Office of Veterans Affairs

Active-duty and veteran students are vital contributors to the culture of commitment and fortitude at Abilene Christian University. We value your military background as an asset to your resilient learning, broad perspective and driven leadership. Through online and on-campus resources, including the Veteran’s Office in the ACU Registrar’s Office, we will equip you to access your earned benefits and begin earning your degree.
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Active-duty and veteran students are vital contributors to the culture of commitment and fortitude at Abilene Christian University. We value your military background as an asset to your resilient learning, broad perspective and driven leadership. Through online and on-campus resources, including the Veteran’s Office in the ACU Registrar’s Office, we will equip you to access your earned benefits and begin earning your degree.

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Resources for Active-Duty Students and Veterans

If you believe you are eligible for Veterans Administration benefits, you should file your claim after receiving your acceptance to ACU. The following information on this page will help you navigate our student veteran services and your next steps. You may also locate information booklets, programs, contact information and fact sheets directly from the VA website.

ACU’s Participation in Veterans’ Claims

The Texas State Approving Agency (SAA), which is part of the Texas Veterans Commission, approves ACU for veteran’s training under Title 38 and Title 10, US Code. Upon acceptance to ACU, you should file for VA benefits. If approved, your subsistence allowance will be paid directly by the VA as long as you are enrolled in an approved ACU degree plan program. Eligibility for VA benefits can also extend, under special circumstances, to children of deceased/disabled veterans, reservists and veterans who qualify as disabled.

New Applicants

To begin your journey toward a life-changing, career-shaping education, apply to ACU through the standard admissions process. Once you have received your acceptance, we encourage you to begin your VA benefits application process six to eight weeks prior to the beginning of the first semester. The Muskogee Regional Processing Office (RPO) handles many claims at the start of each term, so your initial claim may take a few weeks to process. You can access these forms from any one of these student veteran resource centers:

After you have completed the required VA forms, schedule an appointment with Misty Tom, our Veteran’s Certification Officer. If you are a reservist, bring your NOBE (Notice of Basic Eligibility) to accompany your initial application. During your meeting, a file will be set up to begin the process for certifying enrollment to the VA.

Jenna Cheatham
ACU Registrar’s Office
Hardin Administration Building, Room 309
(325) 674-2777
888-588-6083
vabenefits@acu.edu

Returning Applicants

After you’ve established your initial claim, you will most likely be able to file repeat claims electronically, which will not require significant processing time.

However, if you transfer to ACU, change your program at ACU, drop classes or otherwise alter your plan of studies, you will need to sign a form indicating “change of program/place of training.” Active duty veterans/reservists can submit VA Form 22-1995 by mail or online, and Chapter veterans can fill in VA Form 22-5495 by mail or online.

Forms and Processes

Your VA forms are ordinarily mailed by ACU along with the initial certification, but you may also submit your forms directly to the appropriate Regional Office or online through the VA website.

The initial application for student military veterans and reservists is VA Form 22-1990, which is also available to submit online.

Dependents of deceased/disabled veterans should submit VA Form 22-5490 by mail or online. If you are a spouse/dependent applying under Chapter 35, you should include the service number of the veteran under whom you are filing; a birth certificate or copy of the VA notice of eligibility may also be required.

If you are a discharged service member, bring a copy of your Form DD-214.

Veteran’s Information Sheet

As a VA claimant, you will submit a Veteran’s Information Sheet (VIS) to ACU each semester. This form is available online, in the ACU Depot and in the ACU Veteran’s Office.

Chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation) veterans are not required to complete the VIS; however, you may still use the form to update personal information as a Chapter 31 veteran student. Other categories of veterans will file with the Muskogee RPO located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and may require additional materials for the initial filing. To understand the forms relevant to your filing, visit our Frequently Asked Questions.

Degree Plan

To retain your VA benefits while pursuing a degree, you will complete an official degree plan during your first semester at ACU. Because financial assistance from the VA is not available for elective courses, this plan will encompass only the courses necessary to obtain your degree. Changes to your approved schedule of courses may affect your benefits, and ACU is obligated to report such changes to the VA.

These guidelines will not restrict your opportunities for learning and exploration at ACU. Some remedial courses are eligible for VA benefits, and you will be able to consult your academic advisor and ACU’s VA representative to ensure that your courses qualify for full benefits