Veteran Support Services

Veteran Support Services at Alaska Pacific University

Support for Veterans, Active Duty Service Members, and Their Families

At Alaska Pacific University, we honor your service and are committed to helping you succeed in your educational journey. Whether you’re an active duty service member, veteran, or a family member, we provide the resources, guidance, and support you need to achieve your academic and career goals in a welcoming and purpose-driven environment.
Our team is here to assist you every step of the way, from navigating VA benefits to finding a personalized academic path that aligns with your aspirations. Don’t hesitate to reach out – we’re here to ensure your transition to university life is smooth and rewarding.

Contact Us Today at veterans@alaskapacific.edu

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

VA Resources

How to Receive VA Benefits

You will need to create an account to begin your online application. This new username and password is only for the application and will cease to be valid once you submit the completed application.

New Students: 

  • Before VA pays anything, the student must create an account and apply for benefits with the VA: https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/
  • The application for educational benefits must be completed even if you are receiving transferred benefits from a family member.
  • If you need to see the differences between benefits chapters, there is a GI Bill® Comparison Tool online.

Transfer Students:

Only the VA can say whether you are eligible for any benefits.

A VA student must be able to show the VA covers them to the college by providing a Certificate of Eligibility [COE], an approved 1905, or a Statement of Benefits from eBenefits.  Students are required to submit proof of VA educational benefits by census point for the requested academic term.

The COE will be delivered via USPS or will update in your eBenefits portal.  On eBenefits, this is alternately called the Statement of Benefits.  Please print this page as PDF and email it to the School Certifying Officials (SCOs) at veterans@alaskapacific.edu.

A copy of your COE & DD214 must be forwarded to veterans@alaskapacific.edu or dropped off in person at Student Enrollment Services (SES) in the Carr-Gottstein building.

  • APU VA Certification Request Form
  • Submit your VCR as soon as possible.  The recommendation is to fill out this form after you register for courses.
  • We cannot accept back-dated requests for past semesters.
  • Watch your APU Email for further information, approvals, or denials from veterans@alaskapacific.edu.
  • APU’s Certification Process
    • Step 1 – Hours submitted to VA upon acceptance of VCR.
    • Step 2 – Tuition and Fees submitted to the VA (selected Chapters), calculated after the drop deadline of the current term (Census Date).
    • Click Here to review the Academic Calendar and Census Dates.
    • Any changes to your schedule MUST be communicated to the SCOs via veterans@alaskapacific.edu.*
  • Students must notify the SCO in person or by emailing the APU Veterans email
    (veterans@alaskapacific.edu) when they wish to change their schedules.
    • Registration holds will be placed on students’ accounts once registered and their initial certification has been submitted to the VA.
  • An additional form must be filled out and returned to the SCO before any changes are made to students’ schedules.
    • Students can fill the form out in person with the SCO or fill out the form.
    • Once the SCO receives the form, the hold on the account will be lifted for 24 hours for students to make changes.  
    • After 24 hours, the hold will be placed back on the account.  Any additional changes will require another form.
    • The SCO will resubmit your certification to the VA with the updated schedule information.
    • Failure to report changes in enrollment promptly will slow down the processing of your VA funding and could lead to debts with the VA and/or APU.  Additionally, schedule changes may affect your VA benefits.

IMPORTANT:  If you have a change of enrollment which resulted in an over-payment of tuition and fees or Yellow Ribbon, you may see that debt indicated as a tuition and fee or Yellow Ribbon debt amount to be collected.  However, the VA will not collect the tuition and fee or Yellow Ribbon debt from the student.  Rather, VA will collect this amount from APU (Authority 38 U.S.C. 3685(b))  In turn, APU may require the student to pay any outstanding balance for tuition and fees or Yellow Ribbon.  The VA will not manage your tuition and fee or Yellow Ribbon debts anymore – schools will hold these debts.  Students will have to go through APU’s Student Accounts office if any money is owed for dropping a class or withdrawing from school.

The VA And Financial Aid

  • Applying for Financial Aid:
    Begin by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.gov. Be sure to include APU’s FAFSA code: 001061.

  • How Scholarships & Grants Work with VA Benefits:
    • Scholarships and grants that are restricted to tuition and fees will reduce the amount requested from your VA Educational Benefits.
    • These tuition and fee scholarships/grants will be applied directly to your account balance.
    • For scholarships and grants that specify funds can be used for miscellaneous expenses, VA students may receive a distribution of any excess funds.

  • Need Help?
    For assistance with financial aid, scholarships, or understanding how they interact with your VA benefits, contact the Office of Financial Aid:

Take full advantage of the resources available to support your academic journey at APU.

Other Resources for Veterans

If you have questions, please contact a School Certifying Official (SCO) at veterans@alaskapacific.edu.

The SCOs are located in the Student Education Services suite in the Carr-Gottstein building.

Contact: dss@alaskapacific.edu or call 907-564-8287.

The Dean of Students and Disability Services is located in the Atwood Center.

https://benefits.va.gov/anchorage

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
1201 N Muldoon Road
Anchorage, AK 99504
Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4pm

https://www.veteranscrisisline.net

Text 838255

Call 988, then press 1

866-648-7334

https://vetsrecover.org/

855-838-8255

https://www.vets4warriors.com