GI Bill Programs (VA)

Tha VA School Certifying Officials are located both on the Shoals and Phil Campbell campuses in the Student Financial Services Office.

Chapter 33 – POST 9/11 GI Bill®

Application package includes:

  • Form 22-1990-Application of Education Benefits https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/vonapp
  • Certificate of Eligibility or Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) (Copies are obtained from your National Guard or Reserve component.)

Chapter 31 VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

Veterans should apply for vocational rehabilitation through the County Veterans Service Office and must follow guidelines from the Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling Division fo the DVA regarding application and admission requirements.

To apply, visit https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/vonapp.
 

Chapter1606 – SELECTED RESERVE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Application package includes:

Chapter 35 – SURVIVORS AND DEPENDENT’S EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE

Application package includes:

ALABAMA G.I. DEPENDENT’S SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

To Apply:

  • Contact your county’s Veterans Affairs Office by calling 334-242-5077 or visiting https://va.alabama.gov/dependents-scholarship/.
  • If the student is deemed eligible, the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs will send a certificate of eligibility to the student and to the approved school.

ALABAMA NATIONAL GUARD EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ANGEAP)

Students in the Alabama National Guard may be eligible for a reimbursement stipend each semester (2 semesters in the year).  All Alabama National Guard Members are encouraged to apply by filling out the ANGEAP request each semester and turning it in to the VA School Certifying Official in the Office of Student Financial Services. The stipend is not set for any period of time during the semester, and the Office of Student Financial Services cannot provide information regarding the time of payment.

Once the ANGEAP request is turned in, the SCO will forward it to the Alabama National Guard office.  When all required channels have approved the request, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) will sent the school a check for the approved amount. The ANGEAP is a Limited Fund Program, and submission of this application does not ensure that funds will be available when application arrives at ACHE.

To apply, visit the ANGEAP site at https://www.ache.edu/index.php/military-educational-benefits/

VA POLICY ON TUITION AND FEE RATE

The following individuals shall be charged a rate of tuition not to exceed the in-state rate for tuition and fees purposes:

  • A Veteran using educational assistance under either chapter 30 or chapter 33, of title 38, United States Code, who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
  • Anyone using transferred chapter 33 benefits (38 U.S.C. 3319) who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor’s discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
  • Anyone described above while he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school. The person so described must have enrolled in the school prior to the expiration of the three year period following discharge or release as described above and must be using educational benefits under either chapter 30 or chapter 33, of title 38, United States Code.
  • Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. 3311 (b)(9)) who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence).
  • Anyone using transferred chapter 33 benefits (38 U.S.C. 3319) who lives in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and the transferor is a member of the uniformed service who is serving on active duty.
  • The policy shall be read to be amended as necessary to be compliant with the requirements of 38 U.S. C. 3679 as amended.

NW-SCC POLICY ON THE RETURN OF UNEARNED TA FUNDS TO THE GOVERNMENT

Under, Return of Title IV Funds, the law requires that, when a student withdraws during a payment period or period of enrollment, the amount of Federal Title IV aid program assistance earned up to that point is determined by a specific formula. The withdrawal date is the date the student submits a completed withdrawal form to the Admissions Office. When a student unofficially withdraws (stops attending without completing withdrawal process) or there is no recorded last date of attendance, the withdrawal date is the mid-point (50%) of the term. If the student received (or the College received on the student’s behalf) less assistance than the amount earned, the student will be able to receive those additional funds. If the student receives more assistance than earned, the excess funds must be returned. The amount of assistance that a student has earned is determined on a pro-rata basis. That is, if a student completed 30 percent (30%) of the payment period or period of enrollment, he or she earns 30 percent (30%) of the assistance the student was originally scheduled to receive. Once the student completes more than 60 percent (60%) of the payment period or period of enrollment, he or she earns all of the assistance. The 60% date will be published in each semester schedule. This policy will be applied to unearned TA funds.

TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TA)

Military Tuition Assistance is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% for the tuition and fees for college courses taken during off-duty hours. It is important to understand that the VA does not administer TA. Each branch of the service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process and restrictions. This money is paid directly to the institution by the individual services. TA is not a loan; it should be viewed as money you have earned just like your base pay. For additional information or assistance contact the Student Financial Services Office at (256) 331-5368 or (256) 331-6332. For more information, review your military service website for details on your eligibility and the process for requesting tuition assistance.

Please find the respective links for your service below:

Application Process:

  1. Speak with your education officer, career counselor, or benefits incentive specialists to ensure you are eligible for Tuition Assistance.
  2. Gain approval from your commander to attend classes at Northwest-Shoals Community College prior to enrollment.
  3. See your base Education Services Officer (ESO) prior to enrolling for classes at Northwest-Shoals Community College.
  4. Follow specific instructions for your military service branch regarding how to request Tuition Assistance for your course(s). Take note of the TA application instructions/deadlines specific to your branch and Northwest-Shoals Community College academic calendar to ensure your request is processed in a timely manner.
  5. GoArmyEd service members must submit request in the portal. All other branches of service must submit your approved TA request to the Student Financial Services Office for processing.

Points of Contact:

TA – The Point of Contact (POC) for all TA students is Lisa Lilley. The Alternate POC is Lisa Hall. You can reach them at 256-331-5368 or 256-331-6332 or by email lisa.lilley@nwscc.edu or at lisa.hall@nwscc.edu. They can direct any student needing assistance to the right resource on campus.

Academic Advising/ Student Support Services – The POC is Brittany Jones. She can be reached at 256-331-5319 and by email at bjones@nwscc.edu.

VA Education Benefits: The POC for VA Education Benefits is Lisa Lilley. She can be reached at 256-331-5368 and by email at lisa.lilley@nwscc.edu.

Job Search Support – The POC is Amanda Peters. She can be reached at 256-331-8121 in the Career Center and by email at amanda.terry@nwscc.edu.

Title IV Funding is handled in the Financial Aid Office. The POC for Financial Aid is Cierra Smith. She can be reached at 256-331-5369 and by email at cierra.smith@nwscc.edu.

The POC for the The Office of Disability Services is Sharon McBride and he can be reached at 256-331-5262 and by email at mcbride@nwscc.edu.

Business Office – Student Accounts Primary POC is Leah Howard and she can be reached at 256-331-5408 and by email at leah.howard@nwscc.edu.

NW-SCC SCHEDULE FOR THE RETURN OF UNEARNED TA FUNDS TO THE GOVERNMENT

Unearned TA funds will be calculated within 30 days of the official or unofficial withdrawal. The return of those funds will be done within 30 days of the return calculation.

5-week Course Withdraw submitted

  • Day 1-7 100% return
  • Day 8 77% return
  • Day 9 74% return
  • Day 10 71% return
  • Day 11 69% return
  • Day 12 66% return
  • Day 13 63% return
  • Day 14 60% return
  • Day 15 57% return
  • Day 16 54% return
  • Day 17 51% return
  • Day 18 49% return
  • Day 19 46% return
  • Day 20 43% return
  • Day 21 40% return (60% of course is completed)
  • Day 22 0% return

8-week Course Withdraw submitted

  • Before or during week 1 100% return
  • During week 2 75% return
  • During weeks 3-4 50% return
  • During week 5 40% return (60% of course is completed)
  • During weeks 6-8 0% return

16-week Course Withdraw submitted

  • Before or during weeks 1-2 100% return
  • During weeks 3-4 75% return
  • During weeks 5-8 50% return
  • During weeks 9 40% return (60% of course is completed)
  • During weeks 10-16 0% return

VA COMPLAINT POLICY

  • Any VA Complaint against the school should be routed through the VA / GI Bill® Feedback System by going to the following link: http://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/Feedback.asp
  • The VA will then follow up through the appropriate channels to investigate the complaint and resolve it satisfactorily.

CERTIFYING ENROLLMENT

Certification is the process by which the College verifies to the VA a student’s dates of attendance, degree program and number of credit hours taken.  The VA will not pay any student without receiving this certification.  VA students must bring their schedule each semester to Student Financial Services and complete the Enrollment Certification Request before being certified for that semester to ensure all classes meet requirements.  VA students must also notify the School Certifying Official of any changes in their schedule (adding/dropping courses).  The VA Certifying Official will process all certifications within two business days of the paperwork being turned in.  The Certifying Official will follow up weekly on the student’s account, and contact students when changes are made.  NOTE:  All courses taken must be in your selected program.  VA students will not be certified for, nor paid by the VA, for courses that are not in their program, audited classes, withdrawals or non-required courses.

CHANGES IN SCHEDULE

All add/drop changes after initial certification should be reported by the student to the Northwest-Shoals Community College Student Financial Services and are forwarded to the VA Regional Office.  Withdrawing or adding classes may change the eligible monthly rate received by the student, and if not reported in a timely manner could lead to an underpayment or overpayment of benefits.  Students are encouraged to report these changes in a timely manner to avoid these situations.  The VA Certifying Official should report all changes to the VA within 30 days of the date of the change.

CHANGING MAJOR

Students must report a change of major to the VA Certifying Official in the College’s Student Financial Services at the beginning of the semester in which the change occurs.  Students will be required to complete a change of program request, VA Form 22-1995 (chapters 33,30, 1606 and 1607) or 22-5495 (chapter 35). For chapter 31 students, see your case manager.

PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES

All VA students are responsible for making payment for tuition and fees by the payment due date to avoid being dropped from courses.  Chapter 33, Chapter 31, and Alabama G.I. students will only have to pay the balance of what their benefit level does not cover at the time tuition and fee payment is due.

PROGRAM ACCREDITATION

Disclosures relating to conditions imposed by State, Federal, or commercial entities, or other additional requirements related to obtaining credentials in a given field are reflected in the college catalog for their respective programs.