TCL is an approved institution for administering education benefits as paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The College is committed to serving veterans and their eligible dependents.
Curriculum courses are approved for training under Title 38 of the U.S. Code, Chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill®), Chapter 31 (Veterans’ Readiness & Employment Program®), Chapter 32 (Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program or VEAP®), Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 G.I. Bill®), Chapter 35 (Survivors & Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program®), or Chapter 1606 (Montgomery G.I. Bill® – Selected Reserves (MGIB-SR). Note: As of November 25, 2019, Chapter 1607 (REAP) benefits are no longer available. Students may apply for other VA benefits for which they may be eligible.
Admission requirements are the same as those for other students. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs determines eligibility, enrollment status, and award benefits.
VA Education Benefits Application Process
Benefits will not be paid for a class or degree the VA does not approve or authorize. For more information, contact the TCL Office of Veterans Affairs on the Mather Beaufort Campus in Building 2, Coleman Hall, at 843-525-8340 or email gibill@tcl.edu. Students who may be eligible for Veterans benefits should contact the Veterans Education Benefits Office at 1-888-442-4551 for information. Applications should be submitted at least eight weeks before enrollment to allow time for processing.
- Eligible VA students (except for Chapter 31 recipients) must submit a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility from the VA. This letter is sent to the student’s mailing address and indicates which benefits you qualify to receive.
- Under Chapter 31, the assigned Case Manager will send an invoice and authorization form (VA Form 28-1905) via an electronic portal known as Tungsten to help pay students’ tuition and fees and book and supplies costs.
TCL VETERANS ENROLLMENT CERTIFICATION REQUEST FORM POLICY
All VA-eligible students must also complete the Veterans Certification Form and present a copy of their schedule/bill to the School Certifying Official each semester. Follow these steps to ensure timely enrollment certification and the Veteran Affairs Administration payments. Each student is responsible for notifying the TCL Office of Veterans Affairs of any changes in personal data, career goals, or changes in class schedule.
PAYMENT FOR VETERANS BENEFITS
For payment purposes, 12 credit hours per semester is considered full-time attendance for the Fall and Spring semesters. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs only pays the minimum number of semester hours. Semester hour requirements vary during the summer term. Please consult with the VA for the actual enrollment status in the Summer term.
ADVANCE PAYMENT POLICY FOR VETERANS
Students eligible for VA benefits may apply for an advanced payment from 45 to 120 days before the first day of the term. Application processing takes six to eight weeks after submission to the VA, and the first payment includes pay for all days in the month the term begins the month following the end of the term.
CHAPTER 1606 (RESERVE AND NATIONAL GUARD) ENROLLMENT POLICY
Developmental courses offered at TCL are not applicable for payment by the VA for those using Chapter 1606 benefits with contracts signed before October 1, 1990. Students enrolled under this chapter must carry a minimum of six semester hours. If credit hours fall below six, only the cost of tuition will be paid by the VA.
PREVIOUS TRAINING (PRIOR CREDITS) TRANSCRIPTS FOR VETERANS
All VA-eligible students must obtain official transcripts from all schools and colleges they have previously attended to verify previous training and prior credits. The student will receive VA benefits for only ONE term unless all transcripts are submitted to TCL’s Enrollment Management Services Office during the student’s first term at TCL.
ACADEMIC PROGRESS
SATISFACTORY GRADE POINT AVERAGE
For Veterans Administration purposes, the acceptable minimum cumulative GPA is 2.0. If the term or cumulative GPA falls below the minimum, the student will be placed on academic probation for the following term. Students must receive a grade of “C” or better in all courses within their curriculum, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, to qualify for any degree, diploma, or certificate of completion award from TCL.
VA EDUCATION BENEFITS – DROP/ADD POLICY INFORMATION
Students dropping classes after a term’s drop/add period must provide a statement indicating mitigating circumstances (i.e., illness, death in your immediate family, unavoidable changes associated with your employment, immediate family, or financial obligations) to the VA School Certifying Official. This statement will be forwarded to the regional Veterans Administration Office for consideration in determining overpayment. Students must notify the VA School Certifying Official of course load changes, substitutions, and grade changes.
NOTIFICATION OF STANDARDS AND UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESS
Upon the initial certification, students receiving Veterans Administration educational benefits will receive a copy of satisfactory academic progress standards from the VA School Certifying Official via email. The student and the Veterans Administration will be notified if satisfactory academic progress is not made after a term. Benefits may be terminated upon failure to meet minimum standards for three consecutive terms.
Refund Policy
REFUNDS/RETURNS — FEDERAL TITLE IV FINANCIAL AID
TCL adheres to the United States Department of Education’s guidelines in its Title IV Federal Financial Aid Programs (i.e., Federal Pell Grant, Direct Loans, and Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant) refund policy. Students receiving Title IV funds follow the same refunding schedule outlined above. However, if a student completely withdraws after the College’s official award date, a return of unearned assistance is calculated for the appropriate program under federal guidelines. Federal regulations require that students receiving financial assistance, who withdraw from all classes before attending 60% of the term’s classes, return a portion of institutional charges to the federal government. Based on government regulations, adjustments, and refunds will be administered according to Title IV Refund Regulations.
TUITION REFUND FOR STUDENTS CALLED TO ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE
Tuition refunds or credits will be issued to students called to active military service. Military students currently on active duty, who are deployed in emergencies to serve under unplanned conditions, thereby causing an interruption of their studies, are eligible for tuition refunds or credits. Active military students with orders in a semester must contact Student Records at 843.525.8207 or srecords@tcl.edu.
VA EDUCATION BENEFITS – STUDENT DEBT INFORMATION
If a VA-eligible student decreases their enrollment training time (i.e., drop classes, leave school, etc.) and VA has already processed a payment for education costs, an overpayment will occur. When the School Certifying Official (SCO) notifies the VA of an enrollment change, a debt is created against your account. The school will issue any refunds following their internal policy, which may not fully cover the debt with the VA. If the amount refunded by the school does not satisfy the debt, you are responsible for the remainder.
- If the school refunds money directly to the VA, VA will place a credit on the student’s account for any amount the school refunds. After VA funding is returned on a student’s behalf, they may still owe a balance to the institution.
- If the VA sends payments directly to students, they must clear the debt with VA.
Decreasing your credit hours could also change your monthly subsistence allowance and/or books & supplies stipend. If VA has already issued you a payment for the term, a debt will be created on your account.
