GI Bill® Education Benefits

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. Government website.

Apply online for education benefits

If this is your first time using your education benefits, you will need to apply on the VA website.

  1. Select Education & Training
  2. For Students
  3. Get Started
  4. Apply for Benefits
  5. Apply Online
  6. Go to How do I apply?
  7. Follow remaining procedures

How is my monthly benefit determined?

When your file with the LLCC Veterans Affairs office is complete, LLCC will certify your enrollment each semester by informing the VA of:

  • The number of credit hours you are enrolled in for the semester
  • The start and end date of each course

The VA will then determine how much you are eligible to receive each month based on this information. Our office also informs the VA if you withdraw from a course.

The LLCC Veterans Affairs Office does not determine how much you receive or when you will receive your benefits.

What if I have questions regarding the amount or balance of my benefits?

If you have questions regarding the amount of your entitlement, how many months you have left, or other inquiries, please call the Regional Department of Veterans Affairs in St. Louis at 1-888-442-4551 or visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website.

When and how will I receive my benefits?

Once the LLCC Veterans Affairs Office certifies your enrollment to the VA, it may take six to nine weeks before you will begin to receive your benefits. It is imperative that you complete your LLCC file before the first semester of attendance and finalize your registration in order to prevent delay of your benefits.

If you are using Chapter 30 or Chapter 1606, you must certify that you are attending your classes by following these steps or calling the VA Regional Office in St. Louis at 1-877-823-2378:

  1. Go to the VA website.
  2. Click on the link on the bottom right hand side titled Verify School Attendance
  3. For first-time users, your password is the last six numbers of your social security number. Fill out your first and last name with your file number (your full SSN).
  4. You will have to change your password once you are logged in.
  5. Once you are logged in, click on all of the options to familiarize yourself with the site.
  6. Remember to certify yourself on the last day of the month, every month.

Note: Not certifying your attendance will delay your benefits. You will not be able to certify your attendance until the Regional Department of Veterans Affairs in St. Louis processes the enrollment information that LLCC has sent them. This may take awhile as the St. Louis office processes benefits for 18 states and is frequently backlogged. You should keep trying every few days to see if your information is available to self-certify. You may begin certifying your attendance on the last day of the month.

Once all the above steps have been completed, the VA will direct deposit your monthly benefits into your account or send you a check.