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INTRODUCTION

The following is a source of information for students eligible to receive VA Educational Benefits. The information is extensive although not comprehensive. You should check with the YCCC Financial Aid Office or the Veterans Administration to confirm your understanding of particular VA Regulations or requirements which may affect you. The following offices assist YCCC students with processing of VA Educational Benefits: financial aid office (for degree and certificate programs) and CEBS (Continuing Education and Business Servies- for specific programs see CEBS and view Courses). Application forms and basic information are available; however, the office is not a unit attached to the Veterans Administration and inquiries regarding eligibility for benefits, status of awards, or the release dates of checks are referred to the VA in Buffalo, New York. We do our best to assist you with your benefits questions and basic procedure questions.

It is important that you keep us informed of any changes in your schedule, certificate/degree program, address, or telephone number.

 

VA Educational Benefits

Students attending YCCC who are eligible to receive VA Educational Benefits may qualify for one of the following Chapters of the GI Bill of Educational Assistance:

CHAPTER 30
The Montgomery GI Bill provides educational assistance to veteran students who enlisted after July 1,1985, and who contributed $1200.00 or were eligible for Chapter 34 and had no break in service from October 1984 to July 1,1988.

CHAPTER 31
The Vocational Rehabilitation Program provides educational benefits to veteran students who receive or are entitled to receive compensation for a service-related disability. Eligibility is determined by the VA and usually begins with a service-related disability of 20% or greater. Veteran students under Chapter 31 have the cost of tuition, fees, books, and supplies paid by the Veterans Administration and also receive a monthly benefit check.

CHAPTER 32
The Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) is available for those who elected to make contributions from their military pay to participate in this education benefit program. Contributions are matched on a $2 for $1 basis by the Government. Benefits may be used for degree, certificate, correspondence, apprenticeship/on-the-job training programs and vocational flight training programs.

CHAPTER 33

The Post 9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

The amount of support that an individual may qualify for depends on where they live and what type of degree they are pursuing.

Approved training under the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes graduate and undergraduate degrees, and vocational/technical training. All training programs must be offered by an institution of higher learning (IHL) and approved for GI Bill benefits. Additionally, tutorial assistance, and licensing and certification test reimbursement are approved under the Post- 9/11 GI Bill.

CHAPTER 35
Dependents of a veteran whose death or disability was service-connected may be eligible for monthly benefits. (Dependents may include a husband/widower, wife/widow, child or stepchild). Dependents may also be eligible to receive a tuition waiver from Maine Veterans' Services. Please contact Maine Veterans' Services or the YCCC Financial Aid Office for specific guidelines.

CHAPTER 1606
People who enlist for six years or longer in the Selected Reserve or National Guard after July 1, 1986, may be eligible to receive these educational benefits. Eligibility is determined by the Department of Defense.

CHAPTER 1607
Reserve Educational Assistance program (REAP). Established as a part of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005. It is a new Department of Defense education benefit program designed to provide educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency (contingency operation) as declared by the President or Congress. This new program makes certain individuals who were activated after September 11, 2001 either eligible for education benefits or eligible for increased benefits.

 

MyCAA (Military Spouse Career Advancement Account) Program Temporarily Suspended
The
Department of Defense is expanding the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account initiative to provide financial assistance to eligible military spouses seekinf licensing, credentials and/or education for future or continued employment in portable career fields. Spouses married to an active duty or activated Guard or Reserve Service member are eligible to participate. Please go to the MyCAA website to learn more and get instructions for creating an account.

Degree Status

Students receiving VA Educational Benefits must apply for admission to YCCC and be accepted into a certificate/degree program to be eligible to receive VA Educational Benefits. They must take courses that fulfill degree requirements in their major, the core curriculum, and/or electives. The Veterans Administration will pay benefits for two semesters to a non-matriculated student.

 

Applying For VA Educational Benefits

Please note: All forms can be obtained from the YCCC Financial Aid Office/CEBS Office.

 

YCCC Request For Certification

All students pursuing a degree or certificate who receive VA Educational Benefits must complete and submit a Request for Certification each time he/she registers for courses. If the Request for Certification is not submitted at least thirty days prior to the beginning of the semester it may cause a delay in the arrival of the first benefit check. The purpose of the Request for Certification is to signal the YCCC Financial Aid Office that you are taking courses and the appropriate paperwork will then be forwarded to the Veterans Administration. Failure to complete the Request for Certification will prevent the Veterans Administration from processing your benefits.

CEBS students are not required to submit this form.

 

Continuous Pay

Veteran/dependent students enrolled in six or more credit hours will receive continuous pay between semesters provided there is not more than a thirty day break in class attendance between the ending of one semester and the beginning of the next semester.

 

Financial Aid

All degree/certificate seeking veteran/dependent students should complete a FAFSA. Receiving Educational Benefits from the VA does not disqualify a veteran/dependent student from receiving financial aid which includes grants, student loans, and work-study. CEBS students do not qualify for financial aid.

 

Course Repeat Policy

If a veteran/dependent receives a grade that is unacceptable to the particular school or college, the VA will pay for the course to be repeated ONE time only.

 

Credit Hours And Benefits

Monthly benefit rates for all VA Educational Assistance are based on the number of credit or clock hours taken during each semester. For degree/certificate seeking students twelve credit hours is considered to be full-time, nine credit hours is considered three-quarter time, and six credit hours is considered half-time. For CEBS students, 22 clock hours is considered full-time. Students enrolled in less than six credit hours will only receive payment for the cost of tuition and fees. All benefit checks, except advance pay, are sent directly to the veteran/dependent at the end of each month of attendance. Chapter 30 payment is generally six weeks after the start date of the semester. YCCC will not allow veterans/dependents to defer payment of bills based on VA Educational Benefits except for VA Vocational Rehabilitation students because the Veterans Administration compensates YCCC directly for these students.

 

Billing

All students who do not receive financial aid or confirmed Chapter 33 benefits are expected to pay YCCC upon receipt of their bills. (Dependents who are eligible to have his or her tuition waived by the State of Maine are only responsible for fees which are not covered by the tuition waiver.) Students may participate in YCCC's Payment Plan. For more information please contact the Business Office.

 

Adds/Drops/Withdrawals (for degree/certificate students)

ADDS:
If a veteran/dependent student adds a course, he or she must contact the YCCC Financial Aid Office. A change in credit hours will sometimes mean a change in enrollment status resulting in an increase of VA Educational Benefits.

Note: The following information is an attempt to summarize a very complex VA Regulation concerning drops and/or withdrawals. For additional information contact the YCCC Financial Aid Office or the Veterans Administration.

DROPS:
If a student reduces his or her credits during the first 30 days of the semester and the reduction results in a change in the full or part-time enrollment status of the student, benefits are not reduced for that month. The student must notify the YCCC Financial Aid Office of any reduction in credit hours. A reduction in benefits will take place beginning with the next month.

WITHDRAWALS:
If a student withdraws from a course, benefits may be reduced back to the first day of the semester if mitigating circumstances are not reported to the VA. Students are allowed a one-time automatic mitigating circumstance if they remain in at least six credit hours. If there are extenuating circumstances, he or she must submit a statement of explanation. This will be forwarded to the VA by the YCCC Financial Aid Office. The student should realize that the submission of the statement WILL NOT guarantee that he or she will be released from the overpayment liability. The VA has the final authority to determine whether or not the circumstances are acceptable.

 

The Fund For Veterans Education

The Fund for Veterans Education was established to provide scholarships to veterans from all branches of the United States Armed Forces who served in Afghanistan or Iraq since September 11, 2001 and who are now enrolled in college or vocational-technical school.

The Fund for Veterans Education is administered by Scholarship Management Services, a department of Scholarship America. Scholarship America is a national nonprofit education support and student aid service organization that seeks to involve and assist the public and private sectors in expanding educational opportunities and encouraging educational achievement.

The Fund for Veterans Education will award up to $1,000,000 in scholarships beginning with the Spring 2008 semester. If selected as a recipient, the veterans will receive an award for the Spring 2008 term which may be renewed for the 2008-2009 academic year.

The award is intended to cover any unmet financial need based on the cost of attendance, the student’s expected family contribution, all federal, state and institutional need-based grants, and military educational benefits. Awards are for undergraduate study only and may be used for tuition, fees, books and supplies, and required equipment.

 

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium colleges and universities are dedicated to helping servicemembers and their families get college degrees. Military students can take courses in their off-duty hours at or near military installations in the United States, overseas, and on Navy ships.

 

Army/American council on education Registry Transcript System (AARTS)

ARMY/AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION REGISTRY TRANSCRIPT SYSTEM (AARTS)

The Army's Premier Transcript Service. They provide transcripts of military training and experience to Soldiers and Veterans of the Army, Army National Guard, and US Army Reserve.  AARTS maintains a database of over 3,500,000 Soldier records and fills over 2,000 requests per week. Transcript requests are processed on the work day (M-F) they are received and mailed not later than two work days later (usually less) to academic institutions, Army Education Centers, and employers around the world.

 

REFERENCES FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE     

VA Regional Office (Togus, Maine)
(800) 827-1000
http://www.vba.va.gov/ro/east/togus/

 

VA Vocational Rehabilitation (Togus, Maine)
(207) 623-8411
http://www.vba.va.gov/ro/east/togus/vocrehab.htm

 

Maine Bureau of Veterans Services (Augusta, Maine)
(800) 626-4464
http://www.mainebvs.org/

 

VA Education Benefits Office (Buffalo, New York)
(888) 442-4551

http://www.gibill.va.gov

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