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Financial Aid

veterans affairs

VWCC's Financial Aid/Veterans Affairs Office coordinates all veterans' educational benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for the College.

The office is located on the Virginia Western campus in Chapman Hall, Room C106. The VA certifying official can be reached by phone at 540-857-7395

The VA requires all students to be enrolled in an official curriculum leading to a certificate or degree in order to receive benefits. You must contact your VA certifying official each semester to complete the necessary forms to establish and maintain your eligibility for benefits.

Responsibilities of Veteran Students

Post-9/11 GI Bill

The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Ch30) will go into effect August 1, 2009. This new chapter includes the following provisions (determined by eligilble post-9/11 service):

Please note: The housing allowance is not payable if you are enrolled in only distance learning courses, or if you are enrolled half-time or less.

You must elect to use your CH 33 benefits by sumbitting a new application to the Veterans Administration. This election cannot be reversed. Please research and discuss your options so you can make the correct decision for your circumstances.

For the most up-to-date information on the Post 9/11 GI Bill, please refer to the Veterans Administration's web site at www.gibill.va.gov

Important Information/Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What will the Montgomery GI Bill do for me?
  2. How do I start receiving my Montgomery GI Bill?
  3. How does the Department of Veterans Affairs know to pay me?
  4. When will I receive my first check? How do I find out the status of my payments?
  5. Am I required to pay my tuition up front at VWCC?
  6. Do I have to attend school full-time to receive my benefits?
  7. Will I automatically receive benefits next semester? How long will I continue to receive my benefits?
  8. What happens if I withdraw from a course? What if I fail a course?
  9. Can I enroll in any courses that I want?
  10. Can I change my degree program?
  11. The Guard pays my tuition and books. What do I need to do to get that?
  12. Can I get both TA and the GI Bill?
  13. I've heard I can get free tuition since my parent/spouse is deceased/disabled. How do I do that?
  14. What benefits do I get under VMSDEP?
  15. I qualified for VMSDEP last year. How do I get it again this year?
  16. I get Voc Rehab. What do I have to do?
  17. OK. So how do I get my books and supplies?

What will the Montgomery GI Bill do for Me?

The Montgomery GI Bill will provide you with a monthly educational allowance to help you pay for your education. The monthly benefit amount depends on the number of credits that you are taking each term, the length of each course, and the length of your initial enlistment. During a standard 16-week semester, 12 semester hours or more is considered full time and will result in a monthly payment of $1321 for each full month of training if you completed three or more years of active duty service obligation. If you are eligible for the College Fund, you will receive additional monies.

How do I start receiving my montgomery gi bill?

All new VA students (including dependents) must apply to activate their benefits through the GI Bill web site at www.gibill.va.gov . There is a link at the top center of the page that says "Apply on-line". Veterans should submit a copy of their most recent DD Form 214 (Member copy 4) with the application. Service members still on active duty who have completed at least two years active duty must have their applications signed by their Command Education Officer.

Once you have been admitted to VWCC, talk to a counselor and select a degree program. Request transcripts from all previous educational and military training and have them evaluated for possible credit toward your degree. This is a DVA (Department of Veterans Affairs) requirement. If this has not been completed, your benefits may be suspended until your prior credit is evaluated and reported to the DVA.

How does the department of veterans affairs know to pay me?

Submit a copy of the Certification Request for VA Educational Benefits form (commonly known as the blue form) to your VA certifying official each term you enroll. Your VA certifying official will then certify your enrollment with the VA Regional Processing Center in Buffalo, NY.

When will i receive my first check? How do i find out the status of my payments?

New applicants should allow at least 8 to 10 weeks from the date that your application for benefits and your certification of enrollment were processed by the college to receive your first check. You will be paid retroactively from the first day of class. Once you receive your first check, subsequent checks should arrive near the middle of each month if you remain continuously enrolled.

Students may inquire about the status of a pending claim by calling the VA national call center at 1-888-442-4551 Monday thru Friday, during the hours 10-6 Eastern.

am i required to pay my tuition up front at vwcc?

Yes. Under the current Montgomery GI Bill, the student is responsible for all up front costs. This means that your tuition must be paid when you register for courses.

You have the option to request an Advance Payment from the GI Bill. You must make this request by completing the Advance Payment Request form after you have registered for classes, but no later than 30 days before the start of the term. If approved, your first payment will be mailed to the college, in your name, and you will have to sign to pickup that check. This may help alleviate some of the initial expense, but you should be aware that you will not receive any additional payments until you have completed 3 months of schooling.

do i have attend school full-time to receive my benefits?

No. You may take as many or as few courses as you feel you can comfortably manage. Your monthly payment will be determined by the number of semester hours in which you are enrolled and the length of your courses.

For instance, if you are a full-time student taking 12 or more semester hours, you will receive full-time benefits for each month that you continue attending full-time. If you are a part-time student taking less than 12 semester hours, your monthly benefit checks will be reduced accordingly. Accelerated courses (e.g. 8 week classes) sometimes are paid at a higher rate based on a different method of measurement used to calculate training time.

You must be enrolled half-time or more in order to receive a monthly payment from the VA. If you are enrolled for less than half-time, or if you are on active duty, you will receive a lump sum payment of tuition cost or the amount of your monthly benefits, whichever is less.

will i automatically receive benefits next semester? how long will i continue to receive my benefits?

No. Students must submit a Certification Request for VA Educational Benefits at the start of each semester. Then, the VA certifying official will review your program of study and certify that the courses you are enrolled in are required to complete your degree program. Certification of Enrollment will then be sent to the Regional Processing Office in Buffalo, New York.

It is the policy of VWCC to certify both Fall and Spring terms together. This eliminates any gaps in your pay during the break between semesters. However, if you fail to submit your paperwork for the Spring semester, it will be assumed that you do not wish to continue to receive payment, and your enrollment will be cancelled with the VA.

If you completed at least 20 months of a two year enlistment or 30 months of a three year enlistment, you are typically entitled to 36 months of full-time educational benefits. Your training time will be deducted from your 36 months as it is used. For example, if you are taking 6 credits as a half-time student, the VA will deduct 1/2 month of entitlement for each month that you are paid at the half-time training rate. In this case, you could continue going to school half-time for a total of 72 months. If you increase your training time,your monthly benefits will increase and your 36 months of eligibility will be depleted faster. You have 10 years from the day you were separated from active duty to use your benefits.

what happens if i withdraw from a course? what if i fail a course?

If you withdraw from a course the DVA may require you to repay the money for this course retroactive to the first day of class unless you withdrew due to reasons beyound your control. If the DVA accepts your reason for withdrawing as being beyond your control you will be paid through the last day of attendance. If this is the first instance that you withdrew, the DVA may consider that mitigating circumstances exist without explanation from you for withdrawing from a course or courses totaling not more than 6 semester hours.

Note: You must report any changes in your class schedule to your VA certifying official in order to avoid overpayment of your educational benefits.

If you fail a course and the course is required for graduation, the VA will pay you to repeat it. They will not recover the money that they already paid you for the course you failed provided you maintain satisfactory academic progress as measured by your cumulative grade point average and the number of credits that you have attempted. If your progress becomes unsatisfactory, your benefits will be suspended until you regain satisfactory progress for your degree program.

can i enroll in any courses that i want?

Once you select a degree program and are placed into that program, you will be guided in your course selection by the requirements for graduation for that specific degree in the college catalog. It is important that you have your prior credits evaluated early so that you do not register for a course that you have already completed. The DVA will not pay for a course for which you have already received benefits. They will also not pay for a course that cannot be used in your degree program. You can enroll in any additional classes you choose; however, those courses will not count toward your enrollment status/pay rate.

can i change my degree program?

Yes. The DVA allows you to make a change of curriculum. You will need to select a new program of study, have all your previous credits evaluated and complete a VA Form 22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training).

the guard pays my tuition and books. what do i need to do to get that?

The Cashier's Office handles state and federal tuition assistance. To start the process, you need to contact your unit's education officer. Once you have completed the paperwork they require, be sure to check with the cashiers to be sure they have received the contract from your unit.

can i get both ta and the GI bill?

Yes. You can collect the state TA and still receive your GI Bill. However, you cannot receive both federal TA and the GI Bill. Contact your unit's education officer for information on what will be the best benefit for you.

i've heard i can get free tuition since my parent/spouse is deceased/disabled. How do i do that?

The VMSDEP program replaced the old War Orphans program. To qualify, the student's parent or spouse must have been killed, totally and permanently disabled, or MIA due to combat. To apply, the student should contact the Department of Veterans Services (DVS) at the Poff building. The phone number is 540-857-7104.

What benefits do i get under vmsdep?

VMSDEP provides a waiver of tuition at a Virginia public college. It also provides a book stipend each semester (contingent on funding). The student can collect these benefits for up to 36 months of full-time enrollment.

i qualified for vmsdep last year. How do i get it again this year?

The student must contact DVS in writing every academic year requesting continuation of the benefits for the new academic year. You may pick up a form for this purpose in the Financial Aid Office.

i get voc rehab. what do i have to do?

You still need to complete the Certification Request for VA Educational Benefits each semester. Your Voc Rehab counselor will send an authorization form to the VA certifying official for your tuition and books. The certifying official will then verify you are in the correct classes, complete the paperwork, and return it to your Voc Rehab counselor.

ok. so how do i get my books and supplies?

The VA certifying official will send a copy of the completed paperwork to the bookstore, and they will set up your charge account for those items. You will simply need to tell them you have VA money and they will allow you to purchase what you need.

 

The Department of Veterans Services State Approving Agency approves programs of education offered at Virginia Western Community College.

 


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