Getting started with the GI Bill
What is a Certificate of Eligibility?
Your COE is the VA letter confirming your benefit chapter, your percentage, and your remaining months. Your school needs it before it can certify you.
A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is the letter the VA sends after approving your application. It tells you and your school three things: which benefit chapter you are eligible for, your benefit percentage, and how many months of entitlement you have left. I cannot certify a student's enrollment until I have a COE on file, so it is the first document I ask for.
What to check when it arrives
- The chapter. Make sure it matches the benefit you applied for.
- The benefit percentage. For the Post-9/11 GI Bill this is a tier from 40% to 100%, based on your service. It sets the share of tuition, housing, and books the VA will pay.
- Your remaining entitlement. Most people start with 36 months, but earlier use of benefits reduces that number.
A COE is not the same as enrollment certification
Students mix these up all the time. The COE confirms what the VA owes you. It does not start payment. Payment starts when your school's certifying official reports your actual classes to the VA each term. You need both.
If you lose your COE, sign in to VA.gov, open your GI Bill Statement of Benefits, and download a fresh copy. That PDF is exactly what I want in my file.