Military Benefits

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Active Duty

Military Tuition Assistance Program (TA) – Each branch of the Armed Services offers a TA program for their members who pursue voluntary, off-duty education programs. TA is open to officers, warrant officers, and enlisted active-duty service members. National Guard and Reserve members may be eligible for TA as well. Contact your Military Installation Education Office to get started.

MyCAA - The My Career Advancement Account Scholarship (MyCAA) is a workforce development program that provides eligible military spouses with up to $4,000 in financial assistance for licenses, certifications, or associate degrees to pursue an occupation or career field. Create a My Career Advancement Account through Military OneSource to get started.

Students may contact our Cherry Point or Havelock offices at 252-444-6000 or 252-444-2120, or visit Craven CC’s website for more information regarding active-duty military benefits.

All Active-Duty Service members /dependents using benefits are eligible for Priority Registration.

Veterans Benefits

Eligible veterans and their dependents, including dependents of disabled or deceased veterans, are invited to take advantage of the College’s educational offerings. The College cooperates with the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and the North Carolina State Approving Agency (NC SAA) in assisting eligible veterans and their dependents with their VA education benefits. Most curriculum courses are approved for veteran training. The VA Coordinator and School Certifying Officials will assist veterans and their dependents through the process of acquiring benefits.

Students may contact our School Certifying Officials office at VA@cravencc.edu and 252-638-7231 or visit the Veterans Affairs offices of Craven Community College for more information.

Regulations contained in the Craven CC Catalog and Student Handbook apply to ALL students. The following are additional for students receiving VA Educational Benefits:

  1. Under the laws and/or regulations governing institutions approved for training of eligible veterans/dependents, certain documents must be on file with the College before certification of enrollment for educational purposes may be completed. These items are:
    1. Application for admission
    2. High school transcript or its equivalent (GED), if applicable
    3. Official transcripts from ALL colleges previously attended
      If the eligible veteran/dependent has received VA educational benefits for previous training, a VA form requesting a Change of Program or Place of Training must be completed.
    4. Certificates or documentation of additional training and/or education
    5.  Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
      DVA interprets “certificate of eligibility” to be any documentation provided by VA that serves as verification of an individual’s eligibility to benefits under chapter 31 or chapter 33.
    6. Request for Certification Form (RCF)
      Eligible veterans/dependents must submit a Request for Certification Form (RCF) to the College’s Veterans Affairs Office for each semester they wish to receive benefits.
  2. All Veterans/dependents using VA Educational benefits are eligible for Priority Registration.
  3. The DVA must be notified of any change of address of the veteran/dependent.
  4. DVA will NOT pay for the following enrollment situations at Craven Community College
    1. Programs/Courses not approved by the DVA
    2. Students admitted under special status (unless it is a “visiting student” with an official letter from their primary institution outlining how the courses will transfer back into their program of study)
    3. Auditing
    4. No credit
    5. Credit by exam
    6. Courses not required in Program of Study
    7. Repeating a course previously passed
    8. Out-of-state tuition rate
    9. E-book fees
    10. Developmental classes that are hybrid or online
      Students will be required to pay any tuition, fees, and/or supplies not covered by VA educational benefits, Financial Aid, scholarships, grants and/or other Third Parties.
  5. Eligible veterans/dependents receive pay according to credit hours for all programs.

Student Type

Credit Hours

Contact Hours

Full time

12+

22+

¾ time

9-11

16-21

½ time

6-8

11-15

Hour requirements may change during the semester due to the accelerated rate.  Check with a School Certifying Official.

Course loads below half time receive only the amount of tuition and fees.

  1. Eligible veterans/dependents must be cautious when withdrawing from a course(s). Courses dropped after the start of the semester can result in a reduction of monthly benefits and can be retroactive to the beginning of the term. This applies particularly when a non-punitive grade is given by the instructor and no mitigating circumstances were reported to a School Certifying Official (SCO). Students will be responsible for overpayments of monthly housing allowance/book stipend.
  2. Termination of VA Educational Benefits
    Students who fail to maintain satisfactory academic standing for three consecutive academic terms will not be certified for additional VA educational benefits, and will owe any VA Educational Benefits received on the third consecutive academic term that good academic standing was not met.

    Students who become ineligible for VA educational benefits because of unsatisfactory academic requirements will remain ineligible until the minimum requirements are met.
  3. Veterans/dependents using VA Educational Benefits will not be penalized or prohibited from attending or participating in courses while awaiting VA payment to the school (for up to 90 days)
  4. Craven CC complies with all requirements of Title 38 United States Code Section 3679(e) regarding the distribution of all Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) benefits. Craven CC will permit any covered individual to attend or participate in the course of education even if the VA has not yet paid tuition and fees. Craven CC will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under Chapter 31 or 33. To qualify, individuals may be required to submit the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of classes and provide additional information necessary to the proper certification of enrollment.

Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e} 

Please note, Craven Community College may also require additional payment for the amount that is the difference between the amount of the student’s financial obligation, and the amount of the VA educational benefit disbursement.

Standards of Progress and Approved Programs

Craven CC record keeping procedures of progress records of eligible Veterans/dependents comply with DVA federal regulations outlined by in 38 CFR 21.

38 CFR 21 - Veteran Readiness and Employment & Education
38 CFR 21.4253 - Accredited courses. (govregs.com)
eCFR: 38 CFR 21.4254 - Nonaccredited courses

For a list of DVA approved programs for this academic year, please see the Web Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS) link below:

WEAMS Institution Search

Veteran Readiness and Employment

If you have a service-connected disability that limits your ability to work or prevents you from working, Veteran Readiness and Employment (formerly called Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) can help. This program – also known as Chapter 31 or VR&E – helps you explore employment options and address training needs. In some cases, your family members may also qualify for certain benefits.

For more information on VR&E, you may visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website for more information or contact VR&E directly by calling
1-800-827-1000.

The mailing address for Veteran Readiness and Employment is:
Winston-Salem Regional Office
251 N. Main St.
Winston-Salem, NC 27155

North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Any physically handicapped student may be eligible for assistance through the Federal Vocational Rehabilitation program. In order to qualify, a student must have a mental or physical disability which is a handicap to employment. There must also be a reasonable expectation that as a result of vocational rehabilitation services, the person can become gainfully employed. Each rehabilitation program is designed individually with the student.

The amount of the award is based on need and the type of program in which the student is enrolled. It generally pays for tuition, fees, some books and supplies and in some cases, for supportive services such as transportation and interpreter services.

To apply, the student must contact the Vocational Rehabilitation office nearest the student’s home, or contact the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, 2801 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2801 or call (919)-855-3500, (919) 324-1500 (Videophone), or (919) 855-3579 (TTY).

Tuition, Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Military Benefits