Attention veterans and family members who have a Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) overpayment.
If you are affected by the COVID-19 (CORONA VIRUS), have a VBA benefit debt and need temporary financial relief, please contact DMC at 1.800.827.0648 to request assistance.
If you are a veteran, we honor and welcome you. You can visit a veterans office (located at one of the campus enrollment centers or financial aid offices) for personal help to certify benefits and get information. You may also contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by calling 1.888.442.4551 or visiting their benefits.va.gov/gibill.
If you are entitled to benefits under Chapter 30, 31, 33, or 1606, and not a dependent or spouse requesting benefits, please fill out the Request for VA Education Benefits form.
If you are a dependent or spouse of a veteran using Chapter 35 Dependent Educational Assistance benefits, please fill out the Request for VA Ch 35 Benefits form.
For more information on completing the request for benefits form, view the FAQ.
Using Veterans Education Benefits
-
Applying for Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits
If you have never claimed benefits you must first complete an application with the Department of Veterans Affairs, you can apply for benefits on the VA website. Keep a copy of your application and confirmation page when you submit online.
Veterans that are claiming benefits under Chapters 30, 33 or 1606 can submit a hard copy application for VA education benefits (Form 22-1990).
If you are a spouse or dependent of a service member or veteran who has transferred all or some of their Post 9/11 GI Bill® to you, make sure it has been approved by the Department of Defense first. Then, complete Form 22-1990E. Additional information regarding the transfer of benefits can be found on the VA website.
Once the VA processes your application, they will send you a Certificate of Eligibility. The Certificate of Eligibility and most recent DD-214 (Member-4) are not required however, it is helpful for MCC to have the documents on file.
If you have questions on what you qualify for and the differences between benefits, VA has information to help you in determining what benefit is best for you on their website. You can also call VA Education Services for additional assistance at 1.888.442.4551. -
Apply to MCC
Contact your previous college(s) or if this is your first time in college, contact your high school to request official copies of your transcripts to be sent to the records office.
Information about military transcripts and how to request transcripts is available at the following links:- Navy & Marine Corps (JST Transcript) for more information on requesting your military transcript.
- Air Force (CCAF)
-
Apply for financial aid
Many veteran students are eligible for financial aid including grants and scholarships.
Most forms of financial aid do not affect your VA benefits. Complete an online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to get started. MCC's school code is 002484. -
Register for classes and enrollment certification
Contact a Student Success Advisor at your campus for assistance in creating an academic plan and choosing courses.
Once you are registered, complete a Veterans Request for Benefits Form and submit it to one of the campus enrollment centers, financial aid offices, or email it from your secured MCC student email account to veterans@mcckc.edu. This is your way of notifying MCC that you are enrolled and ready to be certified. You can submit your request up to 60 days before the start of the term.If you are entitled to benefits under Chapter 30, 31, 33, or 1606, and not a dependent or spouse requesting benefits, please fill out the Request for VA Education Benefits form.
If you are a dependent or spouse of a veteran using Chapter 35 Dependent Educational Assistance benefits, please fill out the Request for VA Ch 35 Benefits form.
Be advised: Since we have eight-week terms and mini-term courses, you should be alert to the fact that the beginning and end dates of each individual course will affect the amount of money the VA will send you for the month.
The Department of Veteran Affairs will treat each course you are enrolled in as a separate unit with its own beginning and end date. We will report these dates to the VA so that they can determine your monthly payment according to their regulations.
When a course ends, it is no longer counted by the VA as part of your enrollment, regardless of which semester it is assigned to. -
Pay for classes
It is every student's responsibility to ensure that their student account is current and paid in full by the payment deadline each term.
Each student's level of benefits is unique and the VA may not cover all of the term fees. Options for payment may include federal student aid and/or the MCC payment plan.
Veterans responsibilities
- Eligible veterans and dependents are responsible for notifying MCC of their intent to use VA educational benefits. Submit a veterans request for benefits form to one of the campus enrollment centers or financial aid offices or email it from your secured MCC student email account to veterans@mcckc.edu.
- Enroll ONLY for courses that will apply to your degree program. Only courses that apply toward your declared program will be certified.
- You must immediately notify the veterans certifying official when the below situations
occur.
Failure to do so may result in overpayment collection: - Add or drop a class
- Change your degree program
- Change your address
- Withdraw from a class or college
- Change in dates of attendance
- If you do not make satisfactory academic progress you will be placed on warning, probation and/or an academic plan. There is a specific satisfactory academic progress policy for veterans benefits.
- Students receiving Chapter 30 and 1606 benefits are required to log onto the GI Bill® website and click on the verifying your attendance link, WAVE (Web Automated Verification of Enrollment) on the last day of each month to verify enrollment with the VA or call 1.877.823.2378. Monthly verification for Post 9/11 GI Bill® is not required.
Changes to VA benefits and overpayment debts
On January 5, 2021, the President signed the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 into law [Public Law 116-315]. This new law provides for the improvement and/or expansion of various GI Bill® programs.
Please be aware that the law has changed regarding the way education overpayments and debts are handled by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Frequently asked questions
-
The new law requires schools and training providers to be financially responsible, instead of the student, for benefits paid directly to an educational institution for Post-9/11 GI Bill® and other VA education programs.
This applies to tuition and fee payments and Yellow Ribbon program payments under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (including under the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship) and to advance payment of benefits under the various GI Bill programs.
The law applies without consideration of whether the overpayment was the result of the willful or negligent reporting failure of the school and it applies even if the debt is due to the student dropping one or more classes.
-
If VA assesses a debt to MCC on your behalf we will send payment to the VA as requested. This will result in a charge to your student account for the amount due to the VA.
-
A VA debt is created by:
- Never attending a class
- Withdrawing from class after the 100% refund period
- Withdrawing from the term
-
We strongly encourage you to work with your Student Success Advisor when considering dropping a class to determine how a drop will impact your G.I. Bill®; education benefits.
To identify your assigned Student Success Advisor through your Starfish account, review the connect with people who can help you section in Starfish.
If you have additional questions, please email veterans@mcckc.edu.
Using Federal or State Tuition Assistance
1. Determine which programs you qualify for with your unit. If you are eligible for Federal Tuition Assistance you must exhaust it before using State Tuition Assistance. To apply for Fed TA, use the Army Ignited website or the Air Force website depending on your position.
2. If using State Tuition Assistance, your application must be submitted to your state Education office before the first day of class(es). If your TA administrator requests a program plan of study, you should be able to use a printed class schedule and account summary of fees. Your campus cashier's office should be able to provide this for you.
3. Once you have received your approval letter with all required signatures, please email mcc.thirdparty@mcckc.edu with the subject “ARMY TUITION ASSISTANCE REQUEST” to have the amount applied to your tuition balance.
VA contacts
| Local VA Office | Regional VA Office | MCC VA Certifying Official |
| 4801 Linwood Boulevard Kansas City, MO 64128 Phone: 816.861.4700 TDD: 816.922.3328 |
P.O. Box 66830 St. Louis, MO 63166-6830 Phone: 1.888.442.4551 |
veterans@mcckc.edu |