The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic will not stop veterans from enjoying their GI Bill benefits due to a new bill that was signed into law over the weekend, the Department of Veterans Affairs said in a statement.
President Trump signed S. 3503 into law on March 21. Essentially, the law enables the VA to continue providing the same level of education benefits to students who now have to take courses online because of COVID-19.
“The law gives VA temporary authority to continue GI Bill payments uninterrupted in the event of national emergencies, allowing for continued payment of benefits even if the program has changed from resident training to online training,” the statement adds. “Thanks to the law, GI Bill students will continue receiving the same monthly housing allowance payments they received for resident training until Dec. 21, or until the school resumes in-person classes.”
Thousands of students around the country have been forced to take their classes via distance learning due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
If you are a student who is receiving GI Bill benefits, you do not need to take any action, the VA says.
“VA will work closely with schools to ensure enrollments are accurately certified and processed timely,” the statement notes. “Updates will be provided to students via direct email campaigns and social media regarding VA’s effort to implement these new changes.”
If you have any specific questions, you can call the Education Call Center at 888-442-4551.
