Do Dependents Of Veterans Get College Benefits

Colonel Mike Randerson Scholarship

Established in 2014, the Colonel Mike Randerson Scholarship is an annual endowed scholarship created to help qualified veteran students, including active duty military, Guard, Reserve and/or their dependents who wish to attend the college. The Colonel Mike Randerson Scholarship recognizes the efforts of outstanding military students who exemplify Randersons dedication to service and education. For more information, visit the following website at;www.ccis.edu/randersonscholarship.

Chapter 30 Montgomery Gi Bill

Persons who entered active duty after July 1, 1985, and had their military pay reduced by $100 per month for 12 months qualify for this program. This is a non-refundable contribution. These persons also must have served a minimum of two years, earned a high school diploma or its equivalent either prior to or during the qualifying enlistment and must have an honorable discharge.

Salute Veterans Honor Society

SALUTE is the first honor society established for student veterans and military in two-year and four-year institutions of higher education. Membership criteria at Columbia College includes: students must be degree seeking in an undergraduate program; be an honorably discharged veteran, active duty military, National Guard or reservist; have a Columbia College cumulative GPA of at least 3.0; have a minimum of 12 semester hours completed at Columbia College; be a junior or senior level in academic standing. For the purpose of Columbia College Chapter membership, differentiation of tier levels will not be made, but students wishing to be recognized by tiers may petition the chapter council. Cord colors: red, white and blue.

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If You Or Your Parent Is A Veteran There Are Programs That Can Help Put You Through School

The Fastweb Team

May 23, 2018

• Army Emergency Relief offers dependent children and spouse education programs.
• Air Force Aid Society offers dependent children and spouse education programs for active-duty, retired and those killed in action Air Force members.
• Coast Guard Mutual Aid offers grants and loans for qualifying family members.

Chapter 35 Survivors And Dependent Assistance

The Dependents’ Educational Assistance program offers education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition or of Veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition.Check Eligibility and Benefits;|;Checklist for new/returning students;|;STC VA Educational Benefits and Responsibilities Info Packet;;|;STC VA Benefits Agreement Form

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Where To Find Additional Veteran And Dependent Scholarships

College students can begin their scholarship search by determining whether their service branch offers scholarship opportunities. Other scholarship sources include various institutions and nonprofit organizations, such as the American Legion. The following section details several awards aimed at helping veterans and their dependents earn a degree.

Q What Tips Can You Offer Veterans Concerning Searching And Applying For Scholarships

The best advice is to apply often and early. Apply for as many scholarships as possible. Many scholarships are available to anyone. Treat the application process like a part-time job, spending a few hours each week searching and applying. Winning a scholarship requires effort and discipline, which should give veterans a head start.

Applying early improves applicants chances of their application being seen and carefully reviewed by the selection committee. Early applications have a much better chance of creating a positive impression. Most students procrastinate and apply near the deadline, making it difficult for their application to stand out and be seen.

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Chapter 35 Educational Benefits

Among the primary V.A. education benefits for children of Vets is;Chapter 35. If you qualify, you can get education and training, as well as money to pay for your tuition fees. The department can even help you cover the cost of school books, supplies, and housing.

There are two main V.A. educational programs available. First is the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship. Children of Servicemembers who died on duty after September 10, 2001, can qualify.

The second is the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance program. This provides educational and training benefits to the dependents of disabled Veterans. Children of Vets may also qualify.

The Coast Guard Foundation

The Coast Guard Foundation offers grants for active duty enlisted members and their spouses, it also offers scholarships to children of active duty, retired or deceased enlisted members.

• Grants for spouses of active-duty enlisted members – These grants are open to spouses of active-duty enlisted personnel, and spouses of some reservists. Grants are for $500.
• Scholarships for Coast Guard children – These scholarships are open to unmarried dependent children of enlisted active duty members, reservists on extended active duty for 180 days or more, retirees, or deceased members. Applicants must be college-bound high school seniors entering a college or technical school for the fall semester or a full-time undergraduate student already enrolled in an accredited four-year undergraduate program or technical school.

For more information see the Coast Guard Foundation’s website.

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Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts

The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program provides up to $4,000 of Financial Assistance for military spouses who are pursuing degree programs, licenses or credentials leading to employment in portable career fields.

Spouses can contact MilitaryOneSource for education counseling and help to find alternative funding sources. Call toll free at: 800.342.9647.

Related:;Southern New Hampshire University offers up to 30% off tuition for active duty military and their spouses. Learn more.

The Survivors And Dependents Educational Assistance Program

This VA program provides education and on-the-job training for eligible dependents of veterans with VA ratings of permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition. The program is also open to eligible dependents of veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a VA-rated condition caused by or associated with military service.

45 months of education benefits maximum are available, but thanks to ruling updates, some may be eligible for as many as 81 months of GI Bill benefits if they use the;Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance;program in conjunction with an entitlement from other VA education programs according to the VA official site. Just like education benefits for veterans themselves, including the GI Bill and Vocational Rehabilitation, utilizing them can be in conjunction or at different times.

DEA benefits may be available to the dependent children or spouses meeting the following criteria:

• A Veteran who died or is permanently/totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability.
• A Veteran who died from any cause while such permanent and total service-connected disability existed.
• A service member missing in action or captured in line of duty by a hostile force.
• A service member forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power.
• A service member hospitalized for a service-connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability.

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Discontinuing Va Benefits Based On School Attendance

VA maintains that any award of benefits based on school attendance will have an end date that corresponds with the date the school child stopped or plans to stop attending school.; Discontinuation of these benefits will be effective the earlier of the following dates:

• First day of the month following the month in which school attendance ended or will end; or
• The childs 23rd birthday

Conditions For Undergraduate Students

The waiver is awarded only to undergraduate students pursuing their first bachelors degree, to a maximum of 225 college-level credits, including credits transferred from other institutions of higher education. Waivers will not be awarded to students participating in fee-based courses or programs. For more information, refer to the Revised Code of Washington , section 28B.15.621, and Washington Administrative Code , section 478-160-163.

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I Receive Dependent Education Benefits Through The Va For College Do I Have To Report This On My Tax Return

No, your VA Benefits are not taxable income.The following is taken directly from the IRS website;IRS Informationfor Veterans:

“VA Disability Benefits

Do not include disability benefits you receive fromthe;VA;inyour gross income. In particular some of the payments which are considereddisability benefits include:

• Disability compensation and pension payments for disabilities paid either to Veterans or their families,
• Grants for homes designed for wheelchair living,
• Grants for motor vehicles for Veterans who lost their sight or the use of their limbs, or
• Benefits under a dependent-care assistance program.”

Additionally, education and training benefits provided toveterans under the GI Bill are not taxable income.

Additionally, please be aware that, under the “no double benefit” rule, amounts of otherwise qualifying tuition and fees paid for with VA benefits;cannot be used as the basis for claiming the ;American Opportunity Tax Credit, the;Lifetime Learning Credit, or the tuition and fees deduction.

The Yellow Ribbon Program

The Post-9/11 GI Bill covers up to 100% of the cost of full-time, in-state tuition and fees at a public institution of higher learning. However, if you want to attend a private or foreign college, or attend a school out-of-state, your benefits are limited and will not likely cover the full cost of tuition. To make up this difference, the Post-9/11 Bill includes a provision called the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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Choosing Between The Fry Scholarship And Dea

Not all dependents qualify for the Fry Scholarship or the VA DEA program. In some cases, dependents may qualify for both, depending on circumstances. However, VA rules are set up to allow only one program to be used. Applicants must make an irrevocable election between the two programs when applying. Dependents may also use the VAs GI Bill Comparison Tool to figure out which education benefit is the best choice for them.

In certain cases, a dependent may be technically able to apply for both programs but only one at a time can be used, and the maximum combined benefits are still capped at 81 total months of full-time learning. Note: If your parent died in the line of duty before August 1, 2011,;you may qualify for both the Fry Scholarship and the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance program. Although you may utilize both, you can still only use one program at a time.

Dependents Education Assistance Program

The Dependents’ Educational Assistance program provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 36 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship and on-the-job training. Remedial, deficiency and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

Learn more about the Dependents Education Assistance Program.

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Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges And The Soc Degree Network Systems

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges was created in 1972 to provide educational opportunities to service members who, because they frequently moved from place to place, had trouble completing college degrees. SOC functions in cooperation with 15 higher education associations, the Department of Defense, and Active and Reserve Components of the Military Services to expand and improve voluntary post-secondary education opportunities for service members worldwide. SOC is funded by the Department of Defense through a contract with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities .

Columbia College is a current member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Degree Network System . The school participates in the DNS-2 and;DNS-4 system. The DNS is a group of institutions selected to provide service members and their eligible family members the opportunity to complete college degrees without losing credit because of frequent changes in duty station. For example, many courses offered by member institutions have two way guaranteed transferability to provide more flexibility and options in order to satisfy degree requirements.

Who Qualifies For Yellow Ribbon

Active Duty: Active-duty personnel and their spouses cannot participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. However, they can still use other educational benefits, like the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill, Tuition Assistance, and the Top Up program.

Veterans: To qualify for the Yellow Ribbon Program, a veteran must:

• Be eligible at the 100% benefit level
• Have served for at least 36 months after 9/10/01
• Have been honorably discharged from active-duty service or served at least 30 continuous days and been discharged with a service-connected disability

Dependents of Veterans: As under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, spouses and children may participate if they meet the following criteria:

• The spouse or child is a dependent who is eligible for a Transfer of Entitlement
• The veteran is qualified to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program

Children of Active-Duty Personnel: Although spouses of active-duty service members cannot use Yellow Ribbon benefits, children may be able to participate if the servicemember is entitled to the maximum benefit rate under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

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Military Scholarships Recognize Veterans And Their Family Members

Military branches and private organizations sponsor scholarships for veterans, their spouses, and children. Grandchildren enrolled in an approved postsecondary program may qualify in limited circumstances. These awards detail eligibility criteria on their website, which may include possessing a Uniformed Services ID Card.

Learners interested in a military branch scholarship can start the application process by speaking with a commanding officer. These awards may impose rigorous requirements for renewal.

George H Ousley Jr & Gayleen Ousley Veterans Service Center Endowment

This scholarship is awarded to veterans attending Columbia College with first preference given to veterans of the United States Navy. Recipients must be veteran students who have exhausted their federal funding, but have not yet attained their degree. For more information, visit the following website at;www.ccis.edu/military/veteranscholarships/ousley.

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Education For Spouse And Children

Survivors & Dependents Educational Assistance is an education benefit that can provide up to 36 months of full-time or equivalent benefits to the spouse and children of most 100% service connected disabled veterans for:

• College, Business, Technical or Vocational Courses
• High School Diploma or GED
• Independent Study or Distance Learning courses
• Correspondence Courses
• Apprenticeship/On-the-Job Training
• Remedial, Deficiency, and Refresher Training
• The cost of tests for licenses or certifications needed to get, keep, or advance in a job

Spouses have up to 10 years from the date the VA determines that the spouse is eligible for VA Dependent Benefits. Children may use the benefit between the ages of 18 and 26.

Detailed information about DEA can be found here.

A Summary Washington States Education Benefits For Veterans

• The State Legislature has authorized state community colleges, colleges and universities to waive all or a portion of tuition and fees for eligible veterans or national guard members.

• Each college or university establishes and operates their own veterans waiver program so it is best to get in touch with the college or university you plan to attend for details on their program.

• A list of colleges and universities is available at:;

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Scholarships For Navy Veterans & Their Dependents

Although there are some perks for children of war veterans, particularly children of disabled veterans, many wonder if there are any educational benefits for grandchildren of war veterans. College costs these days seem to be growing with nearly every year. Families are looking for help anywhere they can find it. If Grandpa or Grandma is a war veteran, then there may be some things that will help cover expenses for a grandchild.

Applying For Va Education Benefits For Dependents

To apply for any of the education benefits programs you see here, certain documentation will be required including discharge paperwork for the service member or veteran where applicable, or a statement of service from a currently-serving military members chain of command showing the service member is an active member in good standing.

You will also be required to supply Social Security Numbers, copies of military orders, dependent IDs, and school transcripts where applicable. In some cases, it may be required to show proof that you have been accepted into a learning program, apprenticeship, training, or college. You may need to submit paperwork to the nearest VA regional office, or fill out online forms and submit electronically where required.

You should also be prepared to supply bank information including routing numbers, account numbers, and address/phone information for your bank; this is so the VA can send your benefits payments once accepted into the program of your choice. Just like service members and veterans using the GI Bill for the first time, start the registration process early. It will take a minimum of a month for the VA to process your initial claim and they may have additional verification questions. If you sign up for direct deposit, your payments will arrive sooner than issued checks.

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Withdrawal And Refund Polices

Columbia College follows a refund policy that is aligned with the Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Military students who withdraw due to service obligations, such as an unexpected call to active duty or extended periods of TDY, will be given a grade of withdrawal excused . The college will provide a 100% tuition reimbursement to the payee .

Military students may also request a withdrawal excused when extraordinary circumstances prevent them from completing a term; all courses in which the student is enrolled must be included in the request. Extraordinary circumstances are narrowly interpreted to mean the development of unforeseen, unexpected circumstances beyond a students control. Examples of extraordinary circumstances include serious illness, death in the immediate family, and significant change in the location and/or conditions of employment.

If at the time of the request the student has reached the 60% completion mark of the course, the total tuition costs for the course will be charged.