To receive federal monthly benefits, students must complete either the Application for Benefits, if they have never received benefits, or the Change of Program or Place of Training, if benefits were previously received at another school or level of training.
All students are required to submit the NIU Enrollment Certification Request for each semester of enrollment to the Veterans Assistance Office upon registration, indicating class schedule and the address to which the VA will send all benefit information.
Chapter 30
Montgomery G.I. Bill (Active Duty) - available to veterans who entered military service on or after July 1, 1985.
Chapter 31
Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation - available to veterans who have been determined eligible by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Besides the monthly stipend, these students have their tuition, fees, books and supplies covered.
Chapter 32
Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) - available to veterans who entered active duty on or after January 1, 1977 and before July 1, 1985, and who contributed to the VEAP program while in the military.
Chapter 35
Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program - available to children and spouses of veterans who died or are permanently and totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability and to the children and spouses of veterans who have been listed as a POW or MIA for a period of 90 days.
Chapter 1606
Montgomery G.I. Bill (Selected Reserve) - available to students who are members of the National Guard or Selected Reserve. Those students who are members of the National Guard are not considered veterans for determining independent status for financial aid application purposes unless their DD214 reflects active duty for purposes other than training.
Chapter 1607
Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) - available to students who, as members of the National Guard or Selected Reserve, were called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency as declared by the President of Congress, and were activated for a minimum of 90 days after September 11, 2001.