Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Besides enrollment certification for VA education benefits, what does the VETS office do for students?

A: The VETS office hosts outdoor adventures for our students, such as hiking, kayaking, fishing, and more. VETS students get free rentals at Cal Poly Humboldt Center Activities and the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center. We have computers for students to use for assignments, free printing, a lounge area for hanging out, snacks, and an all-around great space to build camaraderie with fellow military-connected students. If you are interested in getting involved with VETS and helping drive the direction the program goes for our students, please talk to us about VA Work Study!

 

Q: I have not received my monthly payment from the VA yet, what do I do?

A: If this is your first time using VA education benefits, the VBA processors have to run your certification manually, which takes more time. New student certifications can take up to a month until fully processed by VA and ready to release payments. If you are a continuing or returning student, your enrollment certifications occur mostly automatically once sent to VA and are fully processed and ready to release payments by VA in roughly a week. Please allow the VA at least two weeks to fully process your certification before contacting the Cal Poly Veterans office about late VA payments.

 

Q: What documents do I need to submit to the Cal Poly Humboldt VETS office?

A: Certification request forms (done through your myHumboldt Student Center) are due each semester. We always recommend that you submit your enrollment certification as soon as you have registered for classes. If you add or drop classes, you need to submit a new certification request. Intake forms are due before the first semester you intend on collecting VA benefits at Cal Poly Humboldt. CalVet Fee Waiver students should apply for the new academic year waiver every summer after you finish spring courses.

 

Q: How do I use my VA education benefits?

A: Begin by applying for your benefit on the VA website. If you are approved by the VA and get a Certificate of Eligibility, you will submit that to us. Next, you have to fill out the Cal Poly Humboldt VETS Certification Request form. You will need to resubmit the Certification Request form each semester you intend on using benefits. More details can be found on our Getting Started page.

 

Q: How do I apply for the Cal Vet Fee Waiver?

A: To apply for the CalVet Fee Waiver, you must contact your local County Veterans Service Office and obtain an application from them. Once they process your application, they will send you an award letter. Forward this award letter to us at vets@humboldt.edu and we can get it processed to your account.

 

Q: Does the CalVet Fee Waiver cover the summer term?

The short answer is yes, sometimes. If you are taking summer classes that are billed as regular tuition (i.e. not as program fees through Extended Education) then you can use your fee waiver. However, you must reach out to us to let us know that you are taking summer courses and that you want to use your fee waiver. Hit us up at vets@humboldt.edu.

  

Q: Do you have VA work study?

A: We do! If you are using VA education benefits and attending classes at the ¾ time rate or higher, you can apply to be part of the VETS staff. The Cal Poly Humboldt VETS program is a student-driven program and if you’d like to be a part of that then we definitely want to talk to you!

 

Q: What happens if I’m called away to military service while attending Cal Poly Humboldt?

A: Please visit our webpage dedicated to this topic and reach out to us as soon as possible.

 

Q: How do I know how many months of entitlement I have left?

A: The easiest way to find out how many months of entitlement you have remaining is to call the VA educational benefits hotline at 1-888-442-4551. Students using the Post-9/11 GI Bill® are also able to check online using the VA website.

 

Q: When is the enrollment deadline for the Fall semester?

A: The enrollment deadline for veterans is August 1st for every year.