Military Benefits

Military Grant

In an effort to serve military students at SBTS or Boyce who would otherwise receive Tuition Assistance funding from eligible institutions, the executive leadership at Southern Seminary approved a full-tuition institutional grant for “active duty” military students beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year. The grant includes full tuition and fees for Bachelor’s and Master’s students. The grant includes tuition and student enrollment fees. Internet fees and health fees are not included in the grant. The grant is not available for Seminary Track, ThM, or doctoral students.

Read more about the specific policies and procedures here.

To apply for this grant, our office requires the following documents:

1. Application (including initialed Statement of Understanding and noting the semester/term of application) signed both by the student and the student’s commanding officer. You can find the application here.
2. The student’s current LES (or other proof of current service in any branch of the Armed Forces, including National Guard or Reserves). You only need to submit a LES once per academic year.

For answers to some common questions, refer to our FAQ here. Please submit the above documents to financialaidMG@sbts.edu. Unsigned documents or insufficient documents will not be accepted.

Deadlines

• Fall semester:
  • F1 – August 1st
  • F2 – October 1st
• Winter term: December 1st
• Spring semester:
  • S1 – January 1st
  • S2 – April 1st
• Summer term: June 1st

Veterans Benefits and GI Bill for New and Prospective Students

In an effort to serve military students at SBTS or Boyce who would otherwise receive Veterans Educational Benefit funding from eligible institutions, the executive leadership at Southern Seminary approved a grant for these students beginning in January 2023. The grant includes tuition and student enrollment fees. Seminary Track and Doctoral students are eligible to receive a 30% discount on their monthly program fees. Continuation fees are not included in the grant.

Read more about the specific policies and procedures here.

To apply for this grant, please submit the 2 documents below to financialaidVA@sbts.edu:

1. Application – You can find the application here.
2. Certificate of Eligibility
   • CH31 (VR&E) Students – Since our institution is no longer eligible, the decision letter you receive from your VR&E counselor will state that you have not been approved. However, you can send us your decision letter as it will state the reason for not being approved as “SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY is not an approved training facility in WEAMS.”

These documents only need to be submitted once at the first use of the grant.

How long will I receive the grant?

The length of time you receive the grant is based on the months/days of eligibility you have remaining in your Certificate of Eligibility (with a max of 36 calendar months). Remaining eligibility for the grant will be detracted based on students’ enrollment in classes following these guidelines:

• Fall 1, Fall 2, Spring 1, Spring 2, Winter, and Summer terms: -2 months each
• Residential Fall and Spring semesters: -3 months each

Students will be notified once they have reached the final semester of use of the grant.

Need to know how to receive a Certificate of Eligibility from the VA?

• Eligible Veterans are encouraged to apply with the VA using their online application and by working with an accredited representative. You can find the information on applying for VA benefits at the following link: Applying for Benefits – Veterans Benefits Administration (va.gov)

Deadlines

• Fall semester:
  • F1 – August 1st
  • F2 – October 1st
• Winter term: December 1st
• Spring semester:
  • S1 – January 1st
  • S2 – April 1st
• Summer term: June 1st

If you have any questions, please call us at 502-897-4206 or email us at financialaidVA@sbts.edu.

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 Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Veterans Benefits – Existing Students

The VA confirmed that we would not receive another waiver to continue processing VA benefits at the institution. However, the VA committed to covering our current students (those enrolled and already using benefits at Boyce or SBTS by December 1, 2022) through the ends of their programs or the end of their benefits (whichever comes first).

Do not forget the requirements given by the VA to continue receiving your benefits:

1. Currently enrolled students “will be allowed to continue training through the end of their program, provided they remain consistently enrolled (they cannot sit out a semester or a year based off your school’s current academic calendar).” This does not include the summer or winter semesters.
2. Current students cannot change degree programs.

Please remember to fill out the following form each semester you are enrolled in order to continue receiving your VA benefits:

1. SBTS Veteran Certification Request Form to be submitted each semester**

**We highly recommend submitting the Veteran Certification Request Form at least one month prior to the opening of billing in order to receive tuition benefits prior to the payment due date. During peak financial aid seasons please allow for at least two weeks processing from the time your request is submitted to the Financial Aid Office.

Recommended Datelines

• Fall Term – June 15^th
• Winter Term – November 15^th
• Spring Term – December 15^th
• Summer Term – April 15^th

For specific questions regarding benefits, please contact the VA at 1.888.442.4551, or visit the GI® Bill Web Site.

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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 Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.