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ELIGIBILITY
Veterans who qualify to
receive benefits under the Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
Montgomery Bill-Active Duty (Chapter 30), Montgomery Bill-Selected Active
Reserve (Chapter 1606), and eligibles under the Survivors’ and
Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35) are encouraged
to take advantage of their educational entitlement.
Veterans with a
service-connected disability may be eligible for vocational
rehabilitation. This program provides eligible veterans with a
monthly allowance as well as payment for tuition, most fees, and necessary
books and supplies. War orphans, dependents, and survivors of
veterans considered 100% disabled as the result of a service-connected
disability, who died from those conditions, or who died while on active
duty, may be eligible for benefits. These applicants should seek
information regarding eligibility from the VA Regional Office, Los
Angeles, phone 1-800-827-1000 or 1-888-442-4551 or contact the local
Orange County Service Center, Santa Ana, phone (714) 567-7450.
ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS
The Veterans Administration
will only pay educational benefits for the period of time that each course
is active as shown by the beginning and ending dates in the semester class
schedule. You must be enrolled in at least half time, (6.0
units-regular sessions and 3.0 units-mini and summer sessions) to be
eligible for regular payment. A veteran or eligible student
attending less than ½ time can be reimbursed tuition and fees, not to
exceed the normal monthly rate for a full-time, ¾ time or ½ time
student. Veterans and eligibles who wish to receive benefits must
notify the VAO at the beginning of each semester by completing a VA class
schedule form. Satisfactory progress must be maintained by all VA
applicants. A veteran or eligible may enroll in open circuit
television classes. All those collecting VA educational benefits are
required to report immediately any changes of classes, both adds and
drops, to the Veteran Affairs Office.
Veterans and eligible
dependents/spouse who are on academic probation, below 2.00 grade point
average (GPA), must show a continued improvement in GPA with each semester
after the below 2.00 GPA deficiency. A student who is on academic
probation shall have VA education benefits payments suspended after
showing two semesters without satisfactory progress towards graduation
requirement of 2.00 GPA. In such instances, a student must petition
for recertification and must show a counselor approved program indicating
what course of action must be completed to maintain satisfactory progress
towards graduation requirements.
APPLYING FOR BENEFITS
Each veteran and eligible
who wishes to enter Rancho Santiago Community College District must follow
the admissions procedures. A copy of discharge paper – DD214, is
required of new Chapter 30 veterans and a copy of DD2384 of new Chapter
1606 reservists who are using their educational benefits for the first
time. A birth certificate is usually required of new dependents.
All applicants are encouraged to apply for Advance Payment by checking
with the Veterans Affairs Office (VAO) at Santa Ana College at least 30
days before the beginning of each semester. VA forms and Advance
Payments requests can be mailed or are available in the VAO, phone (714)
564-6050
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