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Veterans Affairs

The Veterans’ Benefits Law provides financial assistance to any veteran who is eligible for benefits under the G.I. Bill®. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determines the eligibility of students requesting education benefits not the college. Veteran students may obtain additional information and apply for educational benefits at https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/.

The Veterans Affairs Specialist at Sampson Community College is the School Certifying Official (SCO). The SCO is not employed by the Department of VA but is responsible for enrollment certification and maintaining veteran student records. The SCO’s responsibilities are to coordinate educational benefits from the Department of VA with the SCC Finance Office Coordinator of Financial Services and maintain the veteran student’s records in a secured office.

The Department of VA will notify the veteran student of eligibility. Veteran students should provide a copy of their Certificate of Eligibility to the SCO located in Student Services no later than the first day of the semester. Per Title 38 United States Code Section 3679 (e), any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment), or chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®) benefits is permitted to attend or participate in a course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 (a “certificate of eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs website https://www.va.gov/education/ or a VAF-28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes) and ending on the earlier of the following dates:

  • The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution.
  • 90 days after the date institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility

Sampson Community College does not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from the Department of VA under chapter 31 or 33.

After completing all admissions requirements and enrolling in an approved curriculum program, the SCO will submit enrollment information to the Department of VA. Certification will be made for only those courses that are required for graduation in the curriculum in which the student is approved and enrolled. Workforce Development and Continuing Education coursework, audited coursework, withdrawals and self-paced developmental math coursework and online developmental coursework are not approved for these education benefits. Students receiving VA educational benefits are responsible for notifying the SCO when a class has been dropped or added. Failure to notify the SCO of schedule changes could result in an overpayment in VA Educational Benefits.

The Department of VA requires all prior coursework be evaluated to determine eligible transfer course credit from other colleges/universities. Therefore, official transcripts, from all colleges that the student has attended, including military transcripts and any service school transcripts must be evaluated for transfer credit before courses are certified and student can receive education benefits form the Department of VA.

VA students must maintain the required Sampson Community College cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 to be eligible to receive VA education benefits. Failure to maintain a 2.0 GPA will result in being placed on Academic Warning. The student’s VA certification will continue for one semester to allow the student to improve their academic performance. After one semester, if the student has not successfully reached the required 2.0 GPA, they will be placed on Academic Suspension and the SCO will report this suspension to the Department of VA in the VA Once System.

When the SCO certifies student coursework under Chapter 33, the credit hours must be reported. A standard term is considered to be when a semester is 15 to 19 weeks in length. A non-standard term is considered to be when a semester is shorter or longer than 15 to 19 weeks. Full-time status at Sampson Community College is considered to be when the student is enrolled in 12 credit hours or more during the fall and spring semester. Full-time status in the summer is considered to be when the student is enrolled 9 credits or more. To determine full-time status for summer semester, student’s using veteran education benefits should contact the Department of VA at 1-800-442-4551. Important: Financial Aid students that want to receive full award entitlement are required to be 12 credit hours for all semesters attended.

The Veterans’ Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (“Choice Act”) Section 702 requires public schools to charge the in-state rate for covered VA beneficiaries that meet the state guidelines beginning July 1, 2015.