As stated in §21.7640 of this part, the educational institution must certify the reservist's enrollment before he or she may receive educational assistance. Nothing in this section or in any section in part 21 shall be construed as requiring any institution of higher learning to maintain daily attendance records for any course leading to a standard college degree.

(a) Content of certification of entrance or reentrance. The certification of entrance or reentrance must clearly specify:

(1) The course;

(2) The starting and ending dates of the enrollment period;

(3) The credit hours or clock hours being pursued by the reservist;

(4) The amount of tuition, fees and the cost of books, supplies and equipment charged to a reservist who is incarcerated in a Federal, State or local prison or jail for conviction of a felony; and

(5) Such other information as the Secretary may find is necessary to determine the reservist's monthly rate of educational assistance.

(Authority: 10 U.S.C. 16136(b), 38 U.S.C. 3482(g), 3680; Pub. L. 98-525)

(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 reservist elects not to 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 a reservist who 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 interval designated in its approval data as breaks between school years.

(3) When a reservist enrolls in independent study leading to a standard college degree concurrently with resident training, 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 not prescribed maximum time for completion of the independent study portion of the enrollment, the certification must include an ending date for the independent study based on the educational institution's estimate for completion.

(Authority: 10 U.S.C. 16136(b), 38 U.S.C. 3684; Pub. L. 98-525)

(c) Verification of pursuit.

(1) A reservist who is pursuing a course leading to a standard college degree must have his or her continued enrollment in and pursuit of the course verified for the entire enrollment period. Verification of continued enrollment will be made at least once a year and in the last month of enrollment if the enrollment period ends more than 3 months after the last verification. In the case of a reservist who completed, interrupted or terminated his or her course, any communication from the reservist or other authorized person notifying the VA of the reservist's completion of a course as scheduled or an earlier termination date, will be accepted to terminate payments accordingly.

(2) The verification of pursuit will also include a report on the following items when applicable:

(i) Continued enrollment in and pursuit of the course,

(ii) Conduct and progress (See §21.7653(c)),

(iii) Date of interruption or termination of training (See §21.7656(a)),

(iv) Changes in number of credit hours or clock hours of attendance (See §21.7656(a)), and

(v) Any other changes or modifications in the course as certified at enrollment.

(Authority: 10 U.S.C. 16136(b), 38 U.S.C. 3680(g); Pub. L. 98-525)

[52 FR 34740, Sept. 8, 1988, as amended at 61 FR 29482, June 11, 1996]