Veterans Affairs

1. Click here to log in to MyMECC.

2. Click on the SIS tile.

3. Click on the Student Records eForms tile.

4. On the left, click the tab for Military Benefit Certify eForm.

5. Fill out the information on the form to the best of your knowledge and click the blue Submit button at the bottom of the page when finished. If there are any issues with your form, an error message will pop up when you click Submit. You must correct all errors before the form is complete.

   Note: If you would like to save your progress and come back later, you may click Save instead.

 A student’s military training, courses, and occupational specialty can all be considered for college credit. Military service credit in the occupational/technical areas (i.e., Engineering) may require approval by appropriate academic school dean prior to award.

In order to receive credit for your military training, a student must submit a military transcript prior to enrolling in classes.

NOTE: If only the DD214 is submitted, the student will receive one credit of HLT/PED. If you in enroll in a class and receive credit for that class, you may have to return VA benefits.

Each branch of the service has its own transcript request service. Depending on the branch in which you served, a transcript can be requested at the following locations:

PLEASE NOTE: Transcript may take up to two weeks to evaluate during peak registration.

The President’s recent Executive Order to protect student veterans from predatory colleges and universities includes a requirement for schools to require “Know Before You Owe” documentation, even if the student veteran does not apply for federal student aid.

The program’s Financial Aid Comparison Shopper has more than 7,500 schools and institutions in its database, including vocational schools and community, state, and private colleges. It draws information from publicly available data provided by government statistical agencies. With this site, students and their families can compare the following across multiple financial aid offers:

• Estimated monthly student loan payment after graduation.
• Grant and scholarship offers.
• School-specific metrics such as graduation, retention, and federal student loan default rates.
• Estimated debt level at graduation in relationship to the average starting salary.

To join MECC Student Veterans of America, contact lgrace@chalakseir.com.

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What happens if I withdraw from a course? What if I fail a course? 

If you withdraw from a course the DVA may require you to repay the money for this course retroactive to the first day of class unless you withdrew due to reasons beyond your control. If the DVA accepts your reason for withdrawing as being beyond your control you will be paid through the last day of attendance. If this is the first instance that you withdrew, the DVA may consider that mitigating circumstances exist without explanation from you for withdrawing from a course or courses totaling not more than 6 semester hours.

 Note: You must report any changes in your class schedule to your VA certifying official in order to avoid overpayment of your educational benefits. If you DO NOT drop/withdraw and receive an F from a class, the last date you submitted course work will be submitted to the DVA. In accordance with new guidelines set forth in the updated DoD Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding Tuition Assistance (TA), effective September 5, 2014, if you withdraw from any course that has been paid for with TA, MECC is required to return any unearned portion of the TA to the DoD. The college will determine the amount of TA that is earned based on the number of days you remained enrolled in each course, and return any monies above that amount. This will result in a debt to the college that you will be responsible for paying before you will be able to receive any additional services from the school. Keep in mind that this debt will be in addition to the debt you will have with the DoD for the same course.

If you fail a course and the course is required for graduation, the VA will pay you to repeat it. They will not recover the money that they already paid you for the course you failed provided you maintained satisfactory academic progress as measured by your cumulative grade point average and the number of credits that you have attempted. If your progress becomes unsatisfactory, your benefits will be suspended until you regain satisfactory progress for your degree program.

Can I enroll in any courses that I want?

Once you select a degree program and are placed into that program, you will be guided in your course selection by the requirements for graduation for that specific degree in the college catalog. It is important that you have your prior credits evaluated early so that you do not register for a course that you have already completed. The DVA will not pay for a course for which you have already received benefits. They will also not pay for a course that cannot be used in your degree program. You can enroll in any additional classes you choose; however, those courses will not count toward your enrollment status/pay rate.

Can I change my degree program?

Yes. The DVA allows you to make a change of curriculum. You will need to select a new program of study, have all your previous credits evaluated and complete a VA Form 22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training). Dependents must complete a Form 22-5495 if they change programs.

How do I use Tuition Assistance? 

• Service Members should speak with their Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within their military service prior to enrolling at the college.

• Apply for Tuition Assistance (TA) based on your military branch specific process.

• The Cashier’s Office at MECC handles state and federal tuition assistance.  Once you have completed the paperwork, be sure to check with the Cashier’s Office to be sure they have received the contract from your unit.

How do I report tuition and fees for my TA approval?

 TA will only pay the tuition portion of your charges. All fees are the student’s responsibility. For the Fall 2023 semester, tuition should be reported as $158.61 per credit (in-state) or $335.61 (out-of-state). Fees should be reported as $3.50 per credit (in-state) or $27 per credit (out-of-state). Depending on your TA application/branch of service, you may have to manually calculate these amounts on the application. Please contact the Military Student Center with any questions or to request required documentation of your charges.

Full Breakdown of Tuition Rate & Fees Per Credit Hour

EFFECTIVE FALL 2024

* Out-of-State Business Contract Rate and Out-of-State students must pay a Capital Fee of $26.00 per credit in addition to Activity Fee ($100/credit) and Auxiliary Fee ($2.50/credit)

**Out-of-State E-Rate classes include the Capital Fee ($26.00/credit) but do not include the Activity Fee ($1.00/credit) and Auxiliary Fee ($2.50/credit).

 Can I get both TA and the GI Bill?

Yes. You can collect state TA and still receive your GI Bill. However, you cannot receive both federal TA and the Reserve GI Bills for the same class. If you are eligible for Ch 33 benefits, you can receive those benefits along with federal TA. Contact your unit’s education officer for information on what will be the best benefit for you.

Can I receive financial aid at the same time?

Yes. We strongly encourage all students to apply for financial aid, even when receiving veterans’ benefits. If you qualify, you can receive both. It’s not “double dipping.”

Note: Because of certain laws regarding the programs, Post-9/11 GI Bill recipients and students attending under VR&E may not qualify for state grants to attend MECC. You can, however, receive federal grants (Pell) and loans.

I’ve heard I can get free tuition since my parent/spouse is deceased/disabled. How do I do that?

The VMSDEP program, to qualify the student’s parent or spouse must be rated at least 90% disabled due to military service. Additional requirements, such as Virginia residency, may apply. For more information, and to submit an on-line application, please go to http://www.dvs.virginia.gov.

What benefits do I get under VMSDEP?

Tier 1 of VMSDEP provides a waiver of tuition at a Virginia public college.

Tier 2 of VMSDEP provides a waiver of tuition at a Virginia public college AND an additional stipend (contingent on funding).

I get VR&E, What do I have to do?

You still need to complete the Certification Request for VA Educational Benefits each semester. Your VR&E counselor will send an authorization form to the VA certifying official for your tuition and books. The certifying official will then verify you are in the correct classes, complete the paperwork, and return it to your VR&E counselor.

How do I get my books and supplies under VR&E?

The VA certifying official will send a copy of the completed paperwork to the bookstore, and they will set up your charge account for those items. You will simply need to tell them you have VA money and they will allow you to purchase what you need.