GI Bill Overpayment: What is the 6-Credit Hour Exclusion

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Sometimes, life happens and veterans need to adjust their college course load mid stream. When this happens, these adjustments may result in an overpayment that could be waived, depending on the circumstances.

Veterans get one “Get out of jail free” card if they receive an overpayment. One veteran wrote in about this today, so I thought I’d take a minute to post the information here.

According to VA’s GI Bill website:

VA automatically grants mitigating circumstances for up to 6 credits the first time a student reduces or terminates and mitigating circumstances must be considered. This automatic grant is called the 6-Credit Hour Exclusion. The exclusion is a one-time grant made the first time mitigating circumstances must be considered for the student. Up to 6 credits can be excluded if the student has been awarded benefits for the credit. The 6-Credit Hour Exclusion cannot be granted if the student completes the term and receives non-punitive grades.

  • If the student withdraws from 3 credits, the exclusion will be granted for 3 credits and the student’s one time exclusion is used.
  • If the student withdraws from 12 credits, the exclusion will be granted for 6 credits, the student’s one time exclusion is used, and the student must provide mitigating circumstances for the other 6 credits.

Some examples VA provides on its website to help explain mitigating circumstances.

They are:

  • An illness or injury afflicting the student during the enrollment period.
  • An illness or death in the student’s immediate family.
  • An unavoidable change in the student’s conditions of employment.
  • An unavoidable geographical transfer resulting from the student’s employment.
  • Immediate family or financial obligations beyond the control of the claimant that require him or her to suspend pursuit of the program of education to obtain employment.
  • Discontinuance of the course by the school.
  • Unanticipated active military service, including active duty for training.
  • Unanticipated difficulties with childcare arrangements the student has made for the period during which he or she is attending classes.

Sources:

https://gibill.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1450/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xMzg2OTA1MjkwL3NpZC9RbkRQX0dIbA%3D%3D

https://gibill.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/403

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2 Comments

  1. Be careful because VRAP has screwed me. I started a program that was certified in July of 2013 and three months later the VA discontinued the certification. This is after I took out a $7500 student loan to take the courses. Now I am in default. To top it off the school worked out that if i switched to the other class registration the VA will certify my classes and this is for the exact same course. So i send in my application to the VA in Muskogee Oklahoma and i have a receipt that says they got it at 8:45 am on December 23rd 2013 but as of today they claim they never received it. This is despite my having a receipt that says they did. What a screw job. The same people that the IRS used against the tea party must be working for the VA now. No wonder they have had such a low success rate for VRAP.

  2. I can relate when the 911 bill gi they overpayment three different times. The last one the school tried to fight for my money but I did not know it until a year later and then school said u owe us 900dollars. At the time I was employed. I really want to say they need to get people over that can count. They just predicted they gave me too much money each time. And would notify me months or years later. I kno w u talk about individy als not being anle to continue classes but they can’t count either even u have accomplished tje courses.

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