Except as stated in §21.7140, the educational institution must certify the veteran's or servicemember's enrollment before he or she may receive educational assistance.

(a) Educational institutions must certify most enrollments. VA does not, as a condition of payment of tuition assistance top-up or advance payment, require educational institutions to certify the enrollments of veterans or servicemembers who either are seeking tuition assistance top-up or, in the cases described in §21.7151, are seeking an advance payment. VA does not require organizations or entities offering a licensing or certification test to certify the fact that the veteran or servicemember took the test. In all other cases the educational institution must certify the veteran's or servicemember's enrollment before he or she may receive educational assistance. This certification must be in a form specified by the Secretary and contain such information as the Secretary may specify.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3014(b), 3031, 3034, 3482(g), 3680, 3687, 3689, 5101(a))

(b) Length of the enrollment period covered by the enrollment certification.

(1) Educational institutions organized on a term, quarter or semester basis generally shall report enrollment for the term, quarter, semester, ordinary school year or ordinary school year plus summer term. If the certification covers two or more terms, the educational institution will report the dates for the break between terms if a term ends and the following term does not begin in the same or the next calendar month or if the veteran elects not be paid for the intervals between terms. The educational institution must submit a separate enrollment certification for each term, quarter or semester when the certification is for—

(i) A servicemember, or

(ii) A veteran who—

(A) Is training on a less than one-half time basis, or

(B) Is incarcerated in a Federal, State or local prison or jail for conviction of a felony.

(2) Educational institutions organized on a year-round basis will report enrollment for the length of the course. The certification will include a report of the dates during which the educational institution closes for any intervals designated in its approval data as breaks between school years.

(3) When a veteran enrolls in independent study leading to a standard college degree, the educational institution's certification will include—

(i) The enrollment date, and

(ii) The ending date for the period being certified. If the educational institution has no prescribed maximum time for completion, the certification must include an ending date based on the educational institution's estimate for completion.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3034, 3684; Pub. L. 98-525)

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 2900-0073)

[53 FR 1757, Jan. 22, 1988, as amended at 55 FR 28390, July 11, 1990; 61 FR 6790, Feb. 22, 1996; 72 FR 16983, Apr. 5, 2007]