Requirements for Payments and Enrollment

Learn how course enrollment, schedule changes, and certification requirements affect your VA Education Benefits and monthly payments at CNM.

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How the VA Determines Your Stipend Payments

The VA determines your monthly stipend payment based on:  

  • The number of credit hours taken  
  • The start and end dates of each class  

You are paid only for the days your classes are in session. To receive the same payment rate throughout the term, all courses should begin and end on the same dates. If courses begin or end at different times, your monthly payment will be adjusted.  

  • VA payments are made after the month has ended.  
  • Advance payment is not available at CNM.  

How the VA Determines Full-Time Enrollment

Examples of how many credit hours are considered full-time to the VA based on the length of the class: 

15-Week Courses (Fall and Spring Full-Term) 

  • 12 or more credit hours = Full time   
  • 9 – 11 credit hours = 3/4 time   
  • 6 – 8 credit hours = 1/2 time   
  • Less than 6 credit hours = 1/4 time or the cost of your tuition and fees (whichever is less)  

12-Week Courses (Summer Full-Term)  

  • 8 or more credit hours = Full time   
  • 6 – 7 credit hours = 3/4 time   
  • 4 – 5 credit hours = 1/2 time   
  • Less than 4 credit hours = 1/4 time or the cost of your tuition and fees (whichever is less)  

8-Week Courses (Fall and Spring Half-Term) 

6 or more credit hours = Full time   

1-Week Courses (Intersession Courses) 

1 or more credit hours = Full time   

Prevent Incurring Debt When Making Changes to Your Schedule or Program  

You must notify the VRC if you:  

  • Add or drop a course  
  • Withdraw from a course  
  • Change your program  
  • Change grading option (Audit or Credit/No Credit) 

Any changes to your schedule may result in incurring a debt with the VA. If left unpaid, may result in collections actions.  

If you receive an overpayment notice, contact VA Debt Management at  1-800-827-0648. 

VRC Semester Hold 

The VRC Semester Hold is intended to help prevent our students from incurring debts to the VA and CNM due to changes made to your schedule. This hold is placed on your student account around two weeks after the start of the term and will be lifted prior to registration for the next term. 

Should you wish to add or drop a class while the hold is in place, please contact the VRC at 505-224-4000 ext. 20456. The hold will be temporarily lifted for a 24 to 72-hour period to allow you to change your schedule. 

Any changes made to your schedule after the 100% refund deadline can cause a debt with the VA and CNM. It is your responsibility to pay this debt back. If there are mitigating circumstances that are preventing you from continuing your course(s), please inform the VRC prior to dropping the course(s). 

VA Education Benefit Requirements by Chapter

Chapter 30: Montgomery GI Bill 

Benefit Coverage 

For Chapter 30, the VA only pays a monthly stipend. See  Chapter 30 Rates or use the GI Bill Comparison Tool. 

Tuition and fees are the responsibility of the student. Set up a Payment Plan with the Cashier’s Office to prevent from being dropped from courses. 

If your enrollment is considered less than half-time and your tuition and fees are less than the monthly rate, you will not receive a monthly stipend but instead a lump sum (1 payment) for the tuition cost at the start of each term. 

Requirements for Certification

Chapter 31: Veteran Readiness and Employment

Benefit Coverage  

  • In-state tuition and required fees for certifiable courses (paid directly to CNM).  
  • Monthly housing stipend during term (paid directly to the student)  
  • Required book and supplies based on the approved PO (paid directly to CNM Bookstore)  
  • Students are responsible for any remaining balance not covered by the Purchase Order (PO).  

See Chapter 31 rates or use the GI Bill Comparison Tool. 

Supervision of Enrollment  

If approved, Chapter 31 assigns a Case Manager or Veteran Readiness and Employment Counselor to each student to create a plan and approves purchases on behalf of VA. Students using Chapter 31: Veteran Readiness and Employment must maintain regular communication with their Counselor and do the following: 

  • You must meet with your Counselor prior to each term to review and approve your schedule  
  • Any changes to your schedule must be approved by your Counselor before making the change  
  • Books and required supplies should be picked up as soon as the bookstore allows and you are registered for classes  
  • Additional items required by an instructor (as listed in the syllabus) or needed to complete the course (laptop, printer, etc.) must be approved by your Counselor  

If additional supplies are needed beyond the standard $50 supply stipend, submit your syllabus to your Counselor for approval.  If books and supplies are not picked up during the designated bookstore pickup dates, the items may not be covered by the VA.  

Class Certification Requirements  

The VA can only certify:  

  • Courses required for your CNM program that are approved by your Counselor  
  • Courses that are listed on your current Purchase Order (PO) or have written approval from your Counselor 

Any program or course not approved on your PO or by your Counselor cannot be certified. 

Requirements for Certification

Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill 

Also Includes: 

  • Chapter 33: Post-9/11 GI Bill Transfer of Entitlement (TOE): The Veteran Sponsor transfer their full or partial benefits to their Dependent(s) while on Active Duty or in the Selected Reserves. See the VA's Transfer Your Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits webpage. 
  • Chapter 33 (100%): Fry Scholarship: Survivor of a Service Member or member of the Selected Reserve who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition. See the VA's Fry Scholarship webpage. You may also qualify for Chapter 35 Dependent Education Assistance. 

Benefit Coverage 

For Chapter 33, your VA Entitlement Percentage is determined by your length of active-duty service. See Chapter 33 rates and use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to view this regions stipend rates.

Based on your Entitlement Percentage, the VA will pay:   

  • In-state tuition and required fees for certifiable courses (paid directly to CNM).  
  • Monthly housing stipend during term (paid directly to the student).
  • Book stipend at the beginning of term based on credit hours taken (up to $1000 per academic year paid directly to the student). 

Students are responsible for any remaining balance if entitlement is less than 100%.  

If all of your classes are fully online with no in-person component, your monthly housing and book stipends will be reduced by half. 

If your rate of pursuit is half-time or less, you will not receive a monthly housing or book stipend for that enrollment period. 

The monthly housing stipend and book stipend are not payable to individuals on Active Duty.     

Requirements for Certification

Chapter 35: Dependent Education Assistance 

Benefit Coverage  

For Chapter 35, the VA only pays a monthly stipend. See Chapter 35 rates or use the GI Bill Comparison Tool.

Tuition and fees are the responsibility of the student. Set up a payment plan with the Cashier’s Office to prevent from being dropped from courses. 

If your enrollment is considered less than half-time and your tuition and fees are less than the monthly rate, you will not receive a monthly stipend but instead a lump sum (1 payment) for the tuition cost at the start of each term. 

Requirements for Certification

Chapter 1606: Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve / Guard 

Benefit Coverage  

For Chapter 1606, the VA only pays a monthly stipend. See Chapter 1606 rates or use the GI Bill Comparison Tool.

Tuition and fees are the responsibility of the student. Set up a payment plan with the Cashier’s Office to prevent from being dropped from courses. 

If your enrollment is considered less than half-time and your tuition and fees are less than the monthly rate, you will not receive a monthly stipend but instead a lump sum (1 payment) for the tuition cost at the start of each term. 

Requirements for Certification

NM Wartime and Vietnam Scholarship 

Benefit Coverage  

  • In-state tuition and required fees for approved program (paid directly to CNM).  
  • Required book and supplies through Book Allowance (paid directly to CNM Bookstore)  

NMDVS will not cover tuition or books if your declared program at CNM does not match your current Certificate of Eligibility. For continuing use of this scholarship, new application and supporting documents must be submitted to NMDVS by June 1 of each year. For more information, see the NMHED's Wartime and Vietnam Scholarship webpage. 

Requirements for Certification