Certifications & Enrollment Manager
Why is a certification still pending?
Pending means it is in the VA queue awaiting review. Normal is 2 to 4 weeks, longer at peak. Do not resubmit; escalate to your ELR instead.
A pending certification is sitting in the VA's processing queue and has not been reviewed yet. Typical processing is 2 to 4 weeks, and peak periods like the start of fall term can stretch it to 6 weeks or more. Pending is not an error, and resubmitting only creates duplicates that slow things down further.
When I escalate
My rule of thumb: if a certification has been pending for more than 3 weeks off-peak, or more than 4 weeks during a peak, I contact our ELR with the student's VA file number and the date I submitted. That gives them what they need to look it up.
What I tell the student
- The school has done its part and the date it was submitted.
- The VA processes certifications in the order received.
- Their first payment usually arrives several weeks after processing.
- For hardship, they can call 1-888-GI-BILL-1 and ask about expedited handling.