Veterans Office

I am about to be honorably discharged. How do I get my GI Bill benefits started?

• You must apply for your educational benefits through the VA in Muskogee online at www.gibill.va.gov.  Please call the VA education hotline for assistance at 1-888-442-4551.

I have a parent who is a veteran. How can I receive VA education benefits of their service time?

• For information, visit:
  Chapter 35 Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program 
  Chapter 33 Transfer of Eligibility for Dependents and Spouse

How long does it take for me to start receiving money from my VA benefits?

• Veteran Services certifies students’ enrollment to the VA in the order certification paperwork is received every term.  After your form is received in our office, it takes approximately 30-45 days for us to certify it to the VA. After we certify your enrollment to the VA, it takes the VA another 30-45 days to award your GI Bill money.

How can I receive my VA benefits money as fast as possible each semester?

• No action will occur for any semester until you have submitted the certification paperwork and it is received by our office. If you drop or make any changes to your initial registration, new certification paperwork must be filled out and resubmitted to the VA Office, this starts the certification process over.

What is considered full-time, 3/4 time, half-time, or less than half-time?

• Enroll as early as possible for terms and turn in your certification paperwork immediately after enrolling to expedite the processing of your VA education benefits.
• YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE for notifying the Veteran Student Services Office of all schedule changes (except section/time changes).
• Dropping from full-time to part-time status will affect your pay, as you may get a reduced monthly rate based on the remaining hours.
• Short-term courses – The VA pays your monthly stipend based on class dates for each course. To maintain full-time status throughout the semester all courses must meet for the entire term or semester. For example, if you are in 12 hours during a fall semester, but one of your classes only meets for the first eight weeks, you will be considered less than full-time for the remainder of the semester.

How should my schedule look to maximize my benefits?

Option 1:

*In this option the student would be taking a total of four class — two classes per eight-week term. For chapters 33 and 31, you would need at least one in-person class in both terms.

Option 2:

*In this option the student would be taking a total of four class — two classes that would last 16 weeks and one class per eight-week term. For chapters 33 and 31, you would need at least one in-person class (either one in each eight-week term or one that lasted the entire 16 weeks).

Option 3:

*In this option the student would be taking a total of four class that would last 16 weeks.  For chapters 33 and 31, you would need at least one in-person class.

How do my Chapter 33 or Chapter 31 benefits affect my Bursar account?

Students using these benefits must present their VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to the Veterans Office, complete the request to be certified using the electronic certification paperwork and provide any additional information needed for the school certifying official to properly certify.

Can I qualify for financial aid even though I receive VA benefits?

• Yes. It is suggested that students apply for financial aid through fafsa.ed.gov. This will give you a cushion in the event your GI Bill benefits are delayed. If you qualify for loans only, you have the option to decline them. Financial Aid may require documentation stating the amount of VA benefits that you will receive each semester.  You may request that proof from the Veterans Office via email or stop by, and we will be happy to assist you. Chapter 31-VA Vocational Rehabilitation students, please contact your case manager for a letter.

Does the VA pay for remedial courses or the companion lab?

• VA will pay for remedial courses or the companion lab provided the course has not previously been successfully completed, and the student’s placement test results show the course is needed. VA will not pay for a remedial course or the companion lab in which the placement score indicates the student tested into a higher-level course.

I need to make changes to my course schedule. What do I do?

• Remember, a change in your class schedule may affect your VA benefits.  Frequent changes of schedule often can cause a student to have an overpayment of benefits the VA will require to pay back. Notify the Veterans Office at OCCC of all changes, except section changes. When you are adding a new course, new certification paperwork is required before the adjustment can be reported to the VA.

Does the VA make me pay money back when I have received Incomplete or F grades?

• If you make a grade of “I” in a class, you will have a certain amount of time (decided upon by the you and the professor) to complete the course and then the grade you earned will be automatically recorded to your transcript by OCCC.
• Students receiving a grade of “AW”, “NP”, or “U” will be charged with an overpayment when the student received that grade as a result of non-attendance. The OCCC Veterans Office is required to report non-attendance.
• You may appeal to the VA regional office when you had mitigating circumstances that prevented you from attending. You may send a letter explaining your mitigating circumstances directly to the VA. When you use personal correspondence be sure to include your full name (printed), Social Security number, VA file number, the date, a daytime telephone number with the area code, and your signature. Should you have any supporting evidence please include a copy with your letter. (ALWAYS KEEP A COPY OF WHAT YOU SUBMIT!)
• To obtain VA Form 21-4138, go to: va.gov/vaforms.
  Mail the appeal letter to:
  VA USDVA at U.S Department of Veteran Affairs
  P.O. Box 8888
  Muskogee, OK 74402-8888

Does the VA pay for courses I repeat?

• The VA will not pay to repeat any courses that are completed successfully. Letter grades of A, B, C, D are passing. Exceptions: Some courses require a specific minimum grade.

How will my military credits transfer to OCCC?

• OCCC awards credit for educational experiences during military service.  Students who wish to establish credit for educational experiences in the military should contact the Records Office.

I am currently deployed but would like to work on my college degree with online courses. Where can I get more information about what is available?

• You can speak with one of the Student Success Advisors for the Veteran’s Office and they can answer any questions you may have as well as assist you with class selection.

I have moved and have a different address. Who do I need to tell?

• You need to update your address with OCCC, the Veterans Office, and the VA.
• Go to https://www.occc.edu/records/, and update your student address information with the college’s online form.  Please allow three to five business days for the change to take place.
• When you are also an OCCC employee, you need to update your address information with Human Resources.
• Contact the OCCC Veterans Office either by email vaworkstudy@occc.edu or phone at (405) 682-1611, ext. 7694.
• To update your address with the VA, click here.

Do I need to tell the Veterans Office I’m taking classes at another college?

• All students pursuing a degree at Oklahoma City Community College but taking courses at another institution, must complete a parent school letter to use VA benefits for those courses. To get a parent school letter, please contact the OCCC Veterans Office either by email at vaworkstudy@occc.edu or phone at (405) 682-1611, ext. 7695
• Students are strongly encouraged to utilize the earliest enrollment period for parent-school letters. Non-OCCC degree-seeking students will not be certified for OCCC courses until an APPROVED Parent School Letter is received from the degree-granting institution.

I am being deployed in the middle of the semester. Can I complete my courses later? Do I have to drop my courses? Will I have to pay back the VA?

• You will need to get a copy of your orders from your unit and bring them to the Veterans Office on campus as well as the Records Office to discuss your options.

Will my VA benefits pay for National Testing Programs? or Licensing and Certification tests?

• See U.S. Veteran Affairs Licensing and Certification Tests and National Testing Programs information.

How do I set up my VA benefits for direct deposit?

• See U.S. Veteran Affairs Direct Deposit for information.