Covered Educational Institutions
A covered educational institution is a school that enrolls 20 or more VA students using assistance under Title 10 or Title 38 United States Code during a calendar year. For schools that use centralized certification across multiple campuses, this total is based on the combined enrollment of VA students at all participating campuses.
Covered educational institutions must meet two requirements:
- Covered educational institutions must have at least one training-compliant designated SCO or the institution will be referred to the State Approving Agency (SAA) of jurisdiction for action.
- All existing, designated School Certifying Officials (SCOs) at Covered Educational Institutions are required to complete a specific number of training modules/training events, annually, to maintain their access to certify enrollments to VA.
Important: If your school is identified as a covered educational institution, SCOs must complete required annual training during the training window for that year.
Check whether your school is covered
Use the workbook for the appropriate training year to determine whether your school is identified as a covered educational institution.
Download the workbook to view it on your device.
What covered schools need to do
If your school is identified as covered, make sure your SCOs:
- complete the required annual SCO training during the training window,
- stay current on VA education benefit requirements, and
- maintain accurate certification and reporting practices.
Why this matters
Annual SCO training helps schools stay informed about current policies, compliance expectations, and reporting responsibilities related to VA education benefits.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a school a covered educational institution?
A school, or group of campuses participating in centralized certification, may be considered covered if it enrolled 20 or more students using VA education benefits during the previous calendar year.
Does “20 or more” include exactly 20 students?
Yes. If your school enrolled exactly 20 students using VA education benefits, it meets the threshold.
How is the student count determined?
The count is based on students who used VA education benefits under Title 38 or Title 10 during the previous calendar year.
Do all SCOs at a covered school need to complete the training?
All existing designated SCOs at a covered educational institution must complete the required annual training. New SCOs only need to complete the required training for new SCOs for their first training year (October – September) as a designated certifying official.
If my school was covered last year, is it automatically covered this year?
No. Covered status is determined each year based on the previous calendar year’s enrollment of students using VA education benefits.
What if my school is not listed in the workbook?
If your school does not appear in the workbook for that training year, it may not be identified as a covered educational institution for that cycle. Review the workbook carefully and contact your Education Liaison Representative if you need help confirming your status.
Do multi-campus institutions need to check each location separately?
In some cases, schools may need to verify status by campus or facility code. If your schools participate in centralized certification and the number of GI Bill® enrollments for all campuses is 20 or more, then all participating campuses are covered. Review the workbook and follow any institution-specific guidance provided by VA.
Where can SCOs complete the required training?
Existing SCOs can complete required annual training through attending VA-hosted training events - either in real time or by viewing a previously recorded webinar available for self-certification, attending VA-authored conference presentations delivered by VA or SAA personnel, or by completing self-paced training modules in the SCO Training Portal.
Who can I contact if I have questions?
If you have questions about your school's covered status or SCO training requirements, contact your Education Liaison Representative or the National Training Team-Schools.
