Veteran Student FAQs

You may be eligible for transfer credits from the military depending on the courses you took during your time in service. To find out what credits are transferable, schedule an appointment with your counselor.

  • If this is the first time you are using your education benefits, please visit the VA Ebenefits homepage and apply online by completing VA Form 22-5490 (Dependents’ Application for VA Education Benefits. This form must be filled out by the dependent and the veteran.
  • If you have used your benefits before at another school, please visit the VA Ebenefits homepage and complete VA Form 22-1995 (Change of Location).

Yes, your benefits won’t be affected. You can sign up for FAFSA at https://studentaid.gov/

You may take the class again in an attempt to receive credit towards graduation or raise your grade for it and you may receive GI Bill® payment for the retaking of the class.

If you fail a class you receive what is called a "punitive grade" for that class. A punitive grade is a grade that doesn’t count as earned credit, but is used in determining a student’s progress toward graduation requirements. This means that the grade you receive counts in your overall degree progress, albeit negatively. Since this grade counts towards your graduation progress you are not required to repay any GI Bill® money you received for that class.

  • The VA will only pay for in-state tuition costs, and the veteran is responsible for any leftover payment that comes from the out-of-state tuition costs.
  • The monthly MHA stipend.
  • $1,000 a year for books.

  • 5-WK A SESSION: 6/15 - 7/19 (FT = 4 units)
  • 5-WK B SESSION: 7/20 - 8/23 (FT = 4 units)
  • 8-WK SESSION: 6/15 - 8/9 (FT = 6 units)

Please call (888) 442-4551. Call between 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Central Time, Monday-Friday. The college does not pay you, the VA does. This means that only the VA would know the exact amount.

Yes, VA funded classes need to on your educational plan. Please visit Veterans Help Desk on Cranium Café so you can schedule your appointment with Oscar to make & change to your Student Education Plan.

Make your appointment on the Veterans Help Desk on Cranium Café or join our virtual VRC and a student worker will help you schedule an appointment. On your appointment date you will use Cranium cafe to attend your meeting.

Please be advised that there is not an official tracker for this process. Therefore, it is important to certify PRIOR to classes starting. Once our certifying official process the paperwork, it takes about 2-3 days for the VA to receive it. You can check the status at (888) GI-BILL1.

You can contact the VA education benefits line at 1-888-442-4551 or by visiting www.gibill.va.gov and clicking on the ‘Submit a Question’ tab on the right hand side of the page. Students looking to utilize Ch.31 Voc Rehab benefits can call (510) 637-6128.

Yes. By law, active or former members of the U.S. armed forces who have left military service (with any discharge other than dishonorable or bad conduct) are eligible for priority registration. GI Bill® recipients are automatically assigned a priority enrollment. Those who do not currently receive GI Bill® benefits must present proof of their military service (DD Form 214 or military ID) to the Veterans Benefits Coordinator. Only students that are veterans or active duty service members are eligible for priority housing and priority enrollments; dependents are not. Please ensure the VRC AND the admissions office have a copy of your DD-214.

Yes. The VA will pay up to $100 per month for your tutorial assistance. Please inquire with the School Certifying Official OR print VA Form 22-1990t from the web.

  • The Veterans Benefits Coordinator runs a report at the end of each quarter and must inform the VA whenever a student doesn’t complete the number of units that they were certified for if it drops them below full-time. The VA will then decide on their end how or if they will bill the student back for a portion of their tuition, BAH or stipend funding.
  • For example, a student that was originally certified for 16 units but drops down to 12 units is ok; nothing needs to be reported since they still completed a full-time course load. However, if a student that was originally certified for 12 units and withdrew from one class and fails another class, resulting in the completion of only 11 or less units, then this would need to be reported to the VA. The VA handles that aspect not the VRC.

Other Information

There are multiple ways to apply to use the GI Bill®:

  1. The student can log onto va.gov and apply.
  2. They can also apply in person at a regional VA office.
  3. They can call to have an application sent to them by mail.
  4. They can have an accredited representative to assist in the application process.
  • The average processing time is 30 days.
  • Dependents can also apply for the CalVet Fee Waiver, which waives mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus.
  • The Veterans' Access, Choice, & Accountability Act Ensures that public universities consider recently discharged veterans (within 3 years of semester start date) for in-state tution rates.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

For more information see the GI Bill Trademark terms of use.

Veterans Resource Center 

Office Hours and Location

Winter Break Office Closure Dates: Dec 18, 2024 - Jan 3, 2025

Virtual Hours: Thursday, January 2: 9-2pm zoom link: https://laccd.zoom.us/j/81193803698

Winter 2025 Office Hours: Jan 6 - Feb 7, 2025
Monday-Thursday: 9:00am-4:00pm 
Friday: CLOSED

Life Science Building, Room 101

We are available via email during winter break: veteransaffairs@lacitycollege.edu

Contact

Email: @email
Phone: (323) 953-4000 ext. 2125