Office of Military Affairs
Matthew Cooper, M.B.A.
Vice President of Student Financial Services
Emily Foutz, B.S., M.A.
Director of Military Affairs - Student Services
Stephanie Sabas, M.A.
Director of Military Affairs - Compliance
The Office of Military Affairs is a knowledgeable resource for service members and veterans to help those who serve to achieve their academic goals. The services provided include military and veteran benefits counseling to help each student through the process of requesting Tuition Assistance (TA) and veterans’ benefits, processing and follow-through with government agencies, and assistance when military deployment, temporary duty, and permanent change of station orders present a challenge to academic progress.
Military Affairs collaborates with military and veteran organizations to offer a wide variety of military and veteran support programs. Liberty University also participates in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Yellow Ribbon Program.
For more information, please visit the Military Student web page.
Policies
Tuition Assistance
Tuition Assistance (TA) is a government benefit offered to current service members of all branches of the Armed Forces to assist with the cost of tuition. Students may find information on the general process to request TA and policies for utilizing Military TA on our webpage.
Veteran’s Benefits
Liberty University is approved to offer GI Bill® educational benefits by the Virginia State Approving Agency. These benefits include the Montgomery GI Bill (Active Duty/Selected Reserves), Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program, as well as those who qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Veteran Readiness and Employment. Liberty University will allow students to participate in all aspects of their education without a penalty, assessment of late fees, denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or require that an individual receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill or Veteran Readiness and Employment funding borrow additional funds due to an inability to meet financial obligation to the institution due to delayed disbursement of payment of these benefits. For students utilizing the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Veteran Readiness and Employment benefits, once documentation is received and courses are certified, a projected credit is placed on the student’s account for Financial Check-In (FCI). Students must complete FCI to secure their courses. For Veteran Readiness and Employment students, a 28-1905 is required to receive projected credit. When veterans using the Post-9/11 benefit are close to exhausting entitlement, projected credit cannot be applied. These students will be given a special payment plan that will not require any payment until 90 days into the term. This will give time for all remaining entitlement payments to be received. The military payment plans for residential and online students are available through FCI for online students using Montgomery, Selected Reserve, and Survivors’ and Dependents’ GI Bill benefits. The deferred payment plan is available through FCI for residential students using Montgomery, Selected Reserve, and Survivors’ and Dependents’ GI Bill benefits. Please note this option will not be made available until after the Office of Military Affairs has verified the student’s eligibility with the VA.
Beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year, Liberty will terminate VA education benefits for any student who remains on academic suspension for more than one calendar year. Benefits will only be reinstated once the student completes sufficient academic progress to return to satisfactory academic standing.
Students may find information on the general process and policies for using these benefits on our GI Bill webpage.
Military Incompletes
Military service members are eligible for a military incomplete for coursework that they are unable to complete on time due to deployments, extended cruises, unit operational tempo, or other duty-related extenuating circumstances. To obtain an incomplete, a military student must send either a current copy of official military orders (as proof of professional conflict during enrollment in the course) or a signed letter on official letterhead from the student’s commander or supervisor. Incomplete requests and supporting documents should be emailed to the professor. Please Note: Incompletes must be secured no later than two weeks prior to the course end date.
Extensions may be requested from the professor and students may be granted up to four weeks in extreme circumstances but should typically remain in a 2-3 week time frame to stay within compliance for grade reporting policies with the Department of Defense. Students can request a military withdrawal only up to the original end date of the course. Once the original end date of the course has passed, students will not be able to request a withdrawal for any reason. Professors should use discernment when reviewing military documentation to avoid awarding an incomplete to a student who will not feasibly be able to complete the course. Military students should notify their military education office of a course incomplete if they are using Tuition Assistance.
The Office of Military Affairs is available to help professors review military orders (as the need arises) by phone at (434) 592-5990, fax at (434) 455-1287, and through email at lumilitary@liberty.edu.
Military Deployment
Liberty University understands the demands placed on today’s service members and we are willing to work with our students when their military duty causes delays in their academic progress. According to military policy for Tuition Assistance, the University must post grades within 30-days of the end date of the course. If a military student needs additional time to complete their course requirements due to deployments, extended cruises, unit operational tempo, or other duty-related extenuating circumstances, they have two options:
- They may contact their professor and request up to an additional three weeks to complete the requirements.
- Should they need more time, they can request a military withdrawal.
Military students who have received advanced notification orders are required to provide documentation for their military-related absence two weeks prior to the absence when feasible; however, students should turn in documentation as soon as the orders are received. Whenever possible, students are required to be proactive by turning in preassigned coursework before their military-related absence begins. In the event of a short-notice military obligation (e.g. State Active Duty, emergency mobilization, rescheduled training assembly, etc.), students must notify faculty members as soon as possible. Faculty are encouraged to provide students with alternative deadlines if military obligations predicate the need for short-term absences in online courses. Students are subject to unofficial withdrawals for extended absences.
Military students must notify their Military Education Office of a course Incomplete if they are receiving Tuition Assistance. Incomplete requests and supporting documents may be faxed to (434) 455-1287, scanned and emailed to luomilitary@liberty.edu, or mailed to:
Liberty University; Liberty University Online Office of Military Affairs 1971 University Blvd. Lynchburg, VA 24515
Military Withdrawals
Students with qualifying military reasons for a withdrawal may appeal for a Military Withdrawal, which, if approved, will waive the tuition charges associated with the withdrawn course(s). Military Withdrawals can be granted through an appeal supported by specific military documentation and will allow the tuition charges for the withdrawn course to be waived if the appeal is approved. Students who are approved for a military withdrawal receive a full refund of tuition for the course. Residential students may also be refunded fees, room and board, and deposits, or these can be held and applied for a future semester. All Military Withdrawal requests are reviewed on an individual, case-by-case basis.
How to Request a Military Withdrawal
Step One: Withdraw from your course(s)
Online students may contact an Academic Advisor at (800) 424-9595 to discuss this possibility, and residential students may visit the Office of the Registrar in person.
Step Two: Request a Military Withdrawal
Online students will need to contact the Office of Military Affairs at 434-592-5990 or at luomilitary@liberty.edu to see if their situation meets the criteria for a military withdrawal.
Residential students will need to contact the Professional Advisor in the College of Applied Studies and Academic Success in Demoss Room 1100 or by phone at (434) 592-4110 or by email at advising@liberty.edu.
Step Three: Submit Documentation for a Military Withdrawal
A thorough review of supporting military documentation is required for a military withdrawal to be approved. Supporting documentation includes a copy of military orders or a letter from a commanding officer for review. These documents must be official and specific enough to indicate the dates of deployment or duty.
Online students will submit documentation to the Office of Military Affairs at luomilitary@liberty.edu.
Residential students will submit documentation to the Office of Military Affairs at luomilitary@liberty.edu.
Returning from Deployment
Liberty University has processes in place for military students returning from deployment to ensure academic progress is not harmed. Upon return from deployment, students will need to contact the University to begin the process of readmission.
Step One: Contact Liberty University
Online students and residential graduate students should contact the Office of Military Affairs by phone at (434) 592-5990 or by email to luomilitary@liberty.edu. Residential undergraduate students should contact the Professional Advisor in the College of Applied Studies and Academic Success by phone at (434) 592-4110 or by email at advising@liberty.edu.
Step Two: Application/ Reinstatement
A new application will need to be submitted to an Admissions Counselor. Online students may call (800) 424-9595 to reapply. Residential students may call (800) 543-5317 to reapply. Once reaccepted, military documentation can be sent to the Office of Military Affairs verifying that broken enrollment occurred due to military deployment. Military documentation can be emailed to luomilitary@liberty.edu. Once it has been confirmed that the broken enrollment was due to military deployment, the application will be processed as reinstatement under the original degree plan.
Residential undergraduate students returning from military duty after breaking enrollment may submit a Financial Aid Scholarship Appeal to request that previous institutional aid be reapplied to the new semester. Students can contact Financial Aid by phone at (434) 582-2270 or by email at financialaid@liberty.edu.
The admissions application fee is waived for military students when reapplying for admission.
Step Three: Get Connected
If military students returning from deployment need assistance, the Office of Military Affairs can be contacted by phone at (434) 592-5990 or by email at luomilitary@liberty.edu. Residential students may also visit the Veterans Center located in the Montview Student Union in Suite 2770 (second floor), or contact the Military Student Liaison at (434) 592-5656 or by email at militarypoc@liberty.edu.
Grievance Procedure
The Virginia State Approving Agency (SAA) is the approving authority of education and training programs for Virginia. Our office investigates complaints of GI Bill® beneficiaries. While most complaints should initially follow the school grievance policy, if the situation cannot be resolved at the school, the beneficiary should contact our office via email at saa@dvs.virginia.gov.
Contact Information
The Office of Military Affairs is committed to our mission of supporting military service members, veterans, and their families. You may contact a Military Benefits Representative by phone, email, chat, or by visiting one of our locations on campus to meet with a Military Benefits Representative. Our contact information can be found on our Contact Us web page.
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/.