Financial Aid Counselor/VA School Certifying Official

Louisiana State University•Alexandria, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Financial Aid Counselor/VA School Certifying Official supports students receiving VA education benefits and processes a range of student financial aid awards. The role reports enrollment status to the VA, certifies only courses applicable to a student’s program, monitors academic progress, attendance and conduct as applicable, and reports required changes or issues to the VA, State Approving Agency, VA Education Liaison Representative, and school supervisors. The position maintains VA student records and makes them available for inspection by the Department of Veterans Affairs or the State Approving Agency. Records include certification documentation, academic progress and degree-plan information, prior-credit records, registration, tuition and fee charges, applications, enrollment agreements, and other applicable student documentation. Records must be retained for at least three years after a student’s last attendance, kept securely, and handled in a way that protects student privacy. The counselor stays current on state and federal regulations, VA advisories, and veterans’ education benefits, attends training, and maintains knowledge of the school’s academic programs, policies, and approval criteria. The role also helps students apply for state and VA benefits, locate resources for success, address payment or benefit problems, and understand how academic progress, conduct, registration, and attendance may affect benefits or create student debt. The position processes awards including Veteran Readiness and Employment (CH31), the Post-9/11 GI Bill (CH33), Federal Title IV aid, state aid, and institutional and private aid. The position is based at Abrams Hall and has office hours of eight hours per day, Monday through Friday, for 40 hours per week, with additional hours worked as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
1–3 years of experience in higher education, student services, financial aid, registrar, veterans’ affairs, admissions, or a related field.
Experience providing customer service to students and external stakeholders.
Strong attention to detail and data-entry accuracy.
Experience interpreting and applying policies, regulations, and procedures.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to maintain confidential student records in compliance with FERPA.
Ability to manage multiple deadlines and responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience serving as a VA School Certifying Official.
Knowledge of GI Bill® education benefits and VA enrollment certification requirements.
Experience with VA Enrollment Manager.
Experience with PowerCampus, PowerFaids, or other student information systems.
Knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid regulations.
Experience working with military-affiliated students, veterans, reservists, and dependents.
Experience conducting compliance reviews, audits, or records management activities.

Responsibilities

Keep the VA informed of the enrollment status of students receiving VA education benefits.
Ensure that only courses applicable to a student’s program are certified.
Monitor student grades and satisfactory academic progress, reporting probation and termination as needed.
Monitor attendance when required and report violations of school attendance policy.
Monitor student conduct and report suspensions or dismissals for unsatisfactory conduct.
Notify school supervisors of internal problems that may affect timely reporting of enrollment or enrollment changes for VA-benefit students.
Notify the State Approving Agency of substantive program, policy, and approval-criteria changes.
Notify the VA Education Liaison Representative of changes to School Certifying Official staff.
Maintain VA student records and make them available for inspection by the Department of Veterans Affairs or the State Approving Agency.
Retain certification, academic progress, degree-plan, prior-credit, registration, tuition and fee, application, enrollment agreement, and other applicable student records.
Retain records for at least three years after a student’s last date of attendance, keep them in a safe place, and protect student privacy.
Keep current on VA advisories, state and federal regulations, and state education benefits for veterans and eligible persons; attend training opportunities.
Maintain knowledge of the school’s academic programs, policies, and approval criteria, including satisfactory academic progress, probation, suspension, readmission, and prior credit.
Assist students with applying for state and VA education benefits, identifying resources for success, and inquiring about payment or benefit problems.
Ensure VA-benefit students understand their responsibilities and how progress, conduct, registration, and attendance can affect benefits or cause student debt.
Process student awards, including Veteran Readiness and Employment (CH31), Post-9/11 GI Bill (CH33), Federal Title IV aid, state aid, and institutional and private aid.