Students using the G.I. Bill® must complete the VA Enrollment Request Form in LionPATH each semester they wish to receive G.I. Bill® funds for University costs. The school submits enrollment requests once before the beginning of each semester, so it's important to complete an enrollment request for all classes in both 7-week sessions on the same form before the 14-week semester begins.

  1. At least three weeks before your semester bill due date, complete the VA Enrollment Request Form in LionPATH. Veterans at Penn State are eligible for priority registration.
  2. All G.I. Bill® students must submit an updated VA Enrollment Request if you change your credit load. See “Report Changes in Enrollment” below.
  3. Monitor projected VA payments to your Penn State account on LionPATH. Monitor actual VA payments made to Penn State on your eBenefits account.
  4. Review G.I. Bill® student responsibilities.
  5. The G.I. Bill® will not cover the cost of bursar late charges.

G.I. Bill® Students Must Report Changes in Enrollment

Students are responsible for reporting changes in credit levels to the GV school certifying officials by submitting a new VA Enrollment Request. Unreported changes in your enrollment may affect your semester benefit or create a student debt to the VA or the University.

  • If you change courses but maintain the same credit level, no new Enrollment Request or update is needed.
  • If you add one or more classes and increase your credit load before the affected courses begin, submit an updated Enrollment Request. Students are responsible for university charges for courses added without an updated Enrollment Request.
  • If you drop one or more classes and decrease your credit level before the affected courses begin, submit an updated Enrollment Request. If VA payment has already been sent to the school for a course which is subsequently dropped, the excess funds will be sent from the University to the student as a “refund,” and the VA will seek repayment for the full cost of the course directly from the student.&
  • If you withdraw from a course after it begins or do not complete a course, submit an updated Enrollment Request. Please check with the Office of the Registrar before dropping a course to verify any charges for which you will be responsible. The University will report any course withdrawal to the VA. The student will be responsible for the cost of the portion of the course completed; your G.I. Bill® benefit will not cover any portion of the cost of a dropped course. If you are due a partial refund from the University, it will be sent to you as a refund. The VA will seek reimbursement directly from the student for the full amount sent to the University.
  • If you change or add degree programs, report the change of program via email to [email protected], and ask to have your G.I. Bill® student profile updated. The change must be approved by the VA in order for educational benefits to continue.  

Refer to the G.I. Bill® Benefits website for details about student debt in reference to your G.I. Bill® benefit, and your responsibility for ensuring that your school certifying official is aware of changes in your semester credit level or degree pursuit. 

G.I. Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U. S. government website at https://benefits.va.gov/gibill.