Veterans

Honored to Serve Those Who Have Served

Bevill State offers the following Federal Veterans Educational Assistance Programs and resources.

‘‘GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)”.

Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33)
For individuals who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. Post - 9/11 GI Bill® benefits are payable for training pursued on or after August 1, 2009.

Montgomery GI Bill® /Active (Chapter 30)
Certain veterans with an honorable discharge and servicepersons may qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill®. The Veteran must have served on active duty and meet additional conditions as determined by the VA.

Montgomery GI Bill® /Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)
Members of the Selected Reserve who enlist, re-enlist, or extend an enlistment in Selected Reserve so that the reservist has an obligation to serve for a period of not less than six years following the date of such action may qualify for Chapter 1606.

Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35)
Spouse or child of a deceased or totally and permanently disabled veteran.

Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program (Chapter 31)
This program was created to assist service-disabled veterans of 20% or greater. Eligibility is determined on a case by case basis.

Resources

Websites that offer information on Veteran Educational Assistance are listed below:

• FAFSA on the Web
• GI Bill® Educational Benefits
• Vet Employment and Training Service
• Alabama Dept. of Veteran Affairs
• Veteran Affairs
• Make the Connection

Apply for Federal Veteran Benefits

Veterans, reservist, and/or dependents of Veterans must contact their selected campus Veteran Affairs Certifying Official to establish VA Educational Benefits. It is the educational benefit recipients' responsibility to assemble all required materials needed to complete the process to the campus Veteran Affairs Certifying Official. View the checklist below and the application process for the applicable chapter.

VA Required Materials Checklist

The following forms MUST be first completed by the applicant. Some items may be submitted first to the VA, then provided to the campus VA certifying official.

• VA Form 22-1990 or 22-5490 – Required of those applying for benefits for the first time; unless a COE can be provided instead. (If you have used benefits previously at another school, then you must complete a VA Form 22-1995 /22-5495 instead.) Forms can be completed online through the www.gibill.va.gov website. PROOF that these forms have been submitted online is required for your file at Bevill State. Include KICKER Contract if appropriate.
• Certificate of Eligibility (COE) – A copy of the COE issued by the VA, approving the student for use of GI Bill® benefits, must be provided to the VA certifying official upon receipt in the mail by the student.
• Dependent’s Education Assistance (DEA) – A copy of the DEA issued by the VA, approving the student for use of GI Bill® benefits, must be provided to the VA certifying official upon receipt in the mail by the student.
• Apply for Financial Aid (if needed for financial assistance) Apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov (school code 005733)
• Meet with an academic advisor to ensure that your courses are required for your current program of study indicated. VA only pays for courses required for your program. If you wish to change your program of study you must submit the appropriate forms to the campus certifying official.
• Military Transcripts.

Chapter 31 Veteran Readiness and Employment

This program was created to assist service-disabled veterans of 20% or greater. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis. Students MUST contact their VA Voc Rehab Counselor to develop a contract for the Chapter 31 Program. A current VA Form 28-1905 must be on file with the VA Certifying Official before our office can certify your courses for Chapter 31 pay purposes. Interested students should contact the county Veterans Administration Office or the Regional Veterans Administration at 1-800-827-1000.

Chapter 33 (Post 9/11), 30 &1606

• Students utilizing their benefits for the FIRST time MUST complete the following forms. Many items may need to be submitted to the Department of Veteran Affairs and then a copy provided to the VA Certifying Official.
• VA Form 22-1990 (PDF) – Required of those applying for benefits for the first time. Unless a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) can be provided instead.
• *A copy of your DD-214 (Member 4 Copy), Notice of Basic Eligibility and/or KICKER Contract should be submitted with this form if applicable.
• VA Form 22-1995 (PDF) - Required for those who have used their benefits at another school.
• Both applications can also be completed online at www.gibill.va.gov. If applications are submitted online, PROOF that a VA Form 22-1990/1995 has been submitted is required to the VA Certifying Official.

Chapter 33 Transfer of Benefits

• Transferring of Post 9/11(Chap 33) Benefits to Spouse or Dependents Veterans wishing to transfer their Chapter 33 (Post 9/11) benefits to their children or spouse must first go to the DOD Transferability application on the MilConnect website to determine if your dependents are eligible to receive the transferred benefits. This form must be completed by the service member first.
• Once approval has been granted by the Department of Defense, a VA Form 22-1990E (PDF) must be completed online at www.gibill.va.gov. PROOF that a VA Form 22-1990E has been submitted is needed. A copy of the submitted 1990E with the confirmation number on it will suffice.
• Certificate of Eligibility (COE): -Please be reminded that a copy of the COE issued by the VA, approving student for use of GI Bill® benefits, must be provided to the VA Certifying Official upon receipt in mail by the student.

Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance

• Students under this program must be the spouse and/or children of a 100% permanently and totally disabled veterans or deceased due to service connected to disabilities.
• VA Form 22-5490 (PDF) – Required of those applying for benefits for first time unless a DEA confirmation letter can be provided instead.
• VA Form 22-5495 (PDF) - Required of those who have used benefits previously at another school.
• Both applications can be completed online at www.gibill.va.gov. PROOF that a VA Form 22-5490 or 22-5495 has been submitted should be provided to the VA Certifying Official.
• Dependent’s Education Assistance (DEA) Certificate
• Please be reminded that a copy of the Dependent’s Education Assistance (DEA) Letter issued by the VA, approving student for use of GI Bill® benefits, must be provided to the VA Certifying Official upon receipt in mail by student.

Veteran Required Academic Progress

• Required Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress to Receive VA Educational Benefits
• It is the student's responsibility to notify the VA Certifying Official when an adjustment to his or her schedule is made. Failure to do so may result in an overpayment of educational benefits. If a veteran withdraws from a course that has been used in determining enrollment status the VA may require repayment of all benefits received for that course.
• Each student receiving VA educational benefits should be aware that it is the responsibility of the student to comply strictly with the policies and procedures which govern the receipt of these benefits. Any overpayment created through non-compliance with these policies is subject to repayment by the student.

Certification of Courses for Veterans

Admissions to the college must be completed before an enrollment certification can be submitted. Students that have received college credit at other institutions are certified only for courses necessary to complete the declared program of study at Bevill State Community College. All students are required to have an official transcript on file with Admissions prior to the submission of a certification.

Certification is granted only for hours required to complete the selected program of study. However, certification may be granted for remedial and developmental course credit if such courses are necessary for the student to reach his or her objective. Only one program may be pursued under certification of benefits. The VA will not pay for courses that are taken under an unapproved program after the approved program is completed.

Veterans may change a program of study and continue to receive benefits if the new program of study is approved by VA. Courses that award audit credit, no credit, or are not required by the student's declared program of study cannot be certified. Also, courses for which a student has already received a passing grade will not be certified unless a minimum grade requirement exists.

Should a student receiving VA Educational Benefits register for a course that is not required by the declared program of study or a course for audit credit or no credit, his or her benefits may be reduced at any time during the semester. This action may occur without notification to the student.

Students should allow 2-3 weeks for certifications to be submitted. All students receiving VA Educational Benefits are responsible for payment of tuition at the time of registration with the exception of Post 9/11 students. Please note that if you are a Post 9/11 student and your benefits level is less than 100%, you must pay the difference the VA does not cover at the time of registration. (A copy of your certificate of eligibility must be on file.) Students receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits will be required monthly to electronically verify with VA their continued enrollment in school. If a student fails to certify for two consecutive months, VA will withhold monthly housing allowance payments until the student certifies enrollment.

Students must complete a Statement of Understanding which details the responsibilities of the student and the campus certifying official.

Students must submit a Request for Enrollment Certification to the campus certifying official for each semester you are enrolled. Failure to do so will delay certification of enrollment to Veteran's Affairs.

The Department of Veteran Affairs requires that soldiers and veterans obtain Military Transcripts to submit for evaluation and the possible awarding of college credits. If you are a member or former member of Army, Coast Guard, Marie Corps, or Navy you can obtain your Joint Services Transcript at  https://jst.doded.mil/official.html. Current and former members of the Air Force can request transcripts from Community College of the Air Force. More information about military transcripts can be found at  https://www.va.gov/resources/how-do-i-get-college-credits-for-my-military-service/ .

Payments

Benefits are paid on the following enrollment schedule:

Fall & Spring Semester Credit Hours

Full benefits: 12 or more
Three-fourths benefits: 9 to 11
Half benefits: 6 to 8
Less than half time benefits: 5 or fewer (Reimbursement of tuition and fees only)

Summer Semester Credit Hours

Full benefits: 7 or more hours
Three-Fourth benefits: 6 hours
Half benefits: 4-5 hours
Less than half time benefits: 3 hours (Reimbursement of tuition and fees only)

The initial payment should arrive SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS after the first day of classes or later if the veteran should apply for certification after classes begin.

Information about qualifying pay rates and payment dates for Chapter 30, 34, 35, and 1606 is available only through direct contact between the student and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Go to: www.gibill.va.gov or call 1-888-442-4551.

If you receive the Montgomery GI Bill® Chapter 30 or Chapter 1606, you must verify your attendance before payment is processed. You will not receive payment until VA receives your verification. You will have to verify your attendance on the last day of each month. You may do so via the automated telephone system at 1-877-823-2378 or via the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE).

Post-9/11 GI Bill students must verify their enrollment status each month to continue to receive their monthly housing allowance. For more information on Post-9/11 GI Bill enrollment verification visit www.va.gov.

State of Alabama Veteran Programs

Alabama GI Dependent Scholarship Program

Military Service: The veteran must have honorably served at least 90 days of continuous active federal military service or been honorably discharged by reason of service-connected disability after serving less than 90 days of continuous active federal military service.

Disability Requirements: Beginning July 31, 2017 veterans must be rated 40% or more due to service-connected disabilities or have held the qualifying rating at the time of death, be a former prisoner of war (POW), declared missing in action (MIA), died as the result of a service-connected disability rating or died while on active military service in the line of duty.

• Veterans with a disability rating of 20-30% may qualify if the effective date of their disability rating is on or before July 31, 2017. This provision will expire on July 31, 2023.
• Veterans whose disability rating is less than 20% prior to May 23, 2017 but who had a claim for compensation pending prior to that date which resulted in a final award by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs of at least 20% may be eligible if the dependent applies for benefits within six months of that final adjudication.

Student Requirements: As of July 31, 2017, Students applying for benefits for the first time must meet all of the following:

• Must be a current resident of the state of Alabama at the time of application; and.
• Must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for each year that they are covered under the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program; and
• Must comply with Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as defined by their education institution; and
• Must complete a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) release form for each educational institution that they attend to authorize the release of personally identifiable information required to determine continued eligibility and as required for necessary reporting.

Age Deadline: Dependent children must file an application prior to age 26 (may be extended to age 30 in certain cases). A spouse or widow(er) does not have a filing deadline or age limitation.

For more information and application procedures please visit https://va.alabama.gov/dependents-scholarship/.

For further assistance with this program at Bevill State Community College, once benefits have been approved, contact your campus VA Certifying Official.

State of Alabama Veteran Programs

Alabama National Guard Educational Assistance Program (ANGEAP)

The State of Alabama established the Alabama National Guard Educational Assistance Program to provide financial assistance to active Alabama National Guard Members who are enrolled in degree programs at accredited post-secondary institutions. ANGEAP award amounts will be determined based on the outstanding balance of tuition and fees remaining after all other benefits the student is using has been applied

Tuition Assistance

Tuition Assistance (TA) is a Department of Defense (DoD) program. TA rules vary by branch of service and can even vary between components within the branches depending on whether the service member is Active duty, Reserve, or National Guard. Soldiers may request TA through ArmyIgnitED prior to the course start date. Students have 14 days from the start of the semester to input information into ArmyIgnitED system for TA approval. ArmyIgnitED will notify the soldier of TA approval. If the TA request is not approved, ArmyIgnitED will advise the soldier of the reason and next steps.

Military Student Bill of Rights

• All military student populations have basic rights to satisfactory college marketing, admissions and student services practices including the right to:
• Accurate information about a school’s programs, requirements, accreditation, and its potential impact on course transferability.
• Access basic college/university information and fees without disclosure of student personal information.
• Educational planning and career guidance without high-pressure registration and enrollment efforts from institutions.
• A clear and complete explanation of course/program enrollment procedures and all resulting financial obligations.
• Explore, without coercion, all financial aid options before signing up for student loans or other financial assistance.
• Accurate scholarship information, free of misleading scholarship offers based on military tuition assistance.
• Appropriate academic screening and course placement based on student readiness.
• Appropriate, accessible academic and student support services.
• Clearly defined institutional “drop/add” and withdrawal policies and procedures including information about the impact of military duties (e.g., mobilization, activation, temporary duty assignments) on their academic standing and financial responsibilities.
• Clearly defined grievance/appeals processes.

Readmission Policy

Bevill State will promptly readmit a service member with the same academic status as he had when last attending or accepted for admission. The student must notify the Office of Student Services of his military service and intention to return to school. The school will promptly readmit the student into the next class or classes in the program beginning after he provides notice of intent to reenroll, unless he requests a later date or unusual circumstances require the school to admit him later.

If the student is readmitted to the same program, for the first academic year in which he returns, the school will assess the tuition and fee charges that he was or would have been assessed for the academic year during which he left the school. However, if his veteran’s education benefits or other service member benefits will pay the higher tuition and fee charges that other students in the program are paying for the year, the school will assess those charges to the student.

**The following programs require that students, upon program completion, pass a test given by a licensure board in order to practice within the discipline: Nursing, Paramedic, Salon and Spa Management, and Truck Driving.