Veteran's Education

Important Information

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Skagit Valley College has voluntarily agreed to adopt the procedures set out in Executive Order 13607, Establishing Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members, and will provide a Financial Aid Shopping Sheet that describes the educational costs and financial aid available to help those students meet those costs. Students receiving Financial Aid may access their Shopping Sheet at any time, by visiting their Financial Aid Portal. 

You can find the information contained in the Shopping Sheet by using the GI Bill® Comparison Tool located at the VA website located here: Shopping Sheet 

Additionally, Students must declare a program of study or degree objective – this is your Education Plan. The VA will only pay for classes that are required toward your degree or VA-approved program of study. If you are not sure, ask at the Veterans Education Office. 

Students must complete the course work paid for. A Grade of ‘W’ (or other non-punitive grade) will result in overpayment, which means some or all the benefits received from VA may have to be repaid. 

Students must notify the Veterans Education Office when: changing classes (adding or dropping), withdrawing from SVC, or when you stop attending classes or when you receive any communication from the VA that is unclear to you. Additionally, educational benefits may be terminated for unsatisfactory academic progress or student conduct. Good communication is KEY! Let us know if anything changes with regard to your classes, education plan or benefit status. 

NOTE: Certifying Your Benefits is Not Automatic! You must work with the Veterans Education Office each quarter after you have registered for classes to let them know you plan to use your VA benefit before we can certify you. When we “certify” your classes, we are telling the VA: 

PLEASE NOTE: If you do not certify your classes before the date when payment is due to SVC, you may be automatically dropped from classes you have previously registered for based on non-payment. 

The number of credits you have registered for. 

That your courses are approved as part of your Education Plan. 

The amount you are being charged for Tuition and Fees.

 

Title 38 US Code 3679
In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e), Skagit Valley College adopts and follows additional provision for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill(R) (Chapter 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Chapter 31) benefits, while payment is pending from the VA. Skagit Valley College will not:

• Prevent the students enrollment
• Assess a late penalty fee
• Require students to secure alternative or additional funding
• Deny their access to any resources (classes, libraries or any institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee balances with the institution

However, the student must identify themselves to the VA education office on either the Mount Vernon campus or Whidbey Island campus office and produce

• VA certificate of eligibility for education benefits
• Provide a school Quarterly enrollment certification for use of benefits
• Provide additionally information related to their VA education benefit benefit they are utilizing. 

Skagit Valley College Prohibits the Practice of High-Pressure Recruitment Tactics

Skagit Valley College strives to be an institution of high integrity and is committed to ensuring that recruitment and enrollment activities conducted at our institution promote such values in accordance with our mission. The purpose of this policy is to ensure compliance with federal laws and regulations to prevent and eliminate fraudulent and aggressive recruitment of students (including but not limited to Veterans and Military Service members) to the college.

The College refrains from high-pressure recruitment tactics such as making multiple unsolicited contacts (three or more), including contacts by phone, email, or in-person, or engage in same-day recruitment and registration for the purpose of securing Service member enrollments.