The VA calculates the amount of monetary entitlement based on the amount of credits taken during a standard semester, defined by the VA as 15–18 weeks in length.
Standard semester calculation (15–18 weeks):
3 credits per semester is less than half-time
6 credits per semester is half-time
7 credits per semester is more than half-time
12 credits per semester is full-time
Undergraduate semesters at Thomas Edison State University are shorter than the standard VA semester. Therefore, the following formula can be used to determine the entitlement eligibility for courses taken at TESU:
18 X the number of credits taken, divided by the length of the semester, measured in weeks.
Example: You have registered for three, 3-credit courses, for a total of 9 credits online, which run for 12 weeks.
18 X 9 (credits) = 162. Divide 162 by 12 (weeks), equals 13.5 (credit hours).
Using the above example, the VA would consider 9 undergraduate credit hours at TESU to be equivalent to 13.5 credits, or full-time attendance for that semester. The same formula can be applied to 6 or 8 week semesters, in order to determine the adjusted rate of pursuit.
Since the University’s graduate semester length is also shorter than the standard graduate semester, defined by the VA as being 15–19 weeks in length, Thomas Edison State University utilizes what the VA calls a Full-time Modifier (FTM). Therefore a similar calculation is applied, in order to determine the graduate rate of pursuit. The two key differences in this calculation are a maximum length of 19 weeks (vs. 18) and a full-time standard course load of 6 credits (vs. 12). As with the undergraduate program, a shorter semester leads to a greater equivalency, when utilizing VA benefits.
Example VA graduate semester calculation (sorted by length):
12 Week Semester
- 3 credits per semester should be greater than half-time
- 6 credits per semester should be full-time
8 Week Semester
- 3 credits per semester should be full-time