providing the individual submits a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33.
Naropa University adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from VA. Naropa University will not:
- Prevent the student’s enrollment, or disenroll a student;
- Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
- Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
- Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.
However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:
- Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class;
- Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies.
If VA funds will not fully cover the balance due, the student is responsible for prompt payment resolution at that time this becomes known. The Student Financial Services department can assist the student with applying for other forms of financial aid and/or setting up a payment plan to resolve the balance.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Learn More About Costs & Aid
Connect
with Student Financial Services
- (303) 546-3509 (Financial Aid)
- (303) 546-3554 (Tuition)
- finaid@naropa.edu
- tuition@naropa.edu
- vabenefits@naropa.edu
- Schedule Appointment
Connect
with Student Financial Services
- (303) 546-3509 (Financial Aid)
- (303) 546-3554 (Tuition)
- finaid@naropa.edu
- tuition@naropa.edu
- vabenefits@naropa.edu
- Schedule Appointment
