Veterans Information
Virtually all academic, vocational, and technical courses leading to a degree at San Jacinto College are approved for veterans training.
Students who expect to receive veterans' benefits while attending school should contact the San Jacinto College Campus Financial Aid Services Office on the campus they will attend. For more information: http://www.gibill.va.gov/.
Dependents of deceased or disabled veterans whose death or disability is service connected may be eligible to receive VA benefits. For information, call a Campus Financial Aid Services Office.
Steps in Applying
Veterans who have previously used educational benefits should complete only VA form 22-1995 (Change of Program or Place of Training) and contact a campus veterans' affairs certifying official.
Veterans filing under the Montgomery GI Bill, Chapter 30 or 32 (VEAP program) should:
- Take the original or a certified copy of their DD-214 to the College VA counselor.
- Complete the VA form 22-1990 (Application for Educational Benefits).
Applicants filing under the Montgomery GI Bill, Chapter 1606 (for active duty guardsmen and reservists) should:
- Obtain a Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) form from their unit (DD form 2384).
- Take their NOBE to the College VA counselor and complete VA form 22-1990.
Reservists filing under the Montgomery G.I. Chapter 1607 should:
- Take the member 4 copy of their DD214 (from being called up to active duty) to the VA certifying official on their campus.
- Complete the VA form 22-1990 (Application for Educational Benefits).
Veterans who entered the military before January 1, 1977, and had continuous service through June 1, 1988, filing under the original GI Bill Chapter 30 should:
- Take the original or a certified copy of their DD-214 to the College VA counselor.
- Complete the VA form 22-1990 (Application for Educational Benefits).
- To claim dependents, the VA requires a written statement from the veteran as proof of the existence of a marriage or the birth of a child.
| GI Bill Rates Educational Benefits Effective October 2007 | |
| Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty Title 38 U.S. C. Chapter 30 | |
| Full Time (12 hrs) |
$1101.00 |
| ¾ Time (9 - 11 hrs) |
$825.75 |
| ½ Time (6 - 8 hrs) |
$550.50 |
| Less Than ½ Time (4 - 5 hrs) |
Tuition/Fees Only |
| ¼ Time (1 - 3 hrs) |
Tuition/Fees Only |
| Rates for Persons whose Active Duty Was Less Than 3 Years | |
| Full Time (12 hrs) |
$894.00 |
| ¾ Time (9 - 11 hrs) |
$670.50 |
| ½ Time (6 - 8 hrs) |
$447.00 |
| Less Than ½ Time (4 - 5 hrs) |
Tuition/Fees Only |
| ¼ Time (1 - 3 hrs) |
Tuition/Fees Only |
| Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Benefits | |
| Full Time (12 hrs) |
$881.00 |
| ¾ Time (9 - 11 hrs) |
$661.00 |
| ½ Time (6 - 8 hrs) |
$439.00 |
| Less Than ½ Time (4 - 5 hrs) |
Tuition/Fees Only |
| ¼ Time (1 - 3 hrs) |
Tuition/Fees Only |
| GI Bill Chapter 1606 Reservists | |
| Full Time (12 hrs) |
$317.00 |
| ¾ Time (9 - 11 hrs) |
$237.00 |
| ½ Time (6 - 8 hrs) |
$157.00 |
| Less Than ½ Time (4 - 5 hrs) |
$79.25 |
Class Attendance
The VA requires class attendance for students to be eligible for VA benefits; however, only the last day of attendance is reported. An eligible person will be paid only to the last day of class attendance when they withdraw from school.
Course Withdrawal
The VA does not allow automatic payment of benefits for a grade of W or I. Students who drop courses after the period designated for class changes may have to pay back money received for such courses.
The VA will allow payment only in cases of mitigating circumstances, and students will be required to explain in writing to the VA the reason for their withdrawal from courses. There is a one-time exclusion for dropping up to 6 credit hours.
The student is responsible for withdrawing from an academic course by going to http://www.sos.sjcd.edu/ . If students need to drop a remedial course, a counselor's approval must be obtained. Students needing further assistance may contact the Enrollment Services Office on their campus.
Excessive Absences
Students receiving veterans benefits should not stop attending classes without properly withdrawing from school; they should formally withdraw on-line or in person through the Enrollment Services Office. If a student withdraws the student may have to pay back veterans benefits received.
Repeating Courses
No student may retake a course for VA benefits in which a passing grade or a temporary grade of "I" has been awarded. The student is responsible for knowing which courses have been completed. The College will immediately notify the VA of any course duplications, and appropriate changes will be made when a student has taken an unapproved course.
Program Requirements
VA regulations require that persons who have declared an objective take courses leading toward that objective. Any deviation from the approved program cannot be certified for VA benefits. Students should request a change of program before enrolling for courses outside the approved program. Electives not suggested in the Catalog should be approved by the VA certifying official.
Physical Education Requirements
Veterans are not required to take physical education, but must substitute two term hours of electives if they do not take physical education. Veterans who wish to do so may take a maximum of two activity physical education courses for VA benefits.
Health and physical education majors may apply a maximum of four term hours of physical education activity courses toward the degree.
Tutoring
All students (veterans, wives, widows, and children of disabled or deceased veterans) who receive educational allowances are eligible for tutorial assistance. Students needing extra tutoring should contact the Campus Financial Aid Services Office to process the certification papers. A student must be enrolled at least half time.
VA Academic Standards of Progress
The Department of Veterans Affairs requires that a student make satisfactory academic progress to be eligible for VA educational benefits.
Also, VA students on academic suspension will be reported to the Department of Veterans Affairs and will not be eligible for educational benefit payments until approved by the VA.
All students receiving VA educational benefits are subject to the academic conditions under the Academic Warning, Probation & Suspension. The exception to this table: Any student on continued probation, VA benefits will be suspended if the student's institutional GPA does not meet or exceed a 2.0 GPA. Students may then submit to the VA a written statement of mitigating circumstances request resumption of VA benefits.
Any student on continued probation may be certified for VA benefits for two semesters. However, after two semesters on continued probation, VA benefits will be suspended if the student's GPA does not reach 2.0. Students may then submit to the VA a written statement of mitigating circumstances and request resumption of VA benefits.
A vocational nursing (VN) student who fails to earn at least a grade of C in each course of the first 462 clock hours shall be suspended from the program and VA benefits. Similarly, a student who fails to earn at least a grade of C in each course of the succeeding 512 clock hours shall be suspended from the program and VA benefits.
An emergency medical technology (EMT) student who has not accumulated a grade point average of 2.0 at the end of 148 clock hours will be suspended from the program and VA benefits. Similarly, a student who fails to earn at least a grade of C in each course of the succeeding 454 clock hours shall be suspended from the program and VA benefits.
Students Enrolling Under Hazlewood Act
An act of the Texas Legislature known as the Hazlewood Act provides that all veterans who were Texas residents when entering service and who were honorably discharged or discharged under honorable conditions from the armed forces of the United States after serving on active duty (excluding training time) for more than 181 days are exempt from paying tuition and certain fees.
The Hazlewood Act also allows veterans to use other federal aid in conjunction with Hazlewood benefits however, the federal aid is applied to the tuition first. An eligible person is limited to a maximum of 150 semester credit hours attempted. Students who are in default on an educational loan are not eligible to receive Hazlewood benefits. To comply with the requirements of the State Auditor's Department, during or before registration veterans must present seven documents for the files at San Jacinto College:
- The member 4 copy of DD-214 (separation papers).
- Proof of Texas residency for at least the one-year period (12 months) prior to registration.
- A letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs in Muskogee, Oklahoma, certifying that the veteran is not eligible to receive benefits under the GI Bill (Educational Training).
- A completed formal application for Hazlewood Act benefits. (Applications are furnished by the College.)
- A Hazlewood transcript from all schools attended since fall 1995, showing credit hours attempted under the Hazlewood Act.
- Veterans eligible for VA Education Benefits must provide a copy of their award letter if applying for the Hazelwood Exemption.
- Qualifying dependents must submit Form DD 1300.
Note: Veterans may use the Hazelwood Exemption in conjuntion with the Pell Grant if eligible. However, compliance with the "default loan" clause will be verified by the school.
Unless all of these documents have been approved by the College at the time of registration, a veteran is not eligible to receive benefits under this act. Qualifying dependents must follow the same procedures that a qualifying veteran would follow.
Reservists Called To Active Duty
Currently enrolled students who are called to active duty during the term should request to be withdrawn at the Registrar’s Office. In order to receive a 100 percent refund of tuition and fees paid for the semester, these students will need to present a copy of their orders. In the event that the student’s orders are not available at the time of the request for withdrawal, a copy may be mailed or brought by a family member to the Registrar’s Office at a later time. A full refund cannot be authorized until such time as the student provides an official copy of his or her orders indicating a call to active duty which precludes the completion of the term.
Students who are called to active duty toward the end of the semester, and who wish to complete the course(s) rather than withdraw, are advised to discuss with their instructors the option of receiving an I (Incomplete) in the course. With the instructor’s approval, the student may choose to receive an I and complete the coursework upon being released from active duty.
