What happens if I drop a class?

When you drop a class, your school has to report the change to the VA, and your benefits are recalculated. Depending on your new course load and the timing, your housing allowance may go down, stop, or leave you with a debt. My number one piece of advice: talk to your certifying official before you drop, not after.

What can change

• Your housing allowance drops with your course load. Going from full-time to three-quarter time reduces it. Going to half-time or below stops it.
• If the class was your only in-person course, you move to the online housing rate.
• Tuition already paid for the dropped class may become a debt.
• Entitlement may or may not be charged, depending on whether you dropped before or after the drop/add deadline.

Timing matters

A drop during the drop/add period is usually the cleanest. The certification is amended and there is generally no charge for that class. After the deadline, a drop that reduces your benefits can create an overpayment unless you have mitigating circumstances, meaning something outside your control like illness or a family emergency.

1. Before you drop, ask your certifying official what it will do to your housing, tuition, and entitlement.
2. If you still need to drop, do it through your school and tell your certifying official the same day.
3. If the reason was outside your control, write it down and keep documentation. Your certifying official may be able to report it.
4. Do not verify your monthly enrollment with the VA until the change has been reported.