Veteran Benefits
Veteran Services helps veterans file
applications for education, counseling, loans, tutorial assistance,
and/or any other entitlements allowed through the Veterans Administration.
For more information relating to Veteran
benefits and how to start collecting these benefits at Oakland Community
College, please contact the OCC Veterans Affairs
Office, located at the
Auburn Hills
campus, at (248) 232-4342 (office is closed on Fridays.)
Certification Policy for Veterans Administration
Educational Benefit Recipients
VETERANS PLAN OF STUDY
All VA Educational benefits recipients
must complete a
Veterans Plan
of Study each academic year listing
all courses required to obtain your degree. Only courses
that are required for your OCC degree will be certified for
educational benefits.
SCHEDULE CHANGES
IT
IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT ALL CHANGES IN ENROLLMENT TO THE
OCC VA OFFICE IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID OVERPAYMENT.
UNEARNED GRADES
Oakland Community College will notify
the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs if a student receiving veteran's
educational benefits is awarded a grade of ”W", "WP", "N"
or "CP" for course work pursued. In this event, the College will
report the first day of the certified attendance period as the
last date of attendance, unless the benefit recipient can provide
the OCC VA office with “MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES.” The
VA defines “Mitigating circumstances” as ‘unavoidable and
unexpected events that directly interfere with your pursuit of a
course and are beyond your control.’ If an “I” grade
is not made up within one year, the VA will deduct those credits
from your enrollment status, and an overpayment situation may occur.
REPEATING A COURSE
Courses
that are failed or for which the grade does not meet minimum requirements
for graduation may be certified for VA purposes if they are repeated.
Courses that are successfully completed may not be certified
for VA purposes if they are repeated.
TRANSFERRING SCHOOLS
If you are already receiving your benefits
from another school and will be transferring to Oakland Community
College, you need to fill out a Change of Program or Place of
Training (form
22-1995 or form
22-5495 for Chapter 35/Dependents.) Complete packets with
this form and other information required by OCC are available at
the OCC VA office. Phone (248) 232-4342 to request your packet.
Veterans educational benefit recipients neglecting to request an
official evaluation for credits earned at colleges other than Oakland
Community College and for active duty military service will not
have their enrollment certified beyond their second semester of
attendance.
SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
You must maintain satisfactory progress
(as described in the college catalog under Academic Sanctions) in
order to continue receiving your benefits. The VA will terminate
your benefits when probationary status continues past two (2) semesters.
CHANGING PROGRAMS
When you change the degree you are pursuing,
you must notify the OCC VA office. You are required to submit a
Change of Program or Place of Training (form
22-1995 or form
22-5495 for Chapter 35/Dependents) in addition to a
updated Veterans Plan of Study to reflect your new degree.
LEVEL OF ATTENDANCE
The latest PAYMENT RATES are available at the
GI Bill Web
Site.
|
ENROLLMENT
STATUS
|
CREDIT
HOURS
|
BENEFIT
|
| Full time |
12+ |
100% monthly
allotment |
| 3/4 time |
9-11 |
75% monthly
allotment |
| 1/2 time |
6-8 |
50% monthly
allotment |
| Less than ½ |
4-5 |
*Tuition and
Fees only |
| 1/4 time |
1-3 |
*Tuition and
Fees only |
VA EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS SUMMARY
Below is a listing of the most common Veteran programs that Oakland
Community College participates with.
Chapter 30 - Montgomery GI Bill - Active
Duty (MGIB)
To qualify,
you must have entered active duty on or after July 1, 1985 and made
contributions to the fund while on active duty. A monthly
benefit is paid to the student based on training time and/or
training program. Entitlement (number of months of
benefits you may receive) is 36 months. Veterans have
10 years from their discharge date to use the benefits.
Detailed
information on this program is available through the Department
of Veteran's Affairs webpage at
http://www.gibill.va.gov/education/c30pam.htm.
When applying, students will need to complete the following
and return to the OCC VA office:
-
An Application for VA Educational
Benefits, VA Form
22-1990; or IF TRANSFERRING FROM ANOTHER INSTITUTION,
a Change of Place of Training (VA form
22-1995) must be completed. If you have already
sent your 22-1990 to the Regional VA Office, you can submit
a copy of your application and/or a copy of the Certificate
Of Eligibility letter issued by the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
- A
Veterans Statement of Intent – Request for VA Benefits
- OCC form {required to submit after registering and paying
EACH SEMESTER;
- A
Statement of Responsibilities – OCC form explaining
students’ responsibilities to notify OCC VA of any changes
in enrollment and academic performance standards.
- A Veterans
Plan of Study (only courses that are required for an
OCC degree will be certified to the VA.
An appointment with a school Counselor is required to complete
this form).
- A copy of your DD-214 (Member 4 copy) or Military
Discharge papers.
PHONE
(248) 232-4342 TO REQUEST YOUR APPLICATION PACKET.
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Chapter 1606 - Montgomery GI Bill - Selected
Reserve (MGIB - SR)
This program may be available to you
if you are a member of the Selected Reserve. The Selected Reserve
includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine
Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard
and the Air National Guard. You must have a six-year obligation
to serve in Selected Reserve and have completed basic training.
A monthly benefit is paid to the
student based on training time and/or training program.
Entitlement (number of months of benefits you may receive) is
36 months. Veterans have 14 years from the date a student
became eligible for the program.
Detailed
information on this program is available through the Department
of Veteran's Affairs webpage at
http://www.gibill.va.gov/education/c1606pam.htm.
When applying, students will need to complete the following
and return to the OCC VA office:
-
An Application for VA Educational
Benefits, VA Form
22-1990; or IF TRANSFERRING FROM ANOTHER INSTITUTION,
a Change of Place of Training (VA form
22-1995) must be completed. If you have already
sent your 22-1990 to the Regional VA Office, you can submit
a copy of your application and/or a copy of the Certificate
Of Eligibility letter issued by the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
- A
Veterans Statement of Intent – Request for VA Benefits
- OCC form {required to submit after registering and paying
EACH SEMESTER.
- A
Statement of Responsibilities – OCC form explaining
students’ responsibilities to notify OCC VA of any changes
in enrollment and academic performance standards.
- A Veterans
Plan of Study (only courses that are required for an
OCC degree will be certified to the VA.
An appointment with a school Counselor is required to complete
this form).
-
A copy of your
DD-2384 - Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE).
This form is obtained through your unit.
PHONE
(248) 232-4342 TO REQUEST YOUR APPLICATION PACKET.
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Chapter 35 - Survivors' and Dependants'
Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
This program
is available to spouses and dependent children of Veterans who are
100% permanently and totally disabled or who died while serving
on active duty. Benefits for eligible dependent children
are available until their 26th birthday.
Detailed
information on this program is available through the Department
of Veteran's Affairs webpage at
http://www.gibill.va.gov/education/C35pam.htm.
When applying, students will need to complete the following
and return to the OCC VA office:
-
VA Application for Survivors’ &
Dependents Educational Assistance (form 5490)
or Change of Place of Training (form
5495) or Copy of Application previously submitted.
-
A
Veterans Statement of Intent – Request for VA Benefits
- OCC form required to submit after registering EACH
SEMESTER
- A
Statement of Responsibilities - OCC form explaining
students’ responsibilities to notify OCC VA of any changes
in enrollment and academic performance standards.
- A Veterans
Plan of Study (only courses that are required for an
OCC degree will be certified to the VA.
An appointment with a school Counselor is required to complete
this form).
- Letter of Eligibility for Michigan Veterans Trust
(if eligible; see below)
Children Of Veterans Tuition
Grant Act - Act 248 of 2005
The Children of Veterans Tuition Grant act was setup to establish
an undergraduate tuition grant program for children of certain deceased
or disabled members of the armed forces of the United States. The
program pays up to $2800 each school year in tuition (no course
fees) and lasts no more than 4 academic years and students are required
to maintain a 2.25 cumulative G.P.A. Applications are available
through the OCC VA Office as part of the Chapter 35 (DEA) packet
or can be downloaded below.
To qualify, the student must complete the
application meeting all of the following requirements:
- Is enrolled in that academic year as a full-time or part-time
student in undergraduate classes at an eligible institution.
- Is a United States citizen or permanent resident of the
United States.
- Is more than 16 and less than 26 years of age.
- Is the natural or adopted child of a Michigan veteran and
the Michigan veteran meets certain conditions. (refer to
Acts conditions at
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/PA-0248_152350_7.pdf)
PHONE
(248) 232-4342 TO REQUEST YOUR APPLICATION PACKET.
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Chapter 31 - Vocational Rehabilitation
The Vocational
Rehabilitation Program provides a comprehensive program of vocational
rehabilitation assessment and services for veterans who have incurred
or aggravated a physical or mental disability while in the armed
forces of the United States.
Detailed
information on this program is available through the Department
of Veteran's Affairs webpage at
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment webpage .
When applying, students will need to complete the following
and return to the OCC VA office:
-
AUTHORIZATION AND CERTIFICATION
OF ENTRANCE OR REENTRANCE INTO REHABILITATION AND CERTIFICATION
OF STATUS (form 1905 available from Voc Rehab
Counselor required in order to bill Voc Rehab for tuition
and fees.)
-
A
Veterans Statement of Intent – Request for VA Benefits
- OCC form {required to submit after registering EACH SEMESTER.
-
A
Statement of Responsibilities - OCC form explaining
students’ responsibilities to notify OCC VA of any changes
in enrollment and academic performance standards.
-
A
Veterans
Plan of Study (only courses that are required for an
OCC degree will be certified to the VA. An appointment
with a school Counselor is required to complete this form).
PHONE
(248) 232-4342 TO REQUEST YOUR APPLICATION PACKET.
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Chapter 32 - Veterans Educational Assistance
Program (VEAP)
VEAP is available if you first entered
active duty between January 1, 1977 and June 30, 1985 and you elected
to make contributions from your military pay to participate in this
education benefit program. Your contributions are matched on a $2
for $1 basis by the Government.
Detailed
information on this program is available through the Department
of Veteran's Affairs webpage at
http://www.gibill.va.gov/education/c32pam.htm.
PHONE
(248) 232-4342 TO REQUEST YOUR APPLICATION PACKET.
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Veterans Administration
statutory requirements
Oakland
Community College, in recognition of the special needs of active-duty
service persons in having access to and completing programs, has
been designated as a Service Member’s Opportunity College.
Oakland Community College is approved as a school for veterans
of military service under provisions of Chapters 30, 31, 32, 35,
and 1606 of the U.S. Code.
In compliance with VA statutory requirements of sub-paragraph 56,
section 1775 of chapter 36, Title 38 U.S. Code, Oakland Community
College student veterans’ benefits recipients will not be certified
as eligible for benefits when their academic progress (cumulative
grade point average) places them in the academic warning range (probation)
beyond two semesters of enrollment. Re-certification of eligibility
for benefits will not be considered until after the semester in
which the student regains academic good standing (see Academic
Sanctions in the current college catalog ).
Oakland Community College
advises all students to enroll early as this will ensure
processing of your paperwork without delay and without interruption
in your benefits. Average processing times vary from 6 to
10 weeks for new AND ongoing claims. Recipients should be
prepared to pay their expenses for at least two months after the
beginning of the semester to allow for VA processing delays.
ALL TUITION AND FEES MUST BE PAID AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION.
Once the veteran’s application is approved and the award processed,
monthly checks will be issued as long as the student maintains satisfactory
academic progress and enrolls in courses pertaining to a degree
at Oakland Community College.
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