Veterans

Students receiving VA Educational Benefits must complete the application process with the VA School Certifying Official at MCC.

Available VA Benefit Chapters:

• Chapter 30: Montgomery GI Bill® – Active Duty
• Chapter 31: VA Vocational Rehabilitation – Veterans with Disabilities
• Chapter 32: VEAP
• Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill®
• Chapter 35: Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program
• Chapter 1606: Montgomery GI Bill® – Selected Reserve
• Chapter 1607: Reserved Educational Assistance Program

Specific questions regarding these benefits should be directed to the VA Education Benefits toll-free number for students at 888-442-4551.

To apply for veteran benefits, go to gibill.va.gov and complete the VONAPP application online.

Disclaimer: 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, www.va.gov/education/.

Beginning your journey is straightforward. Follow these steps to apply and ensure your VA educational benefits are processed:

1. Apply for admission.
2. Send all prior transcripts, including military transcripts, to Admissions.
3. Apply for financial aid and scholarships.
4. Register for classes. Your advisor will contact you once you're accepted to guide you through registration.
5. Bring the following to the VA Coordinator: Tracy Crippen-Haake
   • Copy of your DD214
   • Copy of 22-1990, 22-5490, or Certificate of Eligibility from the VA
   • Copy of your class schedule

IVCCD would like to thank you for your service! IVCCD welcomes veterans and is dedicated to helping you make the most of your military experience and prior education. We offer credit for prior learning to help you achieve your academic goals efficiently.

The VA requires us to evaluate and report transfer credit from all prior education. To process your admissions and VA Enrollment Certification, we need official transcripts from all post-secondary schools, colleges, and universities you've attended, regardless of whether you used VA benefits. We cannot certify your VA Educational Benefits until these transcripts are received.

Military Credit:

You can receive transfer credit for your military experience. To do so, you must provide an official ACE (American Council on Education) recommendation transcript. If you also provide a valid DD214, you may receive 2 physical education credits and 2 general elective credits. A maximum of 30 military-related credits (which can include up to 16 vocational credits) will be applied toward your graduation requirements.

To request your transcripts, you can use the Joint Services Transcript for Coast Guard, Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines.

Transfer Credit:

• Credit from other accredited colleges will be evaluated based on our degree requirements.
• We accept transfer credits for classes in which you earned a grade of C- or better.
• Your GPA from other institutions does not transfer to Iowa Valley.
• Pass/fail credits are not accepted for transfer.
• These criteria also apply to the Associate of Science degree.

Career Credits:

• Credit earned in our career programs can be used to fulfill elective credits for an Associate of Arts (AA) degree, up to 16 semester hours.
• Career credit may not be used for core AA degree requirements without a waiver from the division involved and the Dean of Academic Affairs.

• Registration Changes: If you make any changes to your registration (adding/dropping classes, terminating enrollment, changing your major, etc.), you must notify the Registrar’s Office and the Veteran’s Coordinator immediately. These changes affect your VA payment status.
• Course Repeats: You may not repeat courses that you have already passed at Iowa Valley or at any previously attended school.
• Certification: We will only certify you for courses that apply to your degree program. Certification is based on your dates of enrollment and the credit hours for that semester. The VA will pay according to this certification.

You are expected to attend all classes you are registered for. If you stop attending a class for 10 consecutive days without officially withdrawing or notifying the Veterans Coordinator, your VA benefits for that course(s) will be terminated, effective your last day of attendance. You may be required to return any payments made to you by the VA if this happens. Faculty members submit attendance information weekly, and it is monitored by the college's Veteran Coordinator. If unforeseen circumstances prevent you from attending, please speak with your instructors, advisor, or a counselor right away.

VA regulations require you to maintain satisfactory academic progress. Your academic record will be reviewed each semester. Transfer credits will not count toward these guidelines; only academic progress made at Iowa Valley Community College District is considered, including terms when you may not have been receiving VA benefits.

• To remain eligible for benefits, you must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA for all coursework at IVCCD.
• You must also complete 67% of all credits you have ever attempted at IVCCD. "Complete" means earning a letter grade higher than an F.
• Audited classes do not count toward hourly requirements.
• If you earn a semester GPA of 0.50 or below, you will be placed on immediate financial aid suspension.

If you fail to maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA or do not complete 67% of all hours attempted, you will be placed on probation. During this time, you can continue to receive veterans’ educational benefits.

If you do not meet the minimum requirements by the end of your probationary semester, you will be considered to be making unsatisfactory progress and your benefits will be suspended.

You can regain eligibility by bringing your cumulative GPA up to a 2.0 and your completion rate to at least 67% at your own expense. You may also appeal the termination of benefits if you have extenuating circumstances (such as a serious illness, injury, or death of a relative). Appeal forms are available from the Veteran Coordinator’s office and must be submitted by the Friday before the first day of the semester for which you wish to be considered. The Appeals Committee will review all appeals and respond in writing.

While it is your responsibility to track your own progress, our Veteran Coordinator will make every effort to notify you in a timely manner if you are placed on probation or suspension. The VA will also be notified of any unsatisfactory progress.

You must graduate within the approved length of your program. It is your responsibility to arrange your class schedule to fit the training time paid by the VA. For example, a veteran pursuing a 64-credit AA degree who enrolls for 13 credit hours per semester is expected to complete the program within five semesters (2.5 years).

If you withdraw from a course, the reduction of your VA benefits will depend on your assigned grade, the date of withdrawal, and whether there were "mitigating circumstances." These are defined as circumstances that hinder your pursuit of a course and are outside of your control. Withdrawal due to unsatisfactory work may be considered a "mitigating circumstance" if you can show you made a good-faith effort to remedy the situation by seeking tutorial aid or consulting with a VA or college counselor before withdrawing.

If you withdraw after the first week of class, receive a non-punitive grade, and no mitigating circumstances are found, your benefits for that course will be terminated from the first date of enrollment. If benefits are terminated for any of these reasons, you must receive VA counseling before they can be reinstated.

IVCCD appreciates the important contributions of our military-affiliated students. Upon request, if a service member student is called into U.S. military service, we will refund or credit all tuition and fees to their account. If the student is a service member with a dependent child, their spouse can also make this request.

Documented military leave and/or medical treatment provided to the VA School Certifying Official will be considered a request for a leave of absence. In the event of a call-up for military service, students may work with their faculty to receive a grade based on the work completed or choose to receive an incomplete grade, whichever is the best scenario for the student. If a student chooses to withdraw due to a lengthy military obligation or extended medical treatment during a semester, they should be directed to the VA School Certifying Official's office.

Military Deployment Policy:

We appreciate the important contributions of our students serving in the military. IVCCD has policies in place to support you during deployment:

• Tuition & Fee Refunds/Credits: If a service member student is called into U.S. military service, IVCCD will refund or credit all tuition and fees to the student's account upon request (from the student and/or spouse, if there's a dependent child).
• Leave of Absence: Documented military leave and/or medical treatment provided to the VA School Certified Official will be considered a leave-of-absence request.
• Academic Adjustments: If called into service, students (and/or spouses with a dependent child) can work with faculty to determine class grades based on completed work or choose an incomplete grade, depending on their circumstances.
• Withdrawal Due to Training/Treatment: If a student chooses to withdraw due to lengthy military training obligations or extended medical treatment during the semester, they should contact the VA School Certified Official to initiate the Military Activation withdrawal and other necessary procedures.