The University at Buffalo will invoice your military branch on your behalf should they require an invoice for payment. Third-party billing is initiated by the student taking the necessary action of their sponsoring agency. For veterans that elect to use their educational benefits for payment, the student must start the certification process with the Financial Aid office each term. Please check your HUB To Do list for veterans' requirements or contact the Financial Aid office for more information.
The student contacts their representative in the military first, and then the military will contact the Student Accounts office.
The Student Account office will generate an invoice to the military after the 5th week of classes. Some branches of the military are sent paper bills and others require the invoice information to be entered via the branch’s website.
The student will continue to receive eBills, and is expected to pay any charges that the military tuition assistance program does not cover. The student should contact their military representative if they have questions on which charges are covered by the program. Please see the chart below, but understand this is not a guarantee of what your branch will pay. If the student does not pay the charges that the military doesn’t cover, they are subject to late payment fees and holds.
Active Duty | Billing Method | Eligible Costs* |
| Air Force (AFIT) | Paper/Emailed | Full tuition and fees and Student Health Insurance if applicable |
| Air Force (AI Portal) | Online | Only tuition minus TAP, SUNY TC, Excelsior, VTA, outside scholarships or any tuition based aid |
| Air Force (Randolf) | Paper/Emailed | Full tuition and fees except transportation fee and Student Health Insurance |
| Army (Falls Church) | Paper/Emailed | Full tuition and fees except transportation fee and transcript fee |
| Army (Fort Knox) | Paper/Emailed | Full tuition and fees except transportation fee and transcript fee |
| DMNA | Paper/Emailed | Only tuition minus TAP, SUNY TC, Excelsior, VTA, outside scholarships |
| Go Army | Online | Only tuition - $250 per credit hour up to the FT rate minus TAP, SUNY TC, Excelsior, VTA, outside scholarships or any tuition based aid |
| Navy | Online | Tuition and fees except activity, transcript and transportation fee |
| ROTC | Online | All tuition and fees |
*This is determined by your military branch, and is not a guarantee of what will be paid
Policy: The university will return any unearned TA funds directly to the government agency on a proportional basis, through at least the 60 percent portion of the period for which the funds were provided. The following business process will be done for all students receiving military TA:
1. We will not invoice military TA funds until week 5, after student’s registration is confirmed
2. We will check students’ registration again when payment is received
3. We will check registration at week 10, when 60% of course is completed and 100% of TA funds will be earned
4. We will return the portion of unearned TA payments when a student has stopped attending before the 60% point of each class
Schedule:
15 or 16-week Standard Course Withdraw:
Before or during weeks 1-2 100% return to Government Agency
During weeks 3-4 75% return to Government Agency
During weeks 5-8 50% return to Government Agency
During week 9 40% return to Government Agency
During weeks 10-16 0% return (60% of course is completed)
Examples:
In each of the examples below, it is possible for DoD to calculate the return of unearned TA funds to the government based upon when the student stops attending. Note that preferred terminology includes “return” versus “refund.” In each example, bold type identifies the 60% completion point.
Example 1. 5-week Course: • Day 1-7 100% • Day 8 77% • Day 9 74% • Day 10 71% • Day 11 69% • Day 12 66% • Day 13 63% • Day 14 60% • Day 15 57% • Day 16 54% • Day 17 51% • Day 18 49% • Day 19 46% • Day 20 43% • Day 21 40% • Day 22 0% Note: The educational institution’s week of instruction is counted as 7 days.
Example 2. 8-Week Course Withdraw submitted: • before or during week 1 = 100% return • during week 2 = 75% return • during weeks 3–4 = 50% return • during week 5 = 40% return • during weeks 6-8 = no return
Example 3. 15 or 16-Week Course Withdraw submitted: • before or during weeks 1–2 = 100% return • during weeks 3–4 = 75% return • during weeks 5–8 = 50% return • during weeks 9 = 40% return • during weeks 10–16 = no return
The Student Accounts office will generate an invoice to the VA after the 5th week of classes. Student Accounts will code the student’s account to prevent holds while the payment is in process. The student will continue to receive eBills.
The student will continue to receive eBills, and is expected to pay any charges that the VA educational benefits will not pay. If the student does not pay the charges that the VA does not cover, they are subject to late payment fees and holds. If you have questions on the certified amount of your VA benefits, and which costs are not eligible, please speak with the Financial Aid office. If you do not pay the balance after the VA payment, your account is subject to late payment fees and holds.
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