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Veteran's Educational Benefits Information
Contact Information

Veteran’s Benefits Coordinator – Rick Bethea

Phone – 646-1580

Or 1-866-269-5677 ext. 1580 within the 864 area code

Miller Hall, Room 161 – Sign in at the Financial Aid Office Reception Area, Room 150

In this section, the term “veteran” refers to veterans as well as eligible dependents and eligible members of the National Guard or Reserves.

Application for Benefits

To apply for benefits, the Admissions Office must first accept veterans into a program of study.  A veteran should then report to the Veterans Coordinator in the Financial Aid/VA Office located in Miller Hall with a copy of his/her DD214 if application is based on active duty service, or Notice of Basic Eligibility if application is based on current Reserve or National Guard service.

Veterans also must furnish the Admissions Office with an official transcript from the high school of graduation and official transcripts from all colleges attended.  An evaluation of all college transcripts must be completed by the end of the second semester in a new program of study.  This evaluation is necessary to determine what credits will count toward graduation in the veteran’s program of study and must be reported to the VA when enrollment is certified.  Benefits cannot be extended beyond the second semester until this is accomplished.  The veteran is responsible for making sure this has been completed.

Change of Program of Study

To change programs of study, the same admissions and evaluation process must be followed and a Change of Program or Place of Training Form (22-1995) filled out with the Veterans Coordinator.  For information, call the Veterans Coordinator at (864) 646-1580.

Grading Procedure

In 1976, the Congress amended the “GI Bill” in such a way as to encourage veterans to move toward the attainment of educational career goals.  The law now provides that no payment will be made to an eligible veteran for auditing a course or for taking a course in which the grade assigned is not used in computing graduation requirements.

To comply with this law, the following rules apply to veterans or other individuals who receive veterans’ benefits:
  • The “I” grade is not a permanent grade and carries only a message of a temporary condition that will be changed to a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F.  The “I” defaults to “F” automatically after 20 instructional days into the succeeding term if course requirements are not completed by that time.  In the event a veteran receives an “I” grade at the end of a semester, further enrollment in that course cannot be certified to the VA.
  • In all cases, an “F” grade is defined as a punitive grade for purposes of computing eligibility for and receipt of veterans’ benefits.
  • Veterans cannot be certified for an “AU” grade
  • Veterans enrollment cannot be certified for any course not listed in his/her curriculum as a graduation requirement.  If there are electives listed as part of the curriculum, veterans must not exceed the total number of elective hours designated by the program and should take only electives listed as approved electives or electives approved in writing by their department head.

Conditions for Interruption of Benefits Due to Unsatisfactory Grades or Progress

  • Each veteran certified for benefits will have an evaluation of his/her progress done at the end of each semester.  If a program GPA of 2.0 is not maintained during any semester, the veteran will be placed on “VA Probation” for the following semester.
  • If a 2.0 program GPA is achieved during the probationary semester, VA Probation status will be removed.
  • If a 2.0 program GPA is not achieved during the probationary semester, termination of veterans benefit certification will result at the end of that semester for “Unsatisfactory Progress”.  Certification is suspended until the veteran has been counseled in the Counseling Center on campus.  The results of this counseling session will determine if benefits can be certified for his/her present program or if a new program would be in their best interest.  The veteran is responsible for making the Veterans Coordinator aware of the counseling session and results.  If reinstated, the veteran will be returned to “satisfactory” status and his/her progress evaluated in the normal fashion at the end of each semester.

Veterans Change of Status

All recipients of veterans’ benefits must immediately notify the Veterans Coordinator of any changes that may affect their pay status.  Such changes include change of program, change of schedule (dropping/adding classes), and change of address. 
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