Services: Financial Aid: Veterans Educational Benefits

Alpena Community College is approved by the Michigan Department of Education State Approving Agency for the training of veterans and other persons eligible under the educational benefits programs of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA). Students must enroll at ACC in an approved degree program, or be enrolled as eligible guest students from another institution.

The Veterans Affairs Coordinator at Alpena Community College assists veterans with the process of applying for VA Education Benefits. The coordinator certifies the enrollments of eligible students to the USDVA, monitors the Standards of Progress for VA Education Benefits, and assists with problems encountered in the collegiate environment.

Veterans and service persons, their spouses and dependents, or their survivors may be eligible for educational benefits. Information about eligibility requirements and benefits is available in the office of the Coordinator of Veterans Affairs in Van Lare Hall or from the regional office of the USDVA.

Enrollment Certification
Eligible students can receive their VA education benefits only when the college certifies their enrollment to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Eligible students who wish to receive their benefits must submit a signed "Request for Certification for Veterans Benefits" to the office of the Coordinator of Veterans Affairs. Students will receive VA education benefits only for the semesters for which they request certification.

Veterans Certification Guidelines

1. It is the veteran's responsibility to file a completed Drop/Add form with the Registrar's Office immediately upon dropping any classes or completely withdrawing from the institution.
   The veteran's last date of attendance shall be reported to the VA based on the date of drop or withdrawal as recorded by the Registrar's Office. In those instances where the veteran did not report his/her change of status to the Registrar's Office, the last date of attendance shall be determined by one of the following:
   1. The last activity date reflected in instructor's records.
   2. The last date papers were submitted.
   3. The last date an examination was taken.
2. Withdrawals, drops, and incompletes in classes may result in an over-payment of benefits from the VA. Non-attendance of classes may result in an over-payment of benefits from the VA.
3. A VETERAN CAN RECEIVE BENEFITS ONLY FOR COURSES THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR GRADUATION. Any deviations from the curriculum guidelines must have counselor recommendation. A veteran should not repeat a course in which he/she has previously earned a satisfactory grade and expect VA Benefit payments on such credit hours.
4. A veteran must be making satisfactory progress in his/her curriculum, and must meet minimum academic standards as defined in the Standards of Progress for VA Education Benefits policy.
5. Veterans transferring from another college must have their transcripts sent to ACC as soon as possible for evaluation. Veterans who fail to do this subject themselves to having their benefits terminated and an over-payment charged by the VA.
6. Advance pay:
   1. Must be requested at least 60 days before the first day of classes.
   2. Cannot be requested for consecutive semesters. There must be a full calendar month between attendance dates to request advance pay.
   3. Will be issued for the exact number of days in the first month of the semester, plus the full following month.
   4. Will cause a student to not receive any more checks until the student has completed the third month of the semester.

Standards of Progress for VA Education Benefits
All students receiving education benefits from the VA must satisfy the following academic standards:

1. All students must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average. A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 at the end of any semester will be placed on VA probation for the following semester.
2. A student who is on VA probation must raise his or her cumulative GPA to a minimum 2.0 to be taken off probation. A student on VA probation who earns a minimum 2.0 GPA for any one semester, but whose cumulative GPA is still below 2.0, will continue on VA probation.
3. When a student is on VA probation for two consecutive semesters, the College is required to notify the VA and the student is no longer eligible to be certified by the College to receive VA education benefits. The student's VA education benefits will be discontinued by the VA effective on the last day of the second semester of probation.
4. Students whose benefits have been discontinued may appeal that action to the VA and may present any mitigating circumstances that may have contributed to the student's failure to satisfy the Standards of Progress.
5. A student will again be eligible to be certified by the College to receive VA education benefits when his or her cumulative GPA is raised to a minimum 2.0 and the College is able to determine that there is a reasonable likelihood that the student will be able to maintain satisfactory progress in the future. The student will be required to meet with an ACC counselor as part of this determination process.
   The student will also be required to submit a request to the VA to have education benefits resumed. The student's request along with the enrollment certification from the College will be reviewed by the VA, which will make the final decision and notify the student accordingly.
6. Students whose benefits are reinstated must continue to maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. At the end of any semester in which their cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 they again will no longer be eligible to be certified by the College to receive VA education benefits, and the College will again be required to notify the VA.

Michigan Veterans Trust Fund Act 245, P.A. 1935:
This act provides educational opportunities for the children of certain members of the armed forces of the United States. Eligibility is defined by the following amendment.

Section 1. Section 1 of Act. No. 245 of the Public Acts of 1935, as amended by Act. No. 216 of the public Acts of 1984, being section 35.111 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 1

1. A person greater than 16 years of age and less than 26 years of age who has been a resident of this state for the preceding 12 months, and who is a child of a Michigan veteran who was killed in action or died from other cause during a war or war condition in which the United States has been, is, or may be a participant, or who as a result of service connected illness or injury has since died or is totally disabled, or who as a result of service connected illness or injury was totally disabled before death from any cause, or who is officially listed by the United States government as missing in action in a foreign country, may, as provided in this act, attend an educational or training institution of an undergraduate college grade in this state.
2. A person's attendance at an institution located in this state pursuant to this act shall not exceed 36 month's full-time equated college undergraduate education.
3. A person admitted to a Michigan tax supported institution or accepted into the state paid tuition program for a Michigan tax supported institution under this act before October 1, 1996 is not required to pay tuition or any other fee that takes the place of tuition charges during the time in which that person is a college undergraduate grade student at the institution.
4. A person described in subsection (1) who is either of the following before October 1, 1996 is not required to pay the first $2,800.00 per year of tuition or any other fee that takes the place of tuition charges during the time in which that person is a college undergraduate student at an institution as described in subsection (1):
   1. Admitted under this act to an institution that is not a Michigan tax supported institution.
   2. Accepted into the state paid tuition program for an institution that is not Michigan tax supported.
5. A person admitted to an institution located in this state pursuant to this act on or after October 1, 1996 is not required to pay the first $2,800.00 per year of tuition or any other fee that takes the place of tuition charges during the time in which that person is a full-time college undergraduate student at the institution.