VA Form 22-1995 in 2026: Changing Schools on the GI Bill®

If you’re a veteran changing schools or programs on the GI Bill®, you may have been told to file VA Form 22-1995. VA no longer points to that form: its pages for Form 22-1995 now open VA’s Change your GI Bill benefits page (last updated August 17, 2026), and VA’s how-to-apply page (last updated October 23, 2026) says you’ll need proof of eligibility if you’re changing schools. This guide walks you through what to do instead: confirm your benefit, prepare the change, and coordinate with your school so your education plan and enrollment certification match.

1. Before you start: confirm your benefit and destination

A school change should start with the degree you need, not the paperwork. Identify the skills, credential, and course schedule that support your civilian career goal before asking VA to update your education record.

If you are considering a different attendance format, the hybrid degree guide for veterans explains another part of that decision. Confirm the actual course requirements with the school rather than relying on the word hybrid.

Why this matters

Changing your education-benefit record is separate from getting admitted and registering for classes. Your receiving school also needs to evaluate transfer credits and certify eligible enrollment to VA.

Neither a VA request nor your COE admits you to a school, awards transfer credit, or guarantees payment. Treat the VA side and the school’s enrollment process as connected tasks, not substitutes for each other.

Before you prepare a 2026 change, gather:

• Your benefit information: Know which education benefit you are using. Have your Certificate of Eligibility (COE), if available, and your previous school or training information nearby.
• Your destination details: Confirm the receiving school’s name, campus, intended program, and expected enrollment dates. Identify its School Certifying Official (SCO), the person responsible for reporting enrollment to VA.
• The easily missed issue: A school accepting you does not establish that your exact program and location are approved for your benefit. Confirm those details with the receiving SCO before making enrollment commitments.

Which VA form, if any, you need now

VA Form 22-1995, Request for Change of Program or Place of Training, used to cover changes under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, and Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve. VA’s pages for that form now open its Change your GI Bill benefits page, which does not list it. As of VA’s pages checked October 2026:

Older guides and some school pages may still name Form 22-1995 or its dependents’ version, Form 22-5495. Do not select a form solely because you are a veteran’s dependent or because an old checklist names it. Confirm the current instructions on VA’s official pages.

If you use Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), also called Chapter 31, contact your VR&E counselor about the proposed change. Do not assume a school change or a VA form replaces counselor approval of your rehabilitation plan.

2. Prepare your change request

Your school-change worksheet

1. Identify your current benefit. Use your VA education records rather than guessing from a payment description. If you have used different benefits, confirm which one applies to the enrollment you plan to change.
2. Record your previous training. Gather the former school’s name, the program you attended, and your attendance dates.
3. Confirm your destination. Ask the receiving SCO which school, campus, and program information it needs. A university’s main address is not necessarily the location where you will attend.
4. Match your dates to your plan. Use your actual intended enrollment information. Resolve uncertainty about your final term at the old school before presenting the change as settled.

Expected result: You have a consistent set of school, program, and attendance details ready for the receiving school and any VA request.

Check the academic consequences first

Ask the receiving school which completed courses apply to your new degree. A transcript showing earned credits is not the same as a degree audit showing credits accepted toward graduation.

Request an explanation of remaining requirements. Compare prerequisites, course sequence, required attendance, and whether courses you need fit your work and family schedule.

For a 2026 move to distance learning, use the online-college guide for veterans to organize your questions about format and student support. Verify the exact program with the school before treating it as a fit.

Choose the right route

These are paperwork routes, not competing benefits or a ranking.

Use VA’s current instructions for the route you select. Do not rely on a saved mailing address or an old copy of a form when preparing a new request.

3. Submit the request and coordinate certification

Your proof of eligibility and any VA request

1. Get your proof of eligibility. If you applied in the past and are eligible, VA lets you get it online to give to your school. Keep a copy with your education records.
2. If you are also changing benefits, use VA’s current form. VA lists Form 22-1990 for Post-9/11 users, 22-5490 for DEA and 22-1990e for transferred benefits. Follow the current online prompts or paper-form instructions.
3. Review before submitting. Check the receiving institution, program, contact information, and dates. Correct errors before sending the request.
4. Keep a submission record. Save the confirmation supplied by the online process or a copy of what you submitted.

Expected result: You have proof of eligibility for your new school and a record of any VA request you sent. Neither is a VA decision on payment.

Your receiving school’s certification

1. Contact the receiving SCO. Explain that you are changing schools or programs and identify the education benefit you intend to use.
2. Ask what the school needs. Follow its process for providing your COE, benefit information, and any required school documents. Do not assume your old school transfers everything automatically.
3. Confirm your registered courses. Ask which courses count toward your approved program and what enrollment the school expects to certify.
4. Resolve old-school changes. If you withdraw, drop courses, or change attendance dates, notify the former school and ask its SCO about the enrollment information already reported to VA.

Expected result: You know what the receiving school needs, what it plans to certify, and whether your former school must report a change.

Review benefit-related differences

A 2026 school change can alter more than your mailing address. Ask about approved program costs, attendance format, and any benefit-related conditions before comparing your expected support.

For the GI Bill housing payment, most people say BAH; VA calls it the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Eligibility and amounts depend on your circumstances and certified enrollment, and VA pays no MHA while you are on active duty. To estimate the rate at a new campus, try the MHA Calculator.

If Yellow Ribbon matters to your graduate-school plan, review the Yellow Ribbon guide for graduate students. Confirm participation and applicable conditions with the receiving school; do not assume arrangements carry over from your former institution.

4. Change programs without changing schools

A new major can require coordination even when your campus stays the same. The academic department approves your degree plan, while the SCO handles education-benefit certification.

Your internal program-change process

1. Meet with your academic adviser. Confirm the proposed major or degree and request an updated list of remaining requirements.
2. Notify the SCO before assuming certification stays unchanged. Ask what update your change requires under your benefit; VA no longer lists Form 22-1995 for this.
3. Review every registered course. Identify which courses apply to the new program. Ask about courses that belonged to the former degree plan but do not appear in the new one.
4. Complete the required updates. Follow the school’s academic process and VA’s applicable instructions. Keep copies of the revised degree plan and submitted requests.

Expected result: Your academic record, planned courses, and benefit-certification information describe the same program.

What if only your attendance format changes?

Moving from campus classes to online classes is not automatically the same as changing your degree. Still, tell the SCO because course format can affect the enrollment information reported to VA.

For a 2026 format change, ask about the actual courses and attendance requirements. A hybrid program may qualify for resident-rate MHA under applicable VA rules, but the label alone does not establish eligibility.

Keep the career goal constant while checking the administrative changes. A more convenient schedule is useful only if the courses still move you toward the credential you need.

5. Troubleshoot your school or program change

You gave the new school your COE, but it has no certification on file

Contact the receiving SCO and ask whether it has submitted your enrollment certification. Your proof of eligibility does not perform that task for the school.

Your old and new attendance dates conflict

Compare your actual course dates with the records held by both schools. Ask each SCO to review the enrollment it reported, and contact VA about the effect on your benefits rather than assuming overlapping dates are harmless.

You were told to file Form 22-1995

Older instructions may still name it. Check VA’s Change your GI Bill benefits page, ask your SCO what the school needs, and contact VA if you already sent the old form. Do not send repeated applications with different answers simply to see which one processes first.

Your transfer credits leave unexpected requirements

Ask the receiving adviser for a written degree audit. Separate credits accepted by the institution from credits that satisfy your specific program, then reassess whether the move still serves your career plan.

Your budget no longer fits the new program

Verify the school’s charges and your benefit coverage separately. The scholarship guide for veterans and military families offers another research starting point; an application does not establish an award.

Customize your education plan

Keep a single record containing your degree audit, school contacts, proof of eligibility, any VA confirmation, and unresolved questions. For a 2026 change, record the term and program involved so later conversations refer to the same plan.

VeteranDegrees provides educational guidance for veterans who want help comparing school plans and understanding benefit questions. It is not a school or VA, and its Benefits Navigator cannot decide eligibility or approve your change.

6. FAQ

Is VA Form 22-1995 still used?

VA’s pages for Form 22-1995 now open its Change your GI Bill benefits page (last updated August 17, 2026), which no longer lists that form. It lists Form 22-1990 for Post-9/11 users changing their benefit, 22-5490 for DEA and 22-1990e for transferred benefits. To change schools, VA says you need proof of eligibility.

Do I need VA Form 22-1995 when I transfer colleges?

VA’s current guidance says you’ll need proof of eligibility when you change schools. If you applied in the past and are eligible, you can get it online and give it to the receiving school’s certifying official, who handles enrollment certification.

Can I change my GI Bill benefit online?

VA’s education pages let you apply online or change the VA education benefit you’re using. Start with VA’s Change your GI Bill benefits page and confirm that the form it lists matches your benefit and situation before submitting.

Which form do military dependents use now?

The correct form depends on the benefit, not simply on being a dependent. VA lists Form 22-1990e for family members already using transferred Post-9/11 benefits and Form 22-5490 for those already using DEA; confirm VA’s current instructions before you submit.

Does changing my major require a VA form?

A major change can require an update to your enrollment certification even if you stay at the same school. Ask your school’s certifying official what update applies and whether your registered courses count toward the new program.

Can VeteranDegrees submit my school-change request for me?

VeteranDegrees offers free educational guidance, but you submit your own VA request. A Benefits Navigator can help you organize questions about your career goal, school options, and how your benefits may apply.

Want to talk it through? Request a free Benefits Navigator call to organize your school-change questions and compare your education plans. You can also check any school in VA’s GI Bill Comparison Tool and Web Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS); confirm the exact program and location with the school before committing.

Related guides

• Am I eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®?
• Understanding your Certificate of Eligibility
• VR&E application guide