U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Benefits Administration
Licensing and Certification Test Reimbursement
Often required for work in certain fields, these tests may be eligible for GI Bill
reimbursement. Tests that may be reimbursable by VA include licensing and/or
certification for a job as a mechanic, medical technician, therapist, computer network
engineer, website developer, and other professional. There is no limit to the number of
tests you may take, or number of times you may take the same test. And, VA will pay
for tests even if you fail them.
Available Benefits
VA pays only the test costs, or up to $2,000 for each test. Fees connected with obtaining
a license or certification are not reimbursable. Payment is issued after you submit proof
of payment to VA. Find out how your GI Bill entitlement will be charged for taking a
Licensing and Certification benefit.
Apply for benefits along with your request for payment for a test or tests. Complete
the VA Form 22-0803 (Application for Reimbursement of Licensing or Certification
Test) at the Ask A Question website or mail it to your nearest VA regional processing
office.
Other Factors to Consider
By certification, VA is referring to the certification you get by taking a specific test for
a field of employment, and not a certificate you receive for completing training.
Search for approved tests online
. (If the test is not listed, it still may be a valid
the that's not yet approved. Submit an application for reimbursement following
instructions above.)
For Professional Organizations:
Assist a Veteran by Getting Your Test Approved
Help serve our nation's Veterans by getting your licensing or certification test officially
approved, which lets Veterans and other beneficiaries receive reimbursement for test-
taking costs. If you represent a state or local licensing board, the approval requirements
are minimal. If you represent a nongovernmental organization, your test must be generally
accepted within the industry, must have existed for at least two years, and must meet
other requirements. VA sends test-taking payments directly to VA beneficiaries and not to
your organization.
Seek approval for your organizations tests through the State Approving Agency
for the
state where your headquarters are located.
Our Education Call Center is available at 1-888-442-4551 (Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. -6 p.m.
CST) for any questions about GI Bill benefits.
Join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gibillEducation and follow us
on Twitter @VAVetBenefits.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at
https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill
.
Updated March 2020 2
