Military & Veteran Education Benefits are available to eligible service members, veterans, and their dependents to help with the cost of higher education. Service members are encouraged to speak with their Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within their military service regarding their plans prior to enrolling at Rockhurst. Once approval has been given from their service for tuition benefits, the student should then enroll in classes at Rockhurst.
Ranked in the Top 10 of the Region for Veterans*
*2021 U.S. News and World Report Midwest Regional University rankings
Eligibility
Students who are eligible for military or veteran benefits must self-disclose their eligibility to the Rockhurst University Student Accounts Office prior to the payment deadline. A student can self-disclose by completing the Military Benefits Notification Form and attaching proof of their eligibility (i.e., a copy of their current Certificate of Eligibility, Statement of Benefits, Tuition Assistance Letter or Funding Request). Rockhurst participates in the following military or veteran programs:
- Chapter 30 - Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty — This benefit provides up to 36 months of education and training benefits to eligible service members. The Department of Veterans Affairs pays a monthly stipend directly to you, and you use it to pay your tuition and fees. Note: It does not pay tuition directly to the school.
- Chapter 31 - Veteran Readiness and Employment — This benefit helps veterans and active-duty service members with service-connected disabilities prepare for, find, and maintain suitable employment or achieve daily independence. A monthly living allowance paid directly to the student, and full tuition and fees paid directly to approved colleges, vocational schools, technical programs, or certificate courses, plus required books.
- Chapter 35 - Survivors' & Dependents' Educational Assistance Program — This benefit provides a monthly financial stipend to eligible spouses and children of Veterans. A direct monthly payment sent straight to the student to help pay for living expenses, books, or supplies while in school. (Note: It does not pay tuition directly to the school).
- Chapter 33 - Post 9/11 GI Bill® — This benefit provides education benefits to eligible service members, veterans, and dependents. The VA determines your eligibility percentage and pays covered tuition and fees directly to the school. Students eligible at the 100% benefit level may qualify for Yellow Ribbon, with the VA and Rockhurst each covering 50% of remaining eligible tuition and fees over the VA max. Eligible students may also receive a monthly housing allowance and up to $1,000 per year for books and supplies paid directly to the student.
- Chapter 1606 - Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve — This benefit provides up to 36 months of education and training assistance to members of the Selected Reserve. The Department of Veterans Affairs pays a monthly stipend directly to you, and you use it to pay your tuition and fees. Note: It does not pay tuition directly to the school.
- ArmyIgnited VolEd Tuition Assistance — This benefit is for active duty and reserve components of the US Armed Services, or National Guard components. Eligible active-duty Service members can receive TA at a rate of $250 per semester hour cap with an annual ceiling of $4,500 paid directly to the school.
- Missouri National Guard Tuition Assistance Program — This program covers 50% up to 100% of tuition and fees at eligible Missouri schools by combining state and federal benefits. Payments are made directly to the school.
The RU Student Accounts Office has a Military Affairs Coordinator who will then process the benefit with the correct government agency. Once eligibility is confirmed, it is the school's responsibility to bill the correct government agency and confirm that the funds are paid to the student's account. Per Section 103 of Public Law (PL) 115-407, 'Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018,' an individual can attend or participate in a course of education, pending VA payment, providing the individual submits a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33.
Military Tuition & Fees Billing
The Military Affairs Coordinator will bill each government entity in accordance with their rules and policies, on a semester basis. Billing will begin after the add/drop period to confirm enrollment, and the school has 30 days from the start of the semester to complete certification. The tuition and fees billed will be reduced by any tuition-specific scholarships and/or undesignated Rockhurst discount awarded to the student. Should any overpayment by the government occur, the funds will be returned to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Debt Management Center, upon request. At no time will any Rockhurst discounts be paid as a refund to the student.
Principles of Excellence (EO 13607): Background
On April 27, 2012, U.S. President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13607 establishing “Principles of Excellence” for educational institutions serving veterans, service members, spouses and other family members. This executive order addresses key areas related to federal military and veterans’ educational benefits programs.
Participating institutions were expected to comply with the executive order’s principles by the end of the 2012-2013 academic year to continue participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans and tuition assistance programs for active-duty service members and were strongly encouraged to comply with the principles if they were participating in the Post-9/11 GI Bill® program.
The following is an outline of how Rockhurst University is complying with Section 2, paragraphs (a) through (h) of EO 13607.
Standardized Cost Form: Shop Around
Rockhurst University has implemented a personalized and standardized cost form in the “Shopping Sheet” format developed by the Department of Education (for use beginning with the 2013-2014 award year).
An aid year-specific paper copy of the shopping sheet is provided with the student's award after the FAFSA has been completed. If a student has not submitted a FAFSA and has no scholarship funds to post, then their “shopping sheet” WILL NOT be mailed unless upon request. A new shopping sheet will be mailed if there is any change to a student’s financial award letter.
The “shopping sheet” provides personalized tuition, fee, book cost, and award information to all admitted students, including veterans, service members and family members. Tuition and fees change every aid year. The cost of books is estimated at around $385 per semester if buying books from the Rockhurst bookstore (subject to change). If a student has their class schedule, they can search the bookstore website for the exact book cost by clicking “Find Textbooks.”
Federal Aid Information
Students can apply for Federal Aid by completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online at studentaid.gov. Check out the website for updates on release dates.
Fall enrollment opens in April. Spring enrollment opens in October. Summer enrollment opens in March. Eligible Service members should receive approval from an Educational Service Officer (ESO) or counselor within the Military Service prior to enrolling.
The Military Affairs Coordinator invoices VA, TA or approves ArmyIgnitED funds after Add/Drop is over. This is normally after the eighth day of class. The funds billed are coordinated with financial aid given to the student.
Rockhurst University provides informational links about student aid programs and DVA & DOD education benefit programs on its public website.
State Authorization/Recruiting
Rockhurst University fully complies with the ED regulations (34 C.F.R. 668.71-668.75 and 668.14) related to program integrity issues, including restrictions on recruitment, misrepresentation and payment of incentive compensation.
Rockhurst University is accredited by:
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL, 60604
(800) 621-7440
hlcommission.org
Rockhurst University follows all requirements of our accrediting agency and any special agencies associated with the various schools and departments within the University. For more information about specific accredited programs and departments, please visit their corresponding web pages at rockhurst.edu.
Readmission / Refund
Readmission of Service Members
Rockhurst University complies with DOD/EO expectations to promptly readmit a service member into the same academic status he or she had when last attended or accepted for admission, when program attendance was interrupted due to service obligations.
Current Tuition Refund Process for Withdrawal Due to Service Obligations
Military tuition assistance is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend 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 funds originally awarded.
To comply with the new Department of Defense policy, Rockhurst University will return any unearned funds on a prorated basis on or before completing 60% of the semester/term for which the funds were provided. The amount returned is based on the student’s last day of attendance. Funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based on when a student stops attending. After the 60% period, there will be no reduction of the original charges and they are due and payable in full. The calculation is made using weeks remaining divided by the total number of weeks in the term and rounding the result downward to the nearest whole 10 percent. These funds are returned to the military service branch within 60 days of the student’s withdrawal.
16 Week Course
Full-term semester, on-campus or online
- Weeks 1-2 — 100% Return
- Weeks 3-5 — 75% Return
- Weeks 6-9 — 50% Return
- Weeks 10-11 — 25% Return (60% of course is completed)
- Weeks 12+ — 0% Return
8 Week Course
A or B session courses, in-seat or online
- Weeks 1-2 — 100% Return
- Weeks 3-4 — 50% Return
- Week 5 — 25% Return (60% of course is completed)
- Weeks 6-8 — 0% Return
For instances when a service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, the educational institution will work with the affected service member to identify solutions that will not result in student debt for the returned portion.
Individual Educational Plans
Rockhurst University supports student educational planning with an array of academic advising and evaluation tools that provide clear information detailing how students will fulfill all the requirements necessary to graduate, as well as an expected timeline of completion. These tools are provided to all students, including individuals using federal military and veteran’s educational benefits.
- Rockhurst University Catalog: An annual publication that includes a comprehensive listing of all degree, major and certificate requirements necessary for graduation is found on the Rockhurst website.
- Transfer Course Evaluations: Detailed transfer evaluations are provided for all previous coursework from other accredited institutions at the time of admission. The student’s individualized transfer evaluation indicates how many transfer credits will be awarded and how they will be applied to the student’s educational program.
- Credit for Military Training: Rockhurst awards appropriate credit for military training following ACE recommendations.
- Degree Audits: Individualized degree audit evaluations are provided for undergraduates through an online, automated degree audit system (RockWeb). The RockWeb audit details the comprehensive list of requirements, including total hours, general education, degree, major, GPA, residence credit, etc., and evaluates those requirements against the student’s transfer credits and Rockhurst credits. Student can also speak with their academic advisor to request a degree audit.
- Graduate Degree Requirements: In addition to the Rockhurst catalog, graduate degree requirements are communicated to students in a variety of ways depending on different departmental strategies, including departmentally tailored web pages, orientation, advising, advising materials, student handbooks, etc. These degree requirements are found on the Rockhurst website on the specific program’s landing page.
- Degree Maps: Academic advisors can provide guidance in mapping out detailed term-by-term course plans for each undergraduate major and registering them in these courses to stay on track for degree completion.
- Mandatory Academic Advising: All new undergraduate students are required to meet with an academic advisor during their first year of enrollment. Veterans seeking certification of VA benefits must see an advisor and submit an advisor-approved schedule each term to ensure all courses are degree-applicable.
Veterans Services Point of Contact
Rockhurst has two Military Affairs coordinators on staff, one in the Registrar’s office (enrollment verification) and one in the Student Accounts Office (tuition invoicing). The coordinators will be the main point of contact for students who are veterans, military service members or family members of such.
The coordinator is trained on answering basic questions regarding educational benefits such as ArmyIgnitED, Tuition Assistance, VA Benefits, the GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon. They are also trained to answer questions regarding federal financial aid, as well as general University policies and procedures. They will refer students (as needed) to trained colleagues in the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, Counseling and Disability Services, Career Services and Academic Advising.
For direct contacts, the following staff members can answer your questions regarding their area of expertise:
Cortenaye Moten
Registrar Records Assistant, Enrollment Verification
Military Affairs Coordinator and Veteran’s Certifying Official, 1
816-501-4048
cortenaye.moten@rockhurst.edu
Tierra Johnson, MA
Director of Operations and Technology, Student Financial Services
Military Affairs Coordinator and Veteran’s Certifying Official, 2
MASFAP member, 07’-18’
FSA Trained Aid Counselor
816-501-4856
tierra.johnson@rockhurst.edu
Pay Online
Book an appointment with Student Accounts (charges and payments)
Book an appointment with Financial Aid (scholarships and loans)
Jennifer Wright
Director of Student Financial Services
MASFAP member
FSA Trained Aid Counselor
816-501-4023
jennifer.wright@rockhurst.edu
Sara Keenan
Director of the Aylward-Dunn Learning Center
816-501-4815
sara.keenan@rockhurst.edu
Ann Hinck
Student Accessibility Services Coordinator
Learning Center, Student Success, Student Accessibility Services
Van Ackeren Hall 200F
(816) 501-4037
ann.hinck@rockhurst.edu
Mike Theobald
Director of Career Services
816-501-4861
mike.theobald@rockhurst.edu