When George Mason reports your enrollment(s) to the VA, we provide the number of credits in which you are enrolled and the term(s) those classes fall under.
Chapter 33 Undergraduate Full Semester Rate of Pursuit
Credits |
Rate of Pursuit |
|
12+ |
100% |
|
11 |
90% |
|
10 |
80% |
|
9 |
80% |
|
8 |
70% |
|
7 |
60% |
|
6 |
50%* |
|
5 |
40%* |
|
4 |
30%* |
|
3 |
30%* |
|
2 |
20%* |
|
1 |
10%* |
*Rate of pursuit must be greater than 50% in order to receive a monthly housing allowance.
In a non-standard term, the VA determines your credit hour equivalent using the following formula:
Credits x 18 / Weeks
The VA calculates the number of weeks in a term by taking the number of days in a term and dividing by 7. They will then round to the nearest week (for example, 8 weeks and 3 days is rounded to 8 weeks, while four weeks and 4 days is rounded to 5 weeks).
The VA multiplies the number of credits you are taking in the term by 18. They divide this number by the number of weeks of the term.
The VA then compares this credit hour equivalent to the above table to determine your rate of pursuit.
Example:
You are in a 3-credit undergraduate class during the Summer A Session term. This term is 5 weeks in length. (3 credits x 18) ÷ 5 weeks = 10.8 (rounded to 11).
The VA determines that 3 credits in five weeks is the equivalent of 11 credits in a normal undergraduate semester. Looking at the table above, we see that 11 credits in a normal semester is a 90% rate of pursuit.
For these five weeks, you will receive applicable stipends at a 90% rate of pursuit, and the VA will deduct 90% of five weeks from your remaining entitlement.
If your classes are in overlapping terms, the VA will use whichever rate of pursuit calculation is highest during the overlap period. While this benefits you from a housing stipend perspective, you should be aware that your benefit is also being reduced at the higher rate.
Example:
You are a Chapter 33 undergraduate student in a total of 12 credits: three 3 credit classes that run from 1/24 to 5/10 and one 3 credit class from 3/15 to 4/25. We report this as two separate enrollments: 9 credits under the Spring standard semester and 3 credits as a non-standard term.
In this scenario, you would receive multiple rate of pursuit calculations from the VA.
Beginning on 1/24, you are in 9 standard semester credits. You would need to be in 12 credits to have a 100% rate of pursuit. Your benefits during this period are charged at an 80% rate of pursuit, and you receive 80% of the monthly housing allowance (if applicable). This rate of pursuit changes when the non-standard term starts.
In the middle of these standard semester classes, your non-standard term class begins.
Beginning on 3/15, you are now in a total of 12 credits, and have a 100% rate of pursuit. Your benefits during this period are charged at the 100% rate of pursuit, and you receive 100% of the monthly housing allowance (if applicable). This rate of pursuit changes when your non-standard term ends.
When the non-standard term class ends on 4/25, you are again in 9 credits, and you return to an 80% rate of pursuit. Your benefits are charged at an 80% rate of pursuit, and you receive 80% of the monthly housing allowance (if applicable).