Veterans Educational Benefits | Kirtland Community College

Easy to follow steps to utilizing VA benefits at Kirtland:

Veterans Affairs Education Benefit Overview

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Department of Veteran Affairs – GI Bill®

Benefit Comparison Tool

eBenefits – Gateway to Benefit Information

Summary of Educational Benefits by Chapter

The Montgomery G.I. Bill program provides up to 36 months of benefits to eligible individuals who entered military service on or after July 1, 1985, who had their basic military pay reduced by $100.00 per month for the first 12 months of their service and received a discharge specified as “HONORABLE” are eligible. Participants must have received a high school diploma or its equivalency before the end of your first obligated period of service. Benefits are payable for 10 years following release from active duty.

Chapter 30 – Montgomery GI Bill® – Active Duty (MGIB)

A veteran of W.W.II or thereafter who has a service connected disability which entitles him/her to DVA disability compensation and who is in need of vocational rehabilitation because the disability creates an unemployable handicap may be eligible for Chapter 31 benefits. Professional counselors from the DVA will help you plan an individual program. This includes the services and financial assistance needed to carry out the program.

Chapter 31 – Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program

The Post 9/11 GI Bill® provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill® is effective August 1, 2009. Approved training under the Post 9/11 GI Bill® includes graduate and undergraduate degrees, vocational/technical training, on-the-job training, flight training, correspondence training, licensing and national testing programs and tutorial assistance. All training programs must be offered by an institution of higher learning (IHL) and approved for GI Bill® benefits.

Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 Bill

For the first time in history, service members enrolled in the Post 9/11 GI Bill® program will be able to transfer unused educational benefits to their spouses or children starting Aug. 1, 2009. Post 9/11 GI Bill® Benefits may also be transferred through the new Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship. The scholarship expands eligibility under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® to include children of an active duty service member in the Armed Forces who dies in the line of duty.

Note: VA does not determine eligibility for TEB

Transfer Of Post 9/11 GI Bill® Benefits To Dependents (TEB)

Sons, daughters, and spouses of a veteran who dies on active duty, was released from active duty due to a service connected disability, permanently and totally disabled, MIA, POW, or detained by a foreign government while on or in the line of duty, may be eligible for benefits. Generally, the eligibility period for sons and daughters is between the ages of 18 and 26 years of age. A spouse may use educational benefits during a 10 year period after eligibility is found. A surviving spouse may use those benefits during a 10 year period after the veterans death or 10 years after the DVA determines the veterans death was caused by a service connected disability, provided the surviving spouse does not marry.

Chapter 35 – Survivors & Dependents Educational Assistance

Individuals who have agreed to serve six years in the selected reserve, on or after July 1,1985, re-enlisted or extended an enlistment for a period of at least six years may be eligible. Click here for general information.

Note: Active duty personnel are reimbursed for tuition and fees only, but are accessed entitlements charges at the rate of attend.

Chapter 1606 – Montgomery GI Bill® – Selected Reserve

How to Apply for Veterans Educational Benefits

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) – through your military branch

Information regarding the TA program is located at:
https://www.military.com/education/money-for-school/tuition-assistance-ta-program-overview.html

Each Service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, the application process, and restrictions.

Please refer to your respective military branch to apply for tuition assistance:

Army Portal
Navy Portal
Air Force Portal
Coast Guard

Marine Corps TA Information
National Guard TA Information
Reserve TA Information

Military Tuition Assistance additional details

Service members are required to contact their Education Service Officer, military counselor, or Service before enrolling in classes to seek approval for funding. Also, permission to attend the course needs to be granted from the Unit Commander.
TA requests should be submitted no later than 10 days prior to the class start date.
For assistance with submitting a degree plan, a phone appointment can be made with your academic advisor by calling 989-275-5000, Ext. 280.
For assistance with computing tuition costs per class, please email: [email protected] or call Student Financial Services at 989-275-5000, Ext. 257.
Once the service member receives approval and meets the branch’s specific requirements, they are allowed to enroll in the approved classes. Please submit the authorization to the Student Financial Services Office at Kirtland.
The TA program only covers tuition. Fees and textbooks/supplies are not covered.
Approvals are granted on a course-by-course basis. Service members will be solely responsible for all tuition costs without prior approval by the deadline or for any non-eligible courses.
If the service member wishes to change classes or their degree program, a new TA approval is required.
Prior to withdrawing from a course, contact Student Financial Services in order to determine how it could impact your TA award and potential repayment obligations. The College must comply with the Return of Unearned TA Funds Policy.
If students receive other tuition specific benefits, such as GI Bill® or financial aid awards, the TA amount or other resources could be reduced.

Return of Unearned TA Funds policy Download

Military Spouse Career Advancement

Unofficially referred to as Spouse Tuition Assistance, the Department of Defense recently expanded Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program can provide up to $4,000 of Financial Assistance for military spouses. Visit www.military.com/education for more information and links to apply.

Additional Funding for Veterans/Dependents

State Tuition Assistance is available to active Soldiers and Airmen of the Michigan National Guard currently in good standing. Students must apply no later than the first week of classes. A GPA of 2.0 must be maintained. To apply, go to www.michigan.gov/mingstap

The State of Michigan offers the CVTG to children of deceased or disabled members of the armed forces. To be eligible, a student must be the natural or adopted child of a Michigan veteran, be older than 16 and less than 26 years of age who have been Michigan residents for 12 months prior to applying. Stepchildren of the veteran are not eligible. The veteran must have been a legal resident of Michigan immediately before entering military service and must not have later resided outside of Michigan for more than two years, or the veteran must have established legal residency in Michigan after entering military service. Full-time students can receive up to a maximum of $2,800 per academic year.

Temporary assistance granted by the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund (MVTF) for emergencies or hardships is available to eligible wartime veterans and their families, residing in the State. For more information contact the State at (517)284-5299 or go to Michigan Veterans Trust Fund Emergency Grants online.

Kirtland awards a small grant based on fees for eligible Michigan Air and Army National Guard members if the student owes after using all of the MING-STAP benefit. The application is listed on the Financial aid Forms page.

This scholarship is for the children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen pursuing post-secondary education at any accredited school—whether that be a career training, trade school, community college, or four-year university. This is a financial need scholarship and will be awarded to every eligible applicant.

The scholarship application is open year-round for students pursuing a career and technical education programs less than 12 months in length. Students can apply at www.mcsf.org. For programs longer than 12 months, the application is open from January 1 to March 1 each year. If you would like to print materials or more information about the program, please visit www.mcsf.org or e-mail [email protected].

VA Application Process

The VA encourages all applicants to apply online a https://www.va.gov/education/. This is the quickest way to have your eligibility determined. The application process can take 8 to 12 weeks so students should apply a full semester before they intend to enroll in college. For questions on how to apply for benefits or what benefits each program offers, call the VA at 1-888-442-4551.

Certification of Enrollment

After registering for classes, a Veterans Benefits Certification Request form should be completed and given to your academic advisor. The advisor confirms all courses pertaining to the student’s declared program of study and forwards the form to the Student Financial Services Office. Enrollment and tuition are generally reported to the VA no later than the third week of the semester.

Veterans Benefits Certification Request Form Download

Paying for Classes

Chapters 30, 35 & 1606 pay a monthly stipend directly to the student. Students utilizing these programs are solely responsible for payment by the due date. A FAFSA application should be completed to determine eligibility for grants & loans. A monthly payment plan is also available but payments to the College need to begin prior to receiving the VA stipends.

Other programs such as Chapter 33, MING-STAP, CVTG will pay tuition directly to the College. If eligible for grants & loans, they can be used in addition to a VA benefit to help cover other educational expenses.

Educational Benefits Applications/Forms

Michigan Army and Air National Guard Grant Application Download

Michigan National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program (MINGSTAP)

Application for GI Bill® Benefits

Veterans Benefits Certification Request Form Download

Contact Us

Student Financial Services Office
Kirtland Community College
4800 W 4 Mile Road
Grayling, MI 49738

989-275-5000 ext. 257
Fax: 989-275-6789
[email protected]

Service Members Opportunity College (SOC)

Kirtland Community College is designated as a Service Members Opportunity College (SOC). The designation means the college understands service members’ special needs and is receptive to working with them. The college also participates in the Concurrent Admissions Program (ConAP) as future students enlist in the U.S. Army.