Military & Veteran Personnel

The Delaware Valley University Military Scholars for America (MSA) Tuition Reduction Program is available to military personnel who are either on active duty or serving as a monthly drilling reservist. This program is offered only to part-time undergraduate students enrolled in Continuing & Professional Studies (CPS) or master’s level graduate students who have applied and been accepted to the school and are pursuing a degree program. The program is not open to full-time undergraduate students, students in the Speech-Language Pathology (M.S.), Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS), or Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership programs. Students who are using the Post-9/11 GI Bill or VA Chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation Program) are eligible for this program only when their VA educational benefits under these programs have expired. Because this program is administered solely at the discretion of the University, the school’s decision on this application is final and not subject to appeal.

To qualify for a Military Scholars for American Program:

• Students utilizing Post-9/11 veterans’ benefits are not eligible for this program.
• All students must submit an application for this program and be approved in order to be accepted.
• All current service members must provide a copy of an LES (leave and earnings statement).
• Please note: Due to government regulations we are unable to accept military ID cards for as verification of military service. You may black out any sensitive information on orders, LES, or other military documents submitted.

Delaware Valley University participates in the VA’s Yellow Ribbon Program. The Yellow Ribbon Program was established by the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This program allows colleges, universities, and other degree-granting schools in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the tuition and fee amounts payable under the Post-9/11 veterans’ benefits. Veterans’ benefits allows you to earn any of our offered degrees.

For more information:

Visit the Department of Veteran Affairs website to learn more about the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The Janet Manion Military and Veterans Center at Delaware Valley University was built to honor the memory of Janet Manion and the crucial role that she played in creating the Travis Manion Foundation.

The center, which is located in Elson Hall on the University's main campus, is a gathering place for student-veterans and military members, offering personalized services to fulfill each veteran’s needs. It is a place for veterans, military personnel and their dependents to relax with people with shared experiences between classes, get help with paperwork for educational funding, and get support from staff and peers. Staff at the center provide counseling and college advising to include registration and financial aid.

The center also houses the staff of Military and Veterans Affairs. The Janet Manion Center provides a private space for military members and veterans, with a dedicated lounge and meeting area, serving as a place for assembling for programs, relaxation, and building peer relationships.

About the Travis Manion Foundation 
About Janet Manion

Delaware Valley University is experienced in administering TA for military students who elect to use that education benefit to pay for their courses. The University accepts military TA payments for part-time students in our undergraduate and post-graduate school of Continuing and Professional Studies. TA may not be used for our Physician Assistant (MSPAS), Speech-Language Pathology (M.S.), or Ed.D Educational Leadership programs.

The following summarizes the basic steps for arranging for your TA education benefits:

1. Consult with your unit or base Educational Services Office in order to receive firsthand guidance and information regarding your service’s TA requirements. TA is administered and paid from each service’s own funds. The eligibility requirements, application steps, and processing procedures vary from branch to branch. Your ESO will confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements and review your branch’s application procedures. You must have the required authorization from your branch before you can use your TA education benefit.
2. Once you have arranged for your TA with your unit or ESO, you can apply for under graduate school courses at Continuing and Professional Studies by using the “Apply Now” link on that page. If you are interested in pursuing graduate courses, please go to the following link, https://www.delval.edu/academics/graduate-academics and once again use the “Apply Now” link in order to apply for your desired graduate program.
3. In order to earn your B.S. or B.A. degree you will typically be required to earn 120 to 125 credits depending on your chosen degree program. Upon matriculating with the school, you will be provided a degree plan which will show exactly which courses are required for you to earn your degree. If you are pursuing are graduate courses required credit requirements are as follows: MBA 30 credits; Policy Studies 36 credits; and Counseling Psychology 60 credits. Likewise, upon matriculation in one of our Master’s degree programs you will be provided a degree plan which will detail the courses and associated required to earn your degree.
4. After you have been accepted to the school, you will receive a letter from the school providing your user ID and school email address. You will then be able to use your user ID and chosen password to log in to the campus portal at the following link, https://thresher.delval.edu/Student
5. For ordering textbooks, go to https://www.bkstr.com/delawarevalleystore/home which will provide you the required textbooks for your specific courses and the cost of the textbooks. Students have the option of purchasing new or used books as well as leasing books. Prices for purchased textbooks range from under $20 to over $200 and depend upon many factors which vary from course to course.
6. After you have are accepted and registered for your course(s), please contact our Director of Military & Veterans Affairs, Mr. Joseph M. Grato, at 215.489.2318 or joseph.grato@delval.edu who will assist you in arranging your TA benefits with the school. Should your branch require any certifying documents, he will prepare them for you.
7. Military students using TA are eligible for our Military Scholars for America (MSA) Scholarship program which reduces the cost of courses to no less than $250/credit or no less than $750 per three-credit course, the amount allowed by TA.
   • MSA program application form - Please email the completed form to joseph.grato@delval.edu

Military TA must send us their approved DA Form 7792, 10 days prior to the course start date. 

For your information and convenience, please find below each service’s TA website. They are an excellent source of information.

• https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/Benefit-Library/Federal-Benefits/Tuition-Assistance-(TA)
• https://www.nationalguard.com/education-programs/federal-tuition-assistance

• Financial Aid Homepage
  Any soldier interested in obtaining financial aid should start at Financial Aid, which guides the student through the financial aid process step by step. 
• Financial Aid Code of Conduct
  The Financial Aid Code of Conduct details how the school follows an ethical recruitment process which is to be followed by University officers and employees.
• Student Consumer Information
  All the required federal student consumer disclosures, including our refund policies for institutional and Title IV refund policy.
• Title IV Refund Policy
  This link explains the Title IV refund policy, which the school is required to follow for students using Title IV funds who do not complete an entire term.
• Financial Aid Timeline

The University’s Office of Financial Aid currently consists of six employees, including a Financial Aid Director, Associate Director, Assistant Director/Perkins Loan Coordinator, an Assistant Director, an Assistant Director/Work Study Campus Employment Coordinator and a Financial Aid Assistant. 

The Financial Aid Director has B.A. and M.S. degrees with 25 years of FA experience at Delaware Valley University. 
The Associate Director has B.A and M.S. degrees and 21 years experience in financial aid, 10 years as a director. 
The Assistant Director/Perkins Loan Coordinator has a B.A and 16 years of FA experience. 
The Assistant Director has B.S, M.S. and 10 years of FA experience. 
The Financial Aid Assistant has a B.A and 9 years of experience. 
The Assistant Director/Work Study/CE Coordinator has a B.S. and 6 years of experience.

As previously mentioned, there are numerous training programs attended by various financial aid staff.

Memberships:

• Institutional members of National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)
• Pennsylvania Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators ( PASFAA) – all staff
• Eastern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (EASFAA) - Director.

All staff members are fully trained in the administration of Title IV Aid.

Institution’s Policy on Return of Unearned TA Funds to the Government
Return of Tuition Assistance: Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend the school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally approved. To comply with the new Department of Defense (DOD) policy Delaware Valley University will return any unearned funds on a prorated basis through at least 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending.

Institution’s Schedule for Return of Unearned TA:
60% Completion Point is shown in bold print 
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 (60% of course completed)

16-Week Course Withdraw Submitted
Before or during Week 1-2 100% return
During Weeks 3-4 75% return
During Weeks 5-8 50% return
During Week 9-10 40% return (60% of course completed)
During Weeks 11-16 0% return

5-Week Course Withdraw Submitted
Day 1-7 100% return
Day 8 77% return
Day 9 74% return
Day 10 71% return
Day 11 69% return
Day 12 66% return
Day 13 63% return
Day 14 60% return
Day 15 57% return
Day 16 54% return
Day 17 51% return
Day 18 49% return
Day 19 46% return 
Day 20 43% return
Day 21 40% return (60% of course is completed)
Day 22 0% return

Delaware Valley University Procedure for Access to Military Installations

The University does not presently require access to a military base in order to conduct courses for military students who use TA. All TA students either take courses at our main campus or take the course via online delivery.

Should in the future, the school require access to a military base the below procedures will apply.

All 56 states and territories are currently compliant with REAL ID or non-compliant with an extension. The residents from these states and territories may continue using their driver’s licenses or identification cards, regardless of whether the license/ID is REAL ID compliant or not, for accessing Federal facilities (including military bases), entering nuclear power plants, and boarding commercial aircraft.

Pennsylvania has an extension for REAL ID enforcement, allowing Federal agencies to accept driver's licenses and identification cards from Pennsylvania at Federal facilities, nuclear power plants, and federally regulated commercial aircraft until August 1, 2019. (https://www.dhs.gov/real-id/pennsylvania)

Residents from a state/territory that is compliant with REAL ID or non-compliant with REAL ID, but has received an extension may continue to use their current state/territory-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards, regardless of whether the card is REAL ID compliant or not, for accessing federal facilities, including military bases. This is what we call “state-based” enforcement. Only the state that issued the resident’s license/ID must be either compliant or have been granted an extension in order for that resident to use that license/ID for accessing Federal facilities. The license/ID itself does not have to be REAL ID compliant until “card-based” enforcement begins on October 1, 2020.

Starting October 1, 2020, every state and territory resident will need to present a REAL ID-compliant license/ID, or another acceptable form of identification, for accessing Federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and boarding commercial aircraft. This is what we call “card-based” enforcement. The card, itself, must be REAL ID-compliant unless the resident is using an alternative acceptable document such as a passport. The Act does not require individuals to present identification where it is not currently required to access a Federal facility (such as to enter the public areas of the Smithsonian) nor does it prohibit an agency from accepting other forms of identity documents other than documents from non-compliant states (such as a U.S. passport or passport card).

Acceptable alternate forms of identification that may be used in conjunction with a state driver's license to potentially gain access to the installation are:

• United States Passport or United States Passport Card
• Certified Copy of Birth Certificate * Social Security Card
• Permanent Resident Card/Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form I-551)
• Foreign passport with a temporary (I-551) stamp or temporary (I-551) printed notation on a machine-readable
• Employment authorization document that contains a photograph (Form I-766)
• Foreign passport with Form I-94 or Form I-94A bearing the same name as the passport and containing an endorsement of the alien’s nonimmigrant status, as long as the endorsement has not expired and proposed employment is not in conflict with restrictions or limitations identified on the form.
• School identification card with photograph
• U.S. Military or draft record (Certified Copy of DD Form 214)
• U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Card * Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC)
• Native American Tribal Document

Veterans Guide provides you with the necessary information you need to obtain the maximum benefits when you leave military service. Click here for more information. 

Contact our certifying officer Joseph Grato to receive detailed instructions on what steps you should take in order to apply to the program, have your military training evaluated for college credit, and to utilize any military benefits you may be eligible to receive. These benefits can include federal tuition assistance or state funding.

Yes. Delaware Valley University awards college credit for training that has been evaluated and recommended by the American Council on Education. To request an official evaluation of your military training for college credit, please have your official transcripts sent to:

Delaware Valley University
Military and Veterans Affairs Office - Elson Hall
Attn: Joseph M. Grato
700 East Butler Avenue
Doylestown, Pa. 18901

Contact our certifying officer Joseph M. Grato to receive detailed instructions on what steps you should take in order to apply for Federal Tuition Assistance.

Veterans who have served at least 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, and who received an honorable discharge will qualify for the Post-9/11 veterans’ benefits. To qualify for the full benefit, a veteran must have served at least 3 years of active duty after September 10, 2001. Those veterans who qualify for the Active Duty veterans’ benefits, the Reserve veterans’ benefits or REAP will have the option to choose which benefit best suits their need.

Member Services/% of Max Benefit Payable

• At least 36 mo./100%
• At least 30 continuous days on active duty and must be discharged due to service-connected disability/100%
• At least 30 mo., less than 36 mo./90%
• At least 24 mo., less than 30 mo./80%
• At least 18 mo., less than 24 mo./70%
• At least 12 mo., less than 18 mo./60%
• At least 6 mo., less than 12 mo./50%
• At least 90 days, less than 6 mo./40%

Only individuals entitled to the maximum benefit rate (based on service requirements) may receive this funding. Therefore, you may be eligible if:
• You served an aggregate period of active duty after September 10, 2001, of at least 36 months;
• You were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and you served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001;
• You are a dependent eligible for transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 veterans’ benefits based on a veteran’s service under the eligibility criteria listed above.

To begin utilizing these benefits, you must first complete certain VA paperwork before enrolling in classes. Please click on the applicable benefit listed below and follow the guide provided:

• Chapter 30: Montgomery veterans’ benefits (Active Duty)
• Chapter 33: Post-9/11 veterans’ benefits
• Chapter 1606: Montgomery veterans’ benefits (Selected Reserves)
• Chapter 1607: Reservist Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
• Chapter 35: Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program
• Chapter 31: VA Vocational Rehabilitation