Using Survivor and Dependent Benefits (Ch. 35)

1. Check WEAMS to confirm your program is approved.

If your program is not approved, the VA will not pay for your courses.

2. Request a new/updated Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA.

Call the GI Bill® Hotline (888-442-4551) or visit VA.gov to receive a copy (~30 days by mail)
Sponsors needing to transfer Post 9/11 GI Bill® to dependent(s) can do so by contacting VA or via milConnect.

3. Submit your official COE or Statement of Benefits screenshot, with your GWID, to [email protected].

Your proof of eligibility must be dated within the last calendar year. Please attach as a PDF or JPG.

4. Request certification no more than 60 days prior to the start of each University semester via GWeb.

In GWeb, under the Student section, select Access Veteran Certification.
Requesting certification after the first Friday of the University semester may result in late fees, interest, and/or financial holds applied to your GW account.
Adding/dropping credits? You must notify our office within 30 days of the change so we can amend your certification to the VA.

NOTE: Withdrawing (W) after the drop period may affect your benefit and/or result in a debt for you to GW. Please contact our office if you are considering a withdrawal

Survivor and Dependent Benefits Information

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35)

Eligibility: Chapter 35 benefits are available to the children (between ages 18 and 26) and spouses of:

Veterans who died or are permanently and totally disabled as a result of a service-connected disability.
Veterans who died from any cause while they were permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability.
Service members who are missing in action or captured in line of duty by a hostile force.
Service members forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power.

Benefits: Pays a monthly educational assistance allowance directly to the student.

Payment Structure: Payments are made directly to the student, who is then responsible for paying tuition and other expenses.

Duration of Benefits: Eligible recipients generally receive up to 45 months of entitlement under Chapter 35. This entitlement ends upon the first of these events: exhausting the months of entitlement, reaching the age limit, or in the case of a spouse, remarriage before age 57.

Fry Scholarship

Eligibility: The Fry Scholarship provides education benefits to the children and spouses of servicemembers who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001. It is named after Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry, who died in Iraq in 2006.

Benefits: Covers up to $28,937.09 of tuition and fees for private or foreign schools but Fry students are eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program to help pay for extra cost of tuition. It also provides a monthly housing allowance (based on the school's location) and an annual stipend for books and supplies.

Payment Structure: Tuition and fees are paid directly to the school, while the housing allowance and book stipend are paid to the student.

Duration of Benefits: Eligible recipients have 36 months of entitlement under the Fry Scholarship.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Click here for more information about VA education benefits.