Will reporting school attendance to EDD affect my benefits if I'm also getting VA education pay?

You do need to report that you're in school to EDD. However, as long as your schooling doesn't interfere with your ability to look for and accept full-time work, it shouldn't affect your benefits. The key questions EDD asks are: 1. Are your classes during normal work hours? 2. Would you quit school to accept a job? 3. Are you still able to look for work while attending school? If your answers are: mostly evenings/online, yes you'd quit for a job, and yes you're still job searching - then you should be fine reporting your school attendance. The VA education benefits are separate and shouldn't impact your UI eligibility.

i was in EXACTLY the same situation last year!!! marked YES for school on my certification and they put my payments on pending for like 6 weeks it was a NIGHTMARE. they scheduled me for a phone interview to "determine eligibility" but kept rescheduling it. eventually got through but stressful af

I worked as an EDD specialist before. Here's what you need to know: Yes, you must report that you're attending school. However, the key factor isn't just attending school - it's whether your school schedule affects your availability for work. EDD follows the "able and available" rule. When you mark "Yes" to attending school, they'll likely schedule an eligibility interview to determine if your schooling interferes with your ability to work full-time. Be prepared to explain: 1. Your class schedule (showing it doesn't conflict with standard work hours) 2. Your continued job search efforts (keep detailed records) 3. Your willingness to prioritize work over school if needed The VA education benefits are separate income and don't directly impact your UI eligibility, though you should still report any income as required. Hope this helps!

When I had this same issue in 2023, I marked "yes" for school and got put on pending immediately. EDD scheduled an eligibility interview but it was 5 weeks out! I tried calling EDD every single day but you know how that goes - "we're experiencing high call volume" and instant disconnects. I finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual EDD rep after trying for weeks. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The EDD rep was able to see that my school schedule didn't interfere with work availability and pushed my payments through without waiting for the interview. Might be worth checking out if you end up in pending purgatory.

wait i thought u cant get unemployment if ur a student?? my brother tried last year and they denied him cuz he was in school. said he wasnt available for work or somethin

I HATE how the EDD system is set up!!! It's like they WANT to trick you into making mistakes so they can disqualify you. The question about school doesn't even explain the consequences or give context. And then when you answer honestly they put you on pending forever!!! The whole system is designed to make people give up on benefits they're entitled to. I've been through FOUR eligibility interviews this year for various things and each time they restore my benefits because I WAS ELIGIBLE THE WHOLE TIME. Meanwhile I'm stressed to the max wondering how I'll pay rent!!

Just to follow up on my earlier comment - when you answer "Yes" to attending school, be prepared for these additional steps: 1. EDD will likely schedule an eligibility interview (usually by phone) 2. You may see a delay in payments until that interview is completed 3. Have documentation ready showing your class schedule 4. Be prepared to explain how you're maintaining your job search While this process can be frustrating, it's important to always answer honestly on your certification. False reporting can lead to much worse consequences including penalties, disqualification, and potential overpayment assessments that you'd have to pay back.

This is so confusing! I think the rules changed for school attendance during the pandemic and then changed back? I remember my roommate was getting UI while in online classes during 2021 with no problems at all but my other friend had issues in 2022. Maybe call EDD and ask before you certify? Good luck with that phone system tho lol

Thanks everyone for your advice! I'm going to answer the certification questions honestly and report that I'm in school. I'll gather all my documentation showing my evening/online class schedule and proof of ongoing job search activities in case they schedule an eligibility interview. I'm still nervous about payments potentially going on hold, but lying on the certification would be way worse in the long run. I'll update this thread after my next certification to let you know what happens!

def update us!! im curious what happens since i might be starting classes in fall too

I'm in a similar situation - just started part-time classes while on UI and was terrified about what to put on my certification. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful, especially knowing that being honest is the way to go even if it might trigger a review. One thing I'd add - if you do get scheduled for an eligibility interview, make sure you have your job search log ready too. They'll want to see that you're still actively looking for work despite being in school. I keep a spreadsheet with all my applications, dates, company names, and responses. Also, regarding the VA education benefits - those are educational assistance, not wages, so they shouldn't count as reportable income on your weekly certification. Just make sure you're clear about that distinction if they ask during an interview. Good luck with your certification! Fingers crossed you don't get put on pending, but if you do, at least you'll have done everything correctly.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact situation about 8 months ago. I was taking night classes at community college while on UI and was so stressed about the school question on certification. I ended up marking "Yes" for school attendance and thankfully my payments didn't get put on hold - I think because my case was pretty straightforward (all evening classes, still actively job hunting, willing to quit school for work). But I was prepared for the worst after reading horror stories online. One tip that really helped me: when I marked yes to school, there was a follow-up section where I could add notes. I used that space to briefly explain my class schedule (evenings only) and that I remained fully available for daytime employment. Not sure if that made a difference, but I wanted to be as clear as possible upfront. The VA education benefits definitely don't count as wages - I asked about this during a separate call to EDD and they confirmed educational assistance payments are not reportable income for UI purposes. Hope your certification goes smoothly! The anxiety around this stuff is real but sounds like you're handling it the right way.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Started community college classes last month and have been terrified about how to answer the school question on my certification. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful. Based on what I've learned from this thread, I'm going to: 1. Answer honestly about attending school 2. Use the notes section to explain my evening/online schedule 3. Keep detailed records of my job search activities 4. Be prepared for a possible eligibility interview The stress around this is unreal - you'd think EDD would make the process clearer instead of having questions that seem designed to trap people. But everyone's right that lying would be way worse than dealing with a temporary hold on payments. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially those who went through the eligibility interview process. It really helps to know what to expect!

I'm a veteran who went through this exact situation about two years ago while using my GI Bill benefits at community college. Here's what I learned: The VA education payments (BAH, book stipend, etc.) are NOT considered wages for EDD purposes - they're educational assistance. You don't report them as income on your weekly certifications. However, you absolutely must report that you're attending school. When I marked "Yes" for school attendance, EDD did schedule an eligibility interview about 3 weeks later. The key things they asked were: - Would you quit school to accept a suitable job? (Answer: Yes) - Are your classes during typical work hours? (My answer: No, mostly evenings/online) - Are you actively seeking work? (Answer: Yes, with documentation) My payments weren't put on hold during the review, but I know that's not always the case. The interview lasted maybe 10 minutes and they approved continued benefits. Pro tip: Keep detailed records of your job applications and be ready to explain exactly how your class schedule doesn't interfere with work availability. The VA education benefits actually work in your favor here because they show you're bettering yourself while still needing employment. Don't stress too much - as long as you're genuinely available for work and honest about everything, you should be fine. The system is confusing but it's designed to help people who are legitimately seeking employment, even while in school.

As someone who just went through this process last month, I wanted to add my experience to help ease some anxiety here. I was taking online classes through my local community college while on UI and was absolutely terrified about the school question. I ended up marking "Yes" and my payments did get put on pending status immediately - which was my worst fear. But here's the thing: I got scheduled for a phone interview within 2 weeks (not the horror stories of 6+ weeks I'd read about), and the whole thing took maybe 15 minutes. The EDD representative was actually really professional and just needed to confirm: - My class schedule (all online, flexible timing) - That I was still actively job searching (I had my spreadsheet ready) - That I would prioritize employment over school if offered a suitable position Once I answered those questions and provided some documentation, they released all my pending payments within 3 days. The key was being completely honest and having all my paperwork organized. I know the pending status is scary financially, but in my case it worked out much faster than I expected. And honestly, the peace of mind knowing I did everything correctly was worth it versus the constant anxiety I would have had lying on my certifications. Good luck to everyone dealing with this - you've got this!

I'm in a very similar boat - just started using my GI Bill at community college while on UI after getting laid off from my job in January. The anxiety around this school question on certification is real! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful. It sounds like the consensus is pretty clear: be honest about school attendance, be prepared for a possible eligibility interview, and have all your documentation ready (class schedule showing evening/online classes, detailed job search records, etc.). What really stands out to me from all these stories is how much the experience can vary - some people sail through without any holds, others get put on pending but have quick interviews, and some unfortunately get stuck in the system for weeks. But the common thread seems to be that people who are genuinely available for work and honest about their situation eventually get their benefits restored. I'm planning to mark "Yes" for school on my next certification and use that notes section to proactively explain my availability. Fingers crossed the process goes smoothly, but at least I feel prepared for what might happen now. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is invaluable for navigating EDD's confusing system!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and wanted to share what worked for me. I was taking evening classes at community college while collecting UI benefits and was terrified about the school question. Here's what I did: I marked "Yes" for attending school and immediately used the notes section to explain that all my classes were after 5 PM or online, and that I remained fully available for daytime employment. I also mentioned that I was actively job searching and would prioritize employment over education. My payments did NOT get put on hold, which I think was because I was proactive about explaining my situation upfront. I never got called for an eligibility interview - my certifications just continued processing normally. The key things that probably helped: - Clear evening-only class schedule - Documented job search activities (I kept a detailed spreadsheet) - Upfront communication about my availability in the notes For what it's worth, I did eventually find a job about 4 months later and had no issues transitioning off UI. The whole experience taught me that EDD actually can work smoothly when you're transparent and your situation is straightforward. Hope this helps ease some anxiety! Being honest is definitely the right approach, and having evening/online classes really seems to make the process smoother.

I'm currently in this exact situation and this thread has been a lifesaver! Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who's about to certify for the first time since starting classes. I'm a veteran using GI Bill benefits at community college (all evening classes) while on UI after being laid off in February. The school certification question has been keeping me up at night, but reading everyone's experiences here has really helped me understand what to expect. Based on all the advice shared, here's my game plan: - Mark "Yes" for school attendance (being honest is clearly the only way) - Use the notes section to explain my evening-only schedule and full daytime availability - Have my job search spreadsheet ready in case they call for an interview - Be prepared to potentially go on pending status but know it's temporary if I'm eligible What really stands out from all these stories is how much preparation and documentation matter. It seems like the people who had smooth experiences were the ones who had everything organized and communicated clearly upfront. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - especially the veterans who went through this with VA benefits. It's reassuring to know that our education benefits don't count as reportable income and that using them while on UI is totally legitimate as long as we remain available for work. I'll report back after my certification to let everyone know how it goes!