Application Procedures for VA Benefits

The following rules and information are important to your certification and receipt of pay under your VA Educational Benefits. READ CAREFULLY!!

• The first step in using your benefits is submitting an application for benefits online at www.gibill.va.gov, click on Apply online. Each chapter requires different forms and/or documentation; therefore it is imperative that you are aware of your options. The VA takes about 6-8 weeks to process your application. Upon approval you will receive a “Certificate of Eligibility” from the VA, bring this letter to the RCCC Financial Aid Office.
  
  
• ALL Admissions requirements (high school and college transcripts, placement test, and evaluation courses) MUST be complete prior to certification by the RCCC FA office.
  
  
• With the exception of VA-Voc Rehab (Chapter 31), all students are responsible for tuition, fees, and books. You cannot charge school costs to VA. You need to be prepared to pay out of pocket expenses to start school. It takes approximately 60-90 days to begin receiving your veteran’s benefits once certification has been done. VA will not pay out-of-state tuition.

• Veteran benefits will only pay for approved programs, any course taken outside of the stated curriculum, are your financial responsibility. VA will not pay for “Noncredit Courses”; courses previously passed with a “D” or better (unless a better grade is required by your program for graduation); courses for which transfer credit has been granted; or courses passed by a proficiency exam. If a course substitution is being granted, it must be approved by the Dean of your program and proof submitted to the Financial Aid Office. There will be NO certification for course substitutions by the FA Office without a copy of the written approval. **IMPORTANT** VA students are allowed 2 course substitutions in their programs!!

• Advise the FA Office when repeating any developmental courses. The FA Office must approve developmental repeats. These classes may be repeated only once.

• The FA Office must be informed of any changes to your schedule. This includes dropping a course, withdrawing from school or changing a program. Failure to follow proper procedure could result in an overpayment situation.

• Veterans must notify the RCCC FA Office of any addresschanges. You will also need to notify the Regional Processing Office of these changes as well. You may contact them by phone @ 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551).

• RCCC certifies students using the beginning and ending dates of the term stated in the catalog; including minimester sessions. Students certified for at least six credit hours will automatically be paid for breaks of less than 30 days between semesters. If you do not wish to be paid for the breaks, you must notify the FA Office. This notification must be made in writing.

• Students whose program GPA (Grade Point Average) falls below the required 2.0 will be placed on “probation”. If after a semester of study, your GPA is still below 2.0, you will be placed on SUSPENSION of VA benefits. The suspension will remain in effect until the required 2.0 GPA has been achieved.

• Incomplete grades (“I”) must be completed during the first 14 weeks of the semester following the receipt of the “I”. Students cannot register for any classes in which they received an “I” until the “I” has become a grade.

• Chapters 30 and 1606 must verify their credit hours the last calendar day of each month. If the last day falls on Saturday or Sunday, verify the hours on Friday before the last day of the month. You may do this by phone @ 1-877-823-2378 or online @ www.gibill.va.gov  Important: Do not try to call and verify enrollment online during the same month. The computer system will not process the verification.