FAQs | Office of Veteran and Military Programs and Services

Who do I see on my campus about resources for student veterans?

Rutgers University is committed to assisting students who have served in the United States Armed Forces and their families. Each campus has a dedicated staff.

Rutgers University to include Rutgers - New Brunswick
Veteran House
Office of Veterans Services
14 Lafayette Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 848.932.VETS (8387)
Fax: 732.932.1535
https://veterans.rutgers.edu/contact-us

Rutgers – Camden
Veterans Services
Campus Center
326 Penn Street
Room 301
Camden, NJ 08102
(856)225-2791
frdavis@camden.rutgers.edu
http://veterans.camden.rutgers.edu
Rutgers – Newark
Veteran Services
Paul Lazaro Assistant Director
Robeson Campus Center, Suite 352
350 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: 973.353.5515
E-mail: lazaro.paul@rutgers.edu
http://www.newark.rutgers.edu/resources-student-veterans

Is there a separate application process for students who have served in the United States Armed Forces?

Applications for all students are submitted online through the Rutgers online admissions website here: http://admissions.rutgers.edu/ApplyNow/ApplicationsAndTheBasics.aspx
There will be three questions where veteran and military students will identify themselves as having served in the armed forces, please answer these questions. Be sure you submit all the required materials detailed on the admissions page to ensure your application package is complete.

How do I know if I am eligible for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance?

Only the Department of Veteran Affairs can determine your eligibility for education benefits. You may be eligible for VA educational assistance if:
A) You are on, or were on active duty, and received any honorably characterized discharge;
B) You have a six-year obligation in the Selected Reserves or National Guard, and remain in good standing with your reserve unit; or
C) You are a spouse or child of a veteran who died or was totally disabled while in military service.

To find out more about eligibility requirements visit: http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/education_programs.asp

How do I apply for VA benefits?

You can start the process of using your VA benefits by creating an account and completing an online application through the Department of Veterans Affairs online application.

You will receive a document from the VA detailing your eligibility, we will need a copy of this to process your benefits here at Rutgers.

How do I start my VA educational assistance benefits at the college?

If you are eligible for VA education assistance and wish to utilize these benefits you will need to register for classes and provide the following documentation:

DD214 (member copy 4 or Service 2) or DD2384-1 Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) from your unit.
Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the Department of Veteran Affairs or National Guard Tuition Waiver Commanders Certificate for New Jersey National Guard Members. COEs will be mailed to you from the VA after your application has been processed and your educational benefits have been granted. You can obtain your Commanders Certification by contacting your chain of command to initiate the process (Guidelines can be viewed on the NJ Military Education site).

After you have collected these documents contact Veteran Services and the Certifying Official at your respective campus:

Rutgers - New Brunswick
Dennis Penny, VA Certifying Official
14 Lafayette Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 848.932.VETS (8387)
Fax: 732.932.1535
dennis.penny@rutgers.edu

Rutgers – Camden
Dora Perez, VA Certifying Official
Armittage Hall
311 North Fifth Street
Camden, NJ 08102-6053
(856) 225-6053
Fax (856) 225-6453
camreg@camden.rutgers.edu

Rutgers – Newark
Daniel Villanueva
Blumenthal Hall
249 University Ave
Newark, NJ 07081
(973) 353-5220
Fax (973) 353-1357
dannyv@rutgers.edu

Do I have to reapply for benefits if I am transferring into Rutgers?

No, you do not have to reapply. Once you have applied and have received benefits at another institution, you need only complete a form to change your place of training VA form 22-1995 on the VA website here:

https://www.vets.gov/education/apply/. You will still need to complete the steps above and provided the appropriate documentation to your campus.

After completing the VA form 22-1995, the VA will send you an updated “Certificate of Eligibility” in the mail.

What do I need to do every semester to utilize my GI Bill® benefits?

You must request certification for your education benefits after you have registered each semester. You can submit a request for Veteran Enrollment Certification at http://myvetcert.rutgers.edu/ using your RUID and password.

An enrollment certification will be submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs on your behalf for the number of credit hours you have registered for.

National Guard Tuition Waiver recipients can also submit their Commander's Cert at http://myvetcert.rutgers.edu/. Do so as soon as possible to avoid having your classes cancelled due to lack of payment.

NOTE: The VA will only pay benefits for classes required by your degree program. Meet with an academic advisor to ensure that your course meet your program requirements.

What happens if I drop a course during the semester?

If you drop a course and the adjustment changes your training time you must notify the certifying official immediately. A change in training time will affect your rate of payment, and failure to notify the certifying official in a timely manner could result in an over payment that you will be liable for.

What happens if I am activated during the semester?

Read up on Rutgers' policy at the link below regarding military leave and inform the registrar if you have been called to active duty. We will work to accommodate your schedule and stay in contact with you. The current policy can be found on the Rutgers policy website.

In addition to college work-study, are there any work-study programs designed to assist veterans?

If you're a full-time or 3/4-time student in a college degree, vocational, or professional program, you can “earn while you learn” with a VA work-study allowance.

The VA work-study allowance is available to persons training under the following programs:

Post-9/11 GI Bill®--(38 U.S.C. Chapter 33) (Veterans and transfer-of-entitlement recipients)
Montgomery GI Bill®--Active Duty (38 U.S.C. Chapter 30)
REAP Participants
Montgomery GI Bill®--Selected Reserve (10 U.S.C. Chapter 1606)
Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (38 U.S.C. Chapter 32)
Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (38 U.S.C. Chapter 35)
Eligible dependents under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 may use work study only while training in a State.
National Call to Service Participants
Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Program -- (38 U.S.C. Chapter 31)

To find out more about position openings and to apply contact:
Rutgers – New Brunswick
Kimberly Bruss, Programs Coordinator of Veteran & Military Programs & Services
14 Lafayette Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 848.932.VETS (8387)
Fax: 732.932.1535
kimberly.bruss@rutgers.edu

Rutgers – Camden
Fred Davis, Campus Director of Veteran Services
Campus Center
326 Penn Street
Room 301
Camden, NJ 08102
(856)225-2791
frdavis@camden.rutgers.edu
http://veterans.camden.rutgers.edu

Rutgers – Newark
Veteran Services
Paul Lazaro
Assistant Director
Robeson Campus Center, Suite 352
350 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: 973.353.5515
E-mail: lazaro.paul@rutgers.edu
http://www.newark.rutgers.edu/resources-student-veterans

Are any services available to veterans with disabilities?

Rutgers University is one of 94 universities participating in the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) VetSuccess program. A VetSuccess on Campus Counselor is located at Veterans House and is available to discuss questions regarding VA education benefits, health services, and general VA benefits. VetSuccess is designed to help an individual choose a vocational direction and determine the course of action needed to achieve the chosen goal.

Assistance may include interest and aptitude testing; occupational exploration; setting occupational goals; locating the right type of training program and exploring educational or training facilities which might be utilized to achieve an occupational goal.

In addition to VetSuccess, reasonable accommodations and support services are available to veterans with disabilities through the Office of Disability Services.

For more information on required documentation please visit https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/applying-for-services or contact:

Rutgers – New Brunswick
Kathy Loder-Murphy, Coordinator
Lucy Stone Hall, Suite A145
54 Joyce Kilmer Ave.
Piscataway, NJ 08854

Rutgers – Camden
Tim Pure
Coordinator of Disability Services, Rutgers-Camden
Rutgers-Camden Learning Center
Armitage Hall, Room 240
311 North Fifth Street
Camden, NJ 08102-1405
Phone: 856.225.6442
Fax: 856.225.6443
E-mail: tpure@camden.rutgers.edu

For additional contact information visit https://ods.rutgers.edu/contact-ods.

Does the GI Bill® cover the cost of Rutgers Health Insurance?

The Rutgers Health insurance plan is considered a mandatory fee so you can use your Post 9/11 GI Bill towards it. The percentage covered is related to your percentage of eligibility.

Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation will not cover the student health insurance plan. You can complete a health insurance waiver if you are using Chapter 31 (VA) or private health insurance by completing the electronic form here:
https://www.universityhealthplans.com/

What type of Housing am I eligible for at Rutgers?

Student veterans and military members are eligible to live in graduate student housing on the New Brunswick campus as per the Rutgers New Brunswick policy. If you are interested in living on campus on the New Brunswick campus please contact the Office of Veteran and Military Programs and Services.

Rutgers Camden and Newark have their own housing guidelines, you would need to speak to the campus coordinators about options.

Rutgers - New Brunswick
14 Lafayette Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: 848.932.VETS (8387)
Fax: 732.932.1535
bryanada@rutgers.edu

Rutgers – Camden
Fred Davis, Campus Director of Veteran Services
Campus Center
326 Penn Street
Room 301
Camden, NJ 08102
(856)225-2791
frdavis@camden.rutgers.edu
http://veterans.camden.rutgers.edu

Will the VA pay my application fees?

Yes, but only once you have enrolled in classes your first semester.

If I am receiving Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) how much will I receive?

The amount of BAH you will receive is based off of the rates found with the BAH Calculator.