What is VA Form 22-1990?
VA Form 22-1990 is the application a service member or veteran uses to apply for education benefits based on their own service: the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (Chapter 30) or Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606), or the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (VEAP, Chapter 32). The form says not to use it for Veteran Readiness and Employment, DEA or the Fry Scholarship, which have their own forms.
It asks about you and your direct deposit, the benefit and type of training, the school and your goal, every period of military service, your schooling and licensed work, extra contributions and kickers, ROTC scholarships, other federal tuition money, and (for service before 1977) your dependents.
FileIt fills VA's own PDF (DEC 2024 edition) and files it in your vault folder. FileIt never submits anything to VA.
- Who fills it
- The service member or veteran applying on their own service.
- Given to
- VA, online at va.gov or by mail to the VA regional office for the school's state (Buffalo, NY or Muskogee, OK, listed on page 3).
- Benefits
- Chapter 33, Chapter 30, Chapter 1606 or Chapter 32 (VEAP).
- Signatures
- The applicant signs item 26A and dates item 26B.
- Edition
- VA Form 22-1990, DEC 2024 (supersedes JUN 2024), OMB 2900-0154
- Pages
- 7: three pages of information and instructions, then four form pages.
Who needs to fill out VA Form 22-1990?
- Veterans starting college, a vocational program or an apprenticeship with GI Bill benefits.
- Service members on active duty planning to use Tuition Assistance Top-Up or the GI Bill.
- Members of the Selected Reserve applying for the Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve.
- Veterans claiming reimbursement for a licensing, certification or national test.
- Veterans who contributed to VEAP.
When to use VA Form 22-1990
- Before you enroll, so VA can decide your eligibility and issue a Certificate of Eligibility.
- When you change to a new type of training, such as flight training, correspondence or on-the-job training.
- If you prefer a paper application to the online one at va.gov.
What you need before you start
- Your Social Security number, date of birth, address, phone numbers and email (required).
- Bank routing and account numbers, and a voided check or deposit slip, for direct deposit.
- The school's name and address, if known, and your educational or career goal.
- Every period of military service: dates entered and separated, component and status. Copies of your DD214 (Member 4), NOBE or orders help.
- Your high school diploma date, education after high school, any kicker contract and ROTC scholarship amounts.
What’s on VA Form 22-1990
The 2024 edition has 7 pages. FileIt asks for it in 10 parts, and it is signed by Applicant:
- Part I: Applicant informationApplicant
- Item 7: Direct depositApplicant
- Part II: Education benefit being applied forApplicant
- Part III: Type and program of education or trainingApplicant
- Part IV: Service informationApplicant
- Part V: Education and employment informationApplicant
- Part VI: Entitlement to and usage of additional types of assistanceApplicant
- Parts VII and VIII: Information and dependency statusApplicant
- Part IX: RemarksApplicant
- Part X: Certification and signatureApplicant
How to fill out VA Form 22-1990, step by step
1 Part I: Applicant information
Items 1 to 8: Social Security number, gender, date of birth, name, address, phone numbers and email, direct deposit, and someone who will always know where you can be reached.
2 Parts II and III: Benefit and training
Item 9 is the benefit you apply for. Item 10 is the type of training (college, flight, tests, apprenticeship, correspondence or Tuition Assistance Top-Up), the school and your objective.
3 Parts IV and V: Service, education and employment
Items 11 to 13 cover active duty, terminal leave and each period of service. Item 14 asks about your diploma, FAA certificates, education after high school and licensed employment before and after service.
4 Parts VI to X: Other assistance, dependents, remarks and signature
Items 15 to 22 ask about buy-up contributions, kickers, a service academy, ROTC, loan repayment and other federal tuition money. Part VIII (items 23 to 25) is only for service before 1977. Use Part IX for remarks, then sign item 26A.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using this form for DEA, the Fry Scholarship or Veteran Readiness and Employment, which have their own applications.
- Leaving out a period of service in item 13.
- Answering Yes to the FAA question without listing the certificates in remarks.
- Direct deposit details that don't match the voided check you attach.
- Forgetting the email address, which the form marks as required.
After you fill it out
Sign and date the form and send it online at va.gov or to the VA regional office listed for your school's state, with copies of your DD214, orders or kicker contract.
Tell your school's certifying official you have applied, so they can report your enrollment.
Keep the filed PDF and your Certificate of Eligibility in your FileIt vault.
Fill out VA Form 22-1990 online with FileIt
- Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
- Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 120 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
- Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
- Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.
FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.
Start VA Form 22-1990 now — it’s freeVA Form 22-1990: frequently asked questions
Who uses VA Form 22-1990?
Service members and veterans applying for education benefits based on their own service, under Chapter 33, 30, 1606 or 32.
Can a spouse or child use this form?
No. The form says not to use it for DEA (Chapter 35) or the Fry Scholarship. Dependents use VA Form 22-5490, and transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits have their own form.
Which benefit should I choose?
The instructions page and benefits.va.gov/gibill describe each program. FileIt doesn't choose for you.
Do I need to send my DD214?
The form says it helps VA process your claim if you send a copy of your DD214 (Member 4) for active duty, a DD Form 2384 (NOBE) for Chapter 1606, and orders if activated from the Guard or Reserves.
Where do I mail it?
To the VA regional office that serves your school's state, listed on page 3: Buffalo, NY for the eastern region and Muskogee, OK for the western region.
Does FileIt submit my application?
No. FileIt fills VA's own PDF and keeps it in your vault. You sign it and send it.
Official sources
- Blank form (PDF), published by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA): https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-22-1990-ARE.pdf
- Official instructions and guidance: https://www.va.gov/find-forms/about-form-22-1990/
- Edition shown on this page: VA Form 22-1990, DEC 2024 (OMB No. 2900-0154, expires 12/31/2027) (checked 2026-10-19).
FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.