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Veterans Educational Benefits

The Bureau of State Approving Agency for Veteran Training has approved many of the certificate training programs offered at the Orange Technical College Campuses. Veterans should check with the VA Certifying Officials located in the Financial Aid Offices of the OTC Campus to apply for or re-activate their VA Educational entitlements. If you are entitled to receive VA Educational Benefits, a checklist of additional documentation can be obtained from the VA Certifying Official. NOTE: Your enrollment will not be certified until all necessary documentation for VA Educational Benefits is returned to the VA Certifying Official. Certification will occur after the Drop/Add period and/or within 30 days of enrollment per VA policy. It takes a minimum of 4-8 weeks to activate benefits. The student must pay all tuition and supply fees upon registration, except for Chapter 33.

The student is eligible for educational benefits for the length of the program as approved by the State Approving Agency for Veteran Training. The student must check with the school’s VA Certifying Official to verify the SAA’s approval of his/her program length. All Chapters are not eligible for online/hybrid programs. Please verify with your VA Certifying Official to determine eligibility for online/hybrid programs. VA does not pay for a Leave of Absence. Official Transcripts required to evaluate prior training from previous school(s) attended.

Chapter 33 benefits began 10/1/11 at our College Campuses. Chapter 33 VA benefits are irrevocable and Veterans must choose cautiously. Individuals eligible under Chapter 30 who elect to receive benefits under Chapter 33 are only entitled to the number of months they had remaining under Chapter 30 at the time of their election (including any revoked months of transferred entitlement) up to a maximum of 36 months. If a person has used all of his/her Chapter 30 benefits before electing Chapter 33, then that person is entitled to up to 12 months of Chapter 33 under the 48 month rule. Tuition and supply fees will be sent directly to the schools. Chapter 33 recipients will receive a monthly housing allowance and book stipends. The Official VA website www.benefits.va.gov has further details on Chapter 33.

All Veterans receiving educational benefits while attending one of the OTC Campuses are subject to the policies and procedures of the school. If you withdraw from school you may have an outstanding debt. The following regulations apply:

Standards of Progress and Attendance

All students receiving Veterans’ Educational Benefits must maintain satisfactory progress in accordance with regularly prescribed standards and policies of the institution in which the student is enrolled. If the student is not making satisfactory progress according to those standards and policies, educational benefits will be discontinued for the student. Veteran and non-veteran students alike will be referred back to Student Services for counseling of a program that may offer the possibility of success.

  • Attendance reports must be submitted monthly to the schools’ VA Certifying Official.
  • Students must attend classes regularly; all absences will be recorded and maintained by the school. Veterans are allowed three (3) unexcused absences and three (3) excused absences within a calendar month. DVA will be notified when seven (7) absences and/or four (4) unexcused absences have been recorded within a calendar month and VA benefits will be terminated. All absences are considered unexcused unless otherwise documented. These criteria are considered excused absences: illness of self, illness or death of immediate family member, jury duty or active military service. Extenuating circumstances may occur and if so, you have two weeks to request the waiver after notification that your VA benefits will be terminated due to attendance policy. The College Director may waive the OTC VA attendance policy once as long as the situation has been resolved and attendance from that point on is expected to be good. Documentation supporting absences must be given to the VA Certifying Official immediately upon student returning to school.
  • Satisfactory attendance is defined as compliance with existing school attendance policy and the OTC VA attendance policy. One may be stricter than the other. It is students’ responsibility to adhere to BOTH, in order to continue the educational program and receive monetary VA Benefits.
  • Satisfactory academic progress in a career certificate program or course is defined as mastery of at least 70 percent during an evaluation period. Academic progress will be reviewed by a VA Certifying Official every two months with the student timesheet.
  • Two unsatisfactory student timesheets result in termination of Veterans’ Educational Benefits for program enrolled and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs will be notified by the school’s VA Certifying Official if the Veteran does not maintain satisfactory academic progress or satisfactory attendance.

Notification of Grades or Progress

It is the responsibility of the Financial Aid Office to maintain a file on each student receiving Veterans’ Educational Benefits. At the end of eight weeks the instructor submits a written report to the Financial Aid Office indicating progress and attendance.

Reinstatement of Veterans’ Educational Benefits

VA Educational Benefits terminated due to unsatisfactory attendance may be reinstated after successfully completing one month of satisfactory attendance. VA Educational Benefits terminated due to unsatisfactory academic progress may be reinstated upon completion of eight weeks of satisfactory academic progress. Documentation must be in the student’s file before VA benefits are reinstated. (Complete form 22-8873)

Credit for Remediation

A VA benefited student may receive additional hours toward a program length for basic remediation that is required for program completion. The student may receive up to an additional 300 hours credit if the student is attending a program of 750 hours or greater in length. The student may receive up to an additional 150 hours credit if the student is attending a program less than 750 hours in length.

Credit for Previous Training

A VA benefited student is required to transfer previous training credits from an accredited institution to the OTC Campus. Credit for previous training will be evaluated by the instructor and granted, if appropriate. Upon acceptance of the transfer credits, the training time may be reduced. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the student will be notified if previous credit is granted. The evaluation will be performed within the first 90 days of enrollment.

Deferment of Fees

Any veteran or other eligible student who receives VA benefits may be granted a deferment, if warranted, once per academic year. If, however, there is a break in training or delay in the receipt of VA benefits, an additional deferment may be granted. The veteran will make a partial payment based on the school’s established procedures at the time of registration and the balance as scheduled by the Business Office. Failure to meet this obligation will result in the student being withdrawn from classes. For short term programs, balance is due no later than the last day of enrollment prior to receiving completion certificate. Deferments will not be granted when there are outstanding fees on a student’s account.

Online VA information is available at benefits.va.gov.

Shopping Sheet for Veteran Students

A Financial Aid Shopping Sheet will be available soon. In the meantime, please contact the Financial Aid Office for more information about program costs.

Veterans please go see either the Financial Aid Office or Admissions Office to sign an informational form pertaining to the Isakson and Roe requirements.

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