Veterans' Services – North Central Texas College

Many veterans and active duty personnel qualify for more than one education benefit program, incuding the

- Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33)
- Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB, chapter 30 and chapter 1606)
- Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP, chapter 1607)

- Vocational Rehab (chapter 31)
- Post vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance program (VEAP, chapter 32).

Depending on your individual circumstances, one of these programs may give you better benefits than the others. While you are the only person who can choose which program meets your needs, a step-by-step process has been developed that may help you compare the different education programs and decide which is best for you. This process includes links to additional information on the VA website that may help you make your decision.

What Education Benefit is best for me? step-by-step

Use the VONAPP site to complete an application for benefits. Complete Form 22-5490 if you're applying for benefits based on being a dependent or spouse of a service connected injured or deceased veteran. Use Form 22-1990 for all other programs. You may also complete Form 22-5495 or 22-1995 if you've been receiving benefits and need to notify VA that you're changing schools or programs of study. For more information on VA Education programs, please visit www.gibill.va.gov.

Service-connected disability?

If you are an active duty service member anticipating at least a 20% service-connected disability rating, or a veteran with a 20% disability rating or greater, you should first determine any benefits to which you are entitled under Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E, chapter 31).

The VA Regional Office toll-free number for education is (888) 442-4551, and for other VA benefits the number is (800) 827-1000.

How to Apply for Veteran Educational Benefits at NCTC

How to apply FACTS sheet

New Veteran Students:

DD214 - Member 4
Copy of VONAPP or paper request for VA Educational Benefits
VBA-22-1990-ARE APPLICATION FOR BENEFITS 2009-2010
Degree Audit Request
degaud09-10
Information Sheet
Veterans Services Information sheet
Military Transcript
Official College Transcripts from ALL prior colleges

Transfer Veteran Students:

DD214 - Member 4
Copy of VONAPP or paper request for VA Educational Benefits
Veteran Change of Program
Dependent Change of Program
Degree Audit Request
degaud09-10
Information Sheet
Veterans Services Information sheet
Military Transcript
Official College Transcripts from ALL prior colleges

NCTC's Certifying Officials:

Gainesville, Bowie, Graham Campuses: Ashley Tatum 940.668.4242 ext 3323

Corinth Campus: Stanja Zylowski 940.498.6294 ext 6202

Please call or e-mail us if you have any questions.

IMPORTANT!!!

VA benefits are payable at NCTC only for courses that are taken to satisfy NCTC requirements. The degree plan you get will be for NCTC and VA will not pay for a class unless it is part of the requirements for that degree. This means that sometimes a course is required for the college you may plan to transfer to, but is not a requirment for the degree plan at NCTC. Please contact your VA Certifying Official before you finalize your classe schedule. Gainesville, Bowie and Graham students, please contact Ashley Tatum, at atatum@nctc.edu, or 940 668-4242, or in Room 153 on the Gainesville campus. Corinth students please contact Stanja Zylowski at szylowski@nctc.edu, or 940 498-6294 or in Room 180 on the Corinth campus.

With regards to developmental classes, a standardized test score, i.e. THEA, ACT, COMPASS, etc. must be on file before the VA will pay for that class. Please check with your VA Certifying Official prior to taking a developmental course.

What happens after all my paperwork is submitted:

1) Your Certyifying Official will submit your degree audit request to Admissions. Admissions will review your file and produce a degree audit. Every transcript must be submitted before your VA Certifying Official can review your file.

2) Your VA Certifying official will review your file and the courses you are enrolled. The VA Certifying official will send documentation of your enrollment to the VA office in Muskogee. REMEMBER: We can only certify classes that are on your degree plan. All certifications not filed during early registation period, other than Advance Pay, are done after the offical date of record.

3) The VA Office in Muskogee will determine your eligibility. This can take up to 8 weeks for new students. Unless everything is complete and you file for Advance Pay (forms available from your Certifying Official) 45 days prior to the beginning of a semster, you must have the money for tuition, fees, books, and supplies. Keep in mind that except for advance pay, VA pays in arrears, i.e. pays for June in July, etc. In addition, students will be paid based on the number of days they are enrolled each month. For example, January classes begin January 13, 2007. Therefore, you will only be paid for 18 days in January. Students enrolled in Fall Classes and Spring Classes may be eligible for break pay. Before you can get paid, you must Montgomery Bill (Ch. 30) and Selected Reserve (Ch. 1606) students must certify your classes on the WAVE(www.gibill.va.gov and then select WAVE) or by calling (877) 823-2378

4) Any changes to your attendance or changes in your classes are reported the VA. If you make changes you may owe part or all of your VA benefits back to VA.

5) You do not need to contact your Certifying Official each semester, if you stay continually enrolled. We will pull your file each semester to determine if we can certify your classes. If you do not stay continually enrolled, it is YOUR responsibility to notify your Certifying Official of your enrollment. If you change majors, you will need to fill out a VA-Change of Program form.

If you have specific questions or concerns about VA benefits or your claim, you may visit https://iris.va.gov to contact VA on the Internet. For Education claims, you can contact us by using the Question and Answer section at www.gibill.va.gov .

VA can also be reached via telephone at 1-888-GIBILL1 (442-4551) for Education benefits, 1-800-669-8477 for VA Life Insurance, or 1-800-827-1000 for all other VA benefits.