Military Members
The University of Arkansas is proud to be a military-friendly institution. We highly value our students who serve their country while pursuing their goals for higher education.
The MS in Operations Management program has students serving in all branches of the military, as well as those separated/retired. We serve military students located throughout the country and the globe. Military personnel may be eligible for Tuition Assistance and/or Veterans Affairs (VA) educational benefits.
While many of our military-affiliated students are connected to these bases, we also serve hundreds of military students located throughout the country and the globe. Military personnel may be eligible for Tuition Assistance or Veterans Affairs (VA) educational benefits. To find out more about how we can serve your educational needs, please click on the links below. All general inquiries should be directed to the VA Certifying Official at (479) 575-8742 or vmsc@uark.edu.
Military and Veterans’ Resources
- Veteran and Military-Affiliated Student Center
Central point of contact for prospective or current University of Arkansas student veterans who need assistance with the admissions process, applying for military educational benefits and scholarships, and referrals to various academic departments around campus. VA Certifying Official for the Fayetteville campus is Debra LaBounty. She is located in the Arkansas Union, room 632. Her contact information is (479) 575-4585, vmsc@uark.edu.
- Academic Scholarship Office – Military Scholarships
Using Your VA / GI Bill® Educational Benefits
Veterans of any service wishing to utilize their education benefits with the VA, should follow these simple steps below. However, it is best to contact vric@uark.edu first for specific instructions. In general, most will follow the steps below:
- Go to va.gov, the Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill®website and "Apply for Benefits" to initiate your benefit. File the VA form 22-1990 if this is the first time using your benefit, or file the VA form 22-1995 if not the first time using your benefit. Indicate that you are now attending University of Arkansas, Operations Management graduate program.
- Complete the VONAPP (Veterans Online Application)
- Save a digital copy of your VA application and then email that to the Veterans Resource and Information Center at vmsc@uark.edu
- In addition to proof of filing to activate your benefits, the VA requires that the University of Arkansas' VA Certifying Official has a copy. Please send to vmsc@uark.edu; include your student ID number in the email. Once you have established use of your VA benefit, as above and you are enrolled in a class, all VA students must file the Request for Certification prior to each session. This is a simple online form that just takes a moment. This form will ensure your tuition and fees are deferred until the payments are received from the VA.
You must register your courses each session and each time you add, drop or swap a course. To register your courses each session, please go to vmsc.uark.edu and follow these steps:
- Click on Current Students (left hand side of the page)
- Scroll down until you see "All Graduate Students" and follow the link to request certification of your courses
- Fill out the form and submit it to complete your certification. Your submission goes to the Veterans Resource and Information Center and will be certified by the VA Certifying Official. Contact information is vmsc@uark.edu or (479) 575-4585.
Though the University’s Graduate School considers 9 credit hours per semester as full-time, per directive of the VA, the number of hours that qualify for full-time status is set by each particular graduate program. This differs from requirements for undergraduate studies that are set by the VA. Because of this requirement to certify the student each enrolled session, the MSOM program, with its 8- week sessions, determines six hours within a session as full-time, and three hours as half-time. Full-time or half-time status will be established each session that the student attends a course: six hours per session is full time, three hours is half time. This applies to both the Montgomery and the Post 9/11 GI Bill
The University assumes no further responsibility for a student’s transactions with the Veterans Administration and neither the University nor the Armed Services make any guarantee as to the availability of veteran’s benefits to a particular student. A student who registers and officially withdraws from all classes in a semester will receive refund of tuition, as provided in the University of Arkansas Registrar’s Administrative Calendar. (Note: When a student who has received Tuition Assistance from the military is entitled to a refund, the refund shall be paid by the University to the Armed Service and to the student in the same ratio that each paid.) Information for students claiming VA benefits: The VA payment made for other than a complete term may be less than the tuition collected by the University in accordance with the schedule of tuition refunds given above. It is the responsibility of the student to pay all fees whether VA benefits are received or not. Upon notification by a student of his/her withdrawal from a course, the certifying official will execute VA Form 22-1999b and forward it to the appropriate Veterans’ Affairs Office.
