Veterans

WCCC Welcomes You

Washington County Community College welcomes you and thanks you for your tremendous service and dedication to our country. WCCC is approved by the Veterans Administration (VA) for training of veterans and their dependents. In addition to the WCCC application, individuals who are eligible for education benefits through the VA are encouraged to complete the process to apply for benefits. Becoming a student as a veteran is similar to the process taken by civilian students with a few big things you need to do to get started.

You are strongly encouraged to contact the Maine Bureau of Veteran’s Services (MBVS) and self-identify as a veteran in order to ensure access to all the benefits to which you are entitled. As well, The Maine Veteran’s Benefits and Resources Guide provides information on a broad range of benefits, services, and veterans-related organizations.

Checklist of things to do:

Apply for Veteran Affair (VA) benefits
Request your military transcripts
Determine if you qualify for Prior Learning Credits
Contact your military branch Educational Service Officer (ESO) prior to
enrolling at WCCC.
Once you receive your VA certificate of eligibility, bring it to the VA
Certifying Official
Meet with your Academic Advisor to ensure you are registering for courses
that are required for your degree. Only courses REQUIRED for your
degree can be certified. Certification takes place after add/drop each
semester.
Inform VA Certifying Official of any changes in chapter, address, phone
number, and e-mail.
Apply for financial aid at www.studentaid.gov .

Apply for Veterans Affairs

Apply for Veterans Affairs benefits by visiting the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.

For veterans: download form 22-1990 – Application for VA Educational Benefits.

For dependents of veterans: download form 22-5490 – Dependent’s Application for VA Education Benefits.

Request your military transcripts

Veterans are encouraged to submit their military training transcripts to WCCC for evaluation. The links for the various services are listed below.

Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard veterans may use the Joint Service Transcript (JST) system to request transcripts.

Air Force veterans may go to Air University (AU) to request a transcript.

Determine if you qualify for Prior Learning Credits

To seek credit for prior learning you must be formally admitted into a degree at WCCC. Visit the Credit for Prior Learning page to find out more.

HOW ARE VA BENEFITS CERTIFIED FOR 8-WEEK MODULE COURSES

When WCCC reports your enrollment(s) to the VA, we provide the number of credits in which you are enrolled and the term(s) those classes fall under.

In a non-standard term, the VA determines your credit hour equivalent using the following formula: Credits x 18 / Weeks

The VA calculates the number of weeks in a term by taking the number of days in a term and dividing by 7. They will then round to the nearest week (for example, 8 weeks and 3 days is rounded to 8 weeks, while four weeks and 4 days is rounded to 5 weeks).

The VA multiplies the number of credits you are taking in the term by 18. They divide this number by the number of weeks of the term.

The VA then compares this credit hour equivalent to the above table to determine your rate of pursuit.

Example:

You are in a 3-credit undergraduate class during the Summer A Session term. This term is 5 weeks in length. (3 credits x 18) ÷ 5 weeks = 10.8 (rounded to 11).

The VA determines that 3 credits in five weeks is the equivalent of 11 credits in a normal undergraduate semester. Looking at the table above, we see that 11 credits in a normal semester is a 90% rate of pursuit.

For these five weeks, you will receive applicable stipends at a 90% rate of pursuit, and the VA will deduct 90% of five weeks from your remaining entitlement.

If your classes are in overlapping terms, the VA will use whichever rate of pursuit calculation is highest during the overlap period. While this benefits you from a housing stipend perspective, you should be aware that your benefit is also being reduced at the higher rate.

Example:

You are a Chapter 33 undergraduate student in a total of 12 credits: three 3 credit classes that run from 1/24 to 5/10 and one 3 credit class from 3/15 to 4/25. We report this as two separate enrollments: 9 credits under the Spring standard semester and 3 credits as a non-standard term.

In this scenario, you would receive multiple rate of pursuit calculations from the VA.

Beginning on 1/24, you are in 9 standard semester credits. You would need to be in 12 credits to have a 100% rate of pursuit. Your benefits during this period are charged at an 80% rate of pursuit, and you receive 80% of the monthly housing allowance (if applicable). This rate of pursuit changes when the non-standard term starts.

In the middle of these standard semester classes, your non-standard term class begins.

Beginning on 3/15, you are now in a total of 12 credits, and have a 100% rate of pursuit. Your benefits during this period are charged at the 100% rate of pursuit, and you receive 100% of the monthly housing allowance (if applicable). This rate of pursuit changes when your non-standard term ends.

When the non-standard term class ends on 4/25, you are again in 9 credits, and you return to an 80% rate of pursuit. Your benefits are charged at an 80% rate of pursuit, and you receive 80% of the monthly housing allowance (if applicable).

Contacts

School Admissions Representatives

Diana St. Pierre
Email: dstpierre@wccc.me.edu

Washington County Community College
One College Drive
Calais, ME 04619
Phone: (207) 454-1000 or (800) 210-6932 (in Maine)
Fax: (207) 454-1026

VA Certifying Official

Anne Donahue
Washington County Community College
One College Drive
Calais, ME 04619
Phone: (207) 454-1000 or (800) 210-6932 (in Maine)
Email: adonahue@wccc.me.edu
Fax: (207) 454-1026

Financial Aid Office

Washington County Community College
One College Drive
Calais, Me 04619
Phone: (207) 454-1033
Email: lfitzsimmons@wccc.me.edu
Fax: (207) 454-1026

More information regarding veterans education benefit programs

GI Bill is a registered trademark of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official US Government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)
Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (Chapter 30)
Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)
Reserve Educational Assistance (REAP) (Chapter 1607)
Vocational Rehabilitation (Chapter 31)
Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) (Chapter 32)
Survivors and Dependents Assistance (Chapter 35)
State of Maine Veterans Dependents Tuition Waiver Program
Tuition Reimbursement Program through the Maine National Guard
Veteran College Success
Veterans Affordable College Guide