Veterans & Active Military

This federal program provides educational benefits to eligible disabled veterans.

Chapter 33 - Post 9/11 GI Bill®

This federal program is for students who have served on active duty after 9/10/01 for a minimum of 90 aggregate days (excluding entry-level and skill training), and at least 30 continuous days if discharged for a service-connected disability.

Chapter 35 - Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA)

This federal program provides educational benefits to children between ages 18 and 26, spouses, and widows/widowers of totally disabled or deceased veterans.

Chapter 1606 - Montgomery GI Bill® (MGIB-SR)

This federal program provides educational benefits to persons who entered a six-year selected reserve obligation after July 1, 1985, and completed Active Duty for Training. This includes the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp., and Coast Guard Reserves, as well as the Army National Guard and the Air Guard.

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.

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CHAMPVA Benefits

CHAMPVA is a health benefits program in which the Department of Veterans Affairs shares the cost of certain health care services and supplies with eligible beneficiaries. For more details, including the application, visit http://www.va.gov.

Students must contact the North Central Academic/Veteran Advisor each semester to request that the School Certification Letter be sent for continued eligibility.

Michigan Children of Veterans Tuition Grant - Public Act 248

The Children of Veterans Tuition Grant Act is designed to provide undergraduate tuition assistance to certain children older than 16 and less than 26 years of age who have been Michigan residents for the 12 months before application. For further details regarding Michigan educational assistance for veterans and their dependents please go to http://michigan.gov/dmva. 

Students must submit the Letter of Eligibility to Katie Malone, director of financial aid.

For more information regarding Veterans Educational Benefits, visit www.gibill.va.gov

Applying for Educational Benefits for the First Time:

1. Complete the VA application online or a hard copy can be printed, completed, and sent into the VA to apply for educational benefits.
   www.vets.gov.
2. Contact Katie Malone, director of financial aid, at 231-348-6698 for a list of additional documents needed for your file.
3. If you have not received notice of approval for benefits from the VA after 4-6 weeks, contact the VA Office at (888) 442-4551.
4. Complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov

When completing the FAFSA, do NOT include funds received from these resources as income: VA education benefits under chapters 1606, 1607, 30, 33, 35, Section 903, REPS, ROTC (title 10 chapter 2), ROTC (title 37 chapter 2) and chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits.

Not sure where to start to access your veteran benefits?  See our VA Benefit Checklist.

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Continuing Your Educational Benefits

Students will need to contact the Academic/Veteran Advisor every term that they would like to utilize their educational benefits. It will be necessary to fill out the Veteran Registration/Certification Form each term to get your credits certified to the VA.

Role of the College

The role of the College is to certify your enrollment each semester to the VA and to monitor any changes in enrollment. We also assess academic progress after each semester. All other correspondence and communication are directly between you and the VA. However, we will be happy to try and answer any and all questions that you may have. 

Amount of Educational Benefits

The amount of monthly benefits is dependent upon the VA educational program you qualified under and the number of credit hours you are enrolled each semester. Current rates are available online at https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/.

Maximum Number of Credit Hours for Educational Benefits

Students may only receive veteran’s educational benefits at North Central for degree program requirements. At the point a student completes the requirements, eligibility for benefits at North Central ceases. A student may request approval by the VA for a change in the program of study. The form “Request for Change of Program or Place of Training” will need to be on file at North Central as well as the newly evaluated plan for a new program of study.

Federal regulations require that students receiving veterans’ educational benefits must be making satisfactory academic progress toward completion of their program. The satisfactory academic progress policy for students receiving veterans’ educational benefits at North Central Michigan College is outlined below.

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Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards

1. All full and part-time students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or greater. Satisfactory academic progress will be reviewed at the end of each semester.  Your benefits may be terminated if you do not meet minimum academic progress standards at North Central.
2. A student will be placed on a veteran’s probation when their cumulative grade point falls below 2.00, the minimum level considered to be in good academic standing.  A student placed on veteran academic probation will have two semesters of enrollment to bring their cumulative grade point average up to 2.00 or above.  Failure to do so may result in the suspension of veteran educational benefits.  If the veteran fails to come off probation after the probationary period, they will no longer be certified for veteran's educational benefits and the College will inform the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that the student has failed to come off probation and is not eligible for aid. 
3. A student will be re-certified for a veteran’s educational benefits once they have attained the cumulative GPA required by the policy for the credit hours attempted and met with an academic advisor.
4. A student has the right to appeal the termination of the veteran’s educational benefits to the Director of Financial Aid. The appeal must be made in writing and provide reasons why satisfactory academic progress was not maintained. Supportive documentation may be required of the student. The Director, after reviewing the appeal, will inform the student, in writing of the decision. A student wishing to appeal the decision of the Director may do so in writing to the Vice President of Student Affairs. Decisions by the Dean are considered final and may include specific requirements for retention if the student is permitted to continue enrollment.

Change in Program or Place of Training

The VA generally allows students to change their degree program. Students must file VA Form 22-1995 to request a program change and meet with the Academic/Veteran Advisor to create an evaluated educational plan for a new program of study.

Students planning to enroll at another college after completion of their coursework at North Central should complete VA Form 22-1995 to request approval for a change in place of training. Contact the Academic/Veteran Advisor for more information.

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Course Withdrawal and Mitigating Circumstances

At the beginning of each semester, the VA School Certifying Official forwards an Enrollment Certification to the VA certifying the number of semester credit hours for each student eligible for educational benefits. At any point a student drops credit hours or withdraws from class(es), the college must inform the VA.  If by dropping credit hours, a veteran changes his/her enrollment status, the result may be an overpayment that the veteran will be required to repay to the VA unless there are “mitigating” circumstances.

Examples of mitigating circumstances are prolonged illness, severe illness or death in the immediate family, and unscheduled changes in your employment or work schedule. Unacceptable mitigating circumstances include withdrawal to avoid a failing grade, dislike of an instructor, or too many courses attempted. 

In a situation regarding mitigating circumstances, you will need to contact the VA. You will have to establish, in writing, that you withdrew for a reason that was out of your control.

VA ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE

Veterans Administration Regional Office
P.O. Box 66830
St. Louis, MI 63166-6830
(888) 442-4551 (Educational Benefits #)
Website: www.gibill.va.gov

Director of Financial Aid
Katie Malone: 231-348-6698
Email: kmalone@ncmich.edu

Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE)

www.gibill.va.gov/wave/

What is WAVE?
Wave (Web Automated Verification of Enrollment) is a Web-based program that allows you to submit your monthly verification of enrollment, check on the status of your record, and report changes in enrollment.

Where is the WAVE?
To access the WAVE, go to the GI Bill® home page, www.gibill.va.gov/wave/, and click on WAVE links (left side of the page) and follow the log-in instructions.

Why should you use WAVE?
It's available 24 hours a day, eliminated the possibility of being lost in the mail, and benefit checks will be issued faster. "No Change" verifications submitted via the WAVE will be processed within 24 hours.

What else can I do on the WAVE?
You can find out the following:

• Has my request for benefits been processed?
• Click on "Benefit Status Information" to see if VA has updated your record to show your current enrollment. If you've received benefits in a previous semester, your record will display on WAVE.
• Has my monthly verification "hit"?
• You can see if your verification has been processed, including changes in your enrollment. Be sure to allow two business days for the processing of "no-change" verifications. It's not a "real-time" system. Changes to your enrollment will take longer.
• Can I start or change my direct deposit?
• You can use WAVE to submit your direct deposit information. The information is sent to our Direct Deposit Center for processing.
• Can the VA send me a reminder to do my monthly verification?
• If you choose, WAVE will e-mail you a reminder to verify at the first of the month and again mid-month if you still need to verify. WAVE can also send you your password if you forget it.

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You don't have Internet Access?

The VA also developed an Interactive Voice Response IVR system for those that don't have access to the Internet. Just dial (877) 823-2378 and follow the instructions. However, for any changes to enrollment, you must use the WAVE system. No monthly verification can be accepted by the VA before the last day of the month; and please, only submit once each month.

NORTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN COLLEGE VETERAN AFFAIRS SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIAL

Phone: 231-348-6627

VETERAN SERVICE OFFICERS

Emmet County: Jeff Urban
Phone: 231-348-1780
Email: jurban@emmetcounty.org

Charlevoix County: 
Phone: 231-547-7220
Email: veteransaffairs@charlevoixcounty.org

Cheboygan County: Sara Cunningham
Phone: 231-627-8833
Email: veterans@cheboygancounty.net

Otsego County: Marlene Hopp
Phone: 231-731-7575
Email: mhopp@otsegocountymi.gov

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