- Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33)
- Montgomery GI Bill®/Active (Chapter 30)
- Montgomery GI Bill®/Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)
- Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35)
- Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31)
Veteran educational benefits are available to individuals who meet eligibility requirements, including veterans, eligible dependents of veterans, and members of the National Guard and Reserve components.
Eligibility and Certification Requirements
Students seeking to use Veterans Affairs (VA) educational benefits at the College are expected to satisfy all institutional admission requirements for an approved program of study, including completion of the admissions process and submission of all required official transcripts (high school, GED, college, and/or military, as applicable). Students using VA educational benefits must maintain good academic standing with the College.
Students receiving federal Veterans Affairs (VA) educational benefits are required to submit a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to the College’s VA School Certifying Official to establish eligibility for benefits. A VA Enrollment Certification Form is required for each semester in which benefits are requested.
Enrollment certifications are not submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs until all required documentation has been received and processed.
Enrollment and Course Eligibility
Students receiving VA educational benefits are responsible for enrolling only in courses that apply to their declared program of study. Only courses applicable to the declared program of study are eligible for VA certification.
VA benefits are not certified for courses previously completed with a passing grade unless a higher grade is required for program completion. Benefits are also not certified for audited courses, courses for which a grade of Incomplete has previously been assigned, or courses that are not required for the declared program of study, unless approved as a substitution by the appropriate academic dean.
Withdrawal Policy
Students receiving VA educational benefits are required to notify the VA School Certifying Official immediately upon withdrawal from a course or from all courses. Failure to provide timely notification may result in an overpayment from the Department of Veterans Affairs, which the student may be required to repay.
Tuition and Fee Responsibility
Students receiving VA educational benefits are responsible for the payment of tuition and fees at the time of registration, with the exception of students receiving benefits under Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness and Employment) or Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill). Students receiving Chapter 33 benefits at a rate less than 100 percent are responsible for payment of any remaining balance not covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In accordance with federal regulations, students using Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 VA educational benefits are not subject to penalties due to delayed disbursements from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Such protections include, but are not limited to, the assessment of late fees, denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement to secure additional funding to cover outstanding balances resulting from delayed VA payments.
Residency Classification for Veterans, Service Members, and Eligible Dependents
It is hereby resolved that Trenholm State Community College in the State of Alabama is compliant with Public Law 114-315, which modified title 38 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) 3679(c). As amended, 38 U.S.C. 3679(c) requires that the following individuals be charged the resident rate:
- A Veteran using educational assistance under either Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill® – Active Duty Program) or Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®) of title 38, United States Code, who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of his/ her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the institution within a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
- Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311) who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of his/her formal State of residence).
- Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and the transferor is a member of the uniformed service who is serving on active duty.
- Anyone using educational assistance under Chapter 31, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E).
- Anyone using educational assistance under Chapter 35, Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program.
- Anyone using educational assistance under Chapter 1606, Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve program.
College Financial Plan
Trenholm State Community College has agreed to comply with the principles of Executive Order 13607, Establishing Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members (E.O. 13607), of their commitment to use the College Financial Plan Form to provide each of their prospective veteran and service member students with a personalized form that contains standardized information describing the cost of the educational program and the amount of that cost that may be covered by available Federal educational benefits and financial aid.
VA Complaint Policy
If a student has an issue or complaint about a school, they should submit their concern through the VA GI Bill® Feedback System using the following link: https://www.va.gov/education/submit-school-feedback/introduction. The VA will then follow up through the appropriate channels to investigate the complaint and resolve it satisfactorily.
Tuition Assistance (TA)
Tuition Assistance is a Department of Defense (DOD) program. The Veterans Administration does not administer the Tuition Assistance Program. Tuition Assistance rules vary by branch of service. If a service member receives TA funds and withdraws during the semester, the Tuition Assistance Refund Policy will be applied to determine if TA funds need to be returned to the Department of Defense. For additional assistance, TA recipients should contact their Education Services Officer.
*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.