The goal of the School Certifying Official (SCO) is to assist enrolled veterans, and their eligible dependents in accessing education benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Eligibility for VA education benefits is determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans and eligible dependents must apply for education benefits online through the VA at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill. The VA will send eligible applicants a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). The COE must be submitted to the SCO by email.
VA Information:
Website: www.benefits.va.gov/gibill
Phone: 888 GI-BILL1 - (888.442.4551)
Eligible beneficiaries complete the steps outlined under the benefit type they wish to be certified for at https://nashuacc.edu/afford-ncc/military-and-va-assistance/.
Enrollment verification for properly documented veteran students is electronically reported to the Veterans Administration in a two-part process. The number of credits each veteran is enrolled in will be reported once the student submits the Veterans Education Benefit Certification Request form. Tuition and fees will then be reported after the add/drop period for the college system.
Students must follow the course requirements listed in the curriculum for their stated program as the School Certifying Official can only report courses within that program. Transfer students must submit official transcripts to the College for evaluation prior to requesting certification. Students cannot be certified for classes that they have received transfer credit for.
VA funded students are responsible for immediately notifying the College’s School Certifying Official before taking any action affecting their enrollment status (such as course drops, adds, or non-passing grades). Failure to do so may result in a debt to the VA.
All students must contact the School Certifying Official before adding or changing a major. Additional information may be required by the VA before the College can certify a second major.
Satisfactory progress toward completion, as specified in the Academic Standards section of this Catalog, must be maintained. Students who are placed on academic suspension must meet the published Academic Standards and be accepted to an approved degree program before benefits can be resumed.
Veterans who utilize Chapter 30 or 1606 must verify their enrollment each month to receive payment for that month. Enrollment can be verified on the last calendar day of the month by using Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) at https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave or by calling the VA toll free at 1-888.GI-BILL1 (888.442.4551)
Post-9/11 GI Bill® students who receive Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and/or kicker payments are required to verify their enrollment to continue receiving their payments. You can verify enrollment via text or email. Contact the VA for more information by calling 1-888- GI-BILL1 - (888.442.4551)
The Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) has adopted the following policies, which provide for payment of in-state tuition rates for veterans and covered individuals under U.S.C. § 3011 and § 3311 living in New Hampshire. More specifically, CCSNH system finance policies at 421.01.1 provide:
A veteran, as defined under RSA 21:50, I, or a covered individual, as defined under Chapter 30, 31, 33 or 35 of Title 38 or Chapter 1606 of Title 10 of the United States Code using educational assistance benefits provided under federal law, shall be charged in-state tuition while living in New Hampshire and enrolled in any institution of the Community College System of New Hampshire.
A spouse or child using educational assistance benefits provided pursuant to Chapter 30, 31, 33 or 35 of Title 38 or Chapter 1606 of Title 10 of the United States Code shall be charged in-state tuition while living in New Hampshire and enrolled in any institution of the Community College System of New Hampshire.
In-state tuition shall be charged to all covered individuals, including but not limited to the following circumstances: Any veteran that has a three-year period of service and an honorable discharge and any veteran for whom this period of service is followed by a four-year period of service, and there is a dishonorable discharge. All of the discharges enumerated in 38 U.S.C. § 3311(c) and 38 U.S.C. § 3011 will be interpreted to fall under New Hampshire RSA 21:50, I, (a)(2).
In applying the policies, the term “spouse” will be interpreted to include current spouses, former spouses, and same-sex spouses and the term “child” will be interpreted to include biological, adopted, pre-adoptive, and stepchildren of a spouse, including of a same-sex spouse or former spouse.
Please see the School Certifying Official if you need assistance or have questions.
Students receiving GI Bill® and VA Voc Rehab must provide a certificate of eligibility, or valid VAF 28-1905 to their college’s School Certifying Official. In addition, students must make a payment arrangement for any tuition and fees (not covered by their military benefit) by the tuition due date each semester. Once these two requirements are met, students receiving military benefits will be considered in good financial standing.
If a student’s eligibility for GI Bill® and VA Voc Rehab should change at any point during a semester, the student will be responsible to make payment arrangements for any balance that may be due as a result of the change.
The institution will not impose a penalty, or require the beneficiary to borrow additional funds to cover tuition and fees due to late payments from the VA. The college will allow up to 90 days from the date the beneficiary provides COE or valid VAF 28-1905 form, to receive payment from the VA. During this 90-day timeframe, the beneficiary should not experience any interruption in educational services such as being withdrawn from their course for non-payment.
If a student’s GI Bill® or VR&E benefits expire, the VA sends notification directly to the student, not the college. Students should contact their School Certifying Official promptly upon receiving notice of their expired/expiring VA benefits. By doing so, the student will have more time to explore alternative options for payment arrangements, and avoid an interruption in registering for future classes or receiving transcripts.
Active-Duty Military Student Readmission Policy
This policy pertains to military service members who are unable to attend classes for more than 30 consecutive days and service members who are unable to attend classes for less than 30 days when such an absence would result in a withdrawal from the College.
Nashua Community College will promptly readmit service members seeking readmission when an interruption in enrollment occurs due to a uniformed service obligation, in accordance with federal regulations, 34 C.F.R. § 668.18 and the Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Service members who receive a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge are not eligible for readmission.
Service Member Eligibility
Students may qualify for readmission under this policy if, during the absence, they perform uniformed service, voluntary or involuntary, in the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserve, active duty, active duty for training or full-time National Guard (if under federal authority). The cumulative length of all absences for uniformed service (service time only) cannot exceed five years.
Student Obligations
- Must provide orders or written notice by Commanding Officer, of a Uniformed Service Obligation, such as Temporary Duty (TDY), etc., to the Registrar’s Office as far in advance as possible.
- If military necessity, such as service in operations that are classified or would be compromised by such notice, this notification need not be given.
- An indication of when the student is expected to return to NCC is not required.
- Students must provide notification of Intent to Return within specified time periods. If they do not, they may still apply for readmission under the standard NCC readmission policies.
- Students must notify the Registrar’s Office orally or in writing of Intent to Return and provide supporting official military obligation documentation within three years of the completion of the service absence.
- Students must notify the Registrar’s Office orally or in writing of Intent to Return and provide supporting official military obligation documentation within two years after the end of the period needed to recover from an illness or injury if the student was hospitalized or convalescing due to an illness incurred or aggravated during the performance of service.
Tuition and Fees
- If the student is readmitted to the same program, Nashua Community College will assess the tuition and fee charges that would have been assessed for the academic year during which the student left (first academic year only). However, if veteran’s or other service member education benefits will pay the current/higher tuition and fee rates charged to other students in the program for the year, Nashua Community College will invoice the student at the current rate.
Readmission
Readmitted students will be reenrolled with the same enrollment status, number of completed credit hours, and academic standing as the last academic year of attendance.
- Readmitted students will be allowed to reenroll in the next class(es) scheduled in the same academic program they were in unless they request a later date of reenrollment or agree to a different program. Readmitted students will be enrolled into the same academic program/plan they were enrolled in prior to the military service obligation. If the exact program no longer exists, they must be admitted to the program that is most similar, unless they request or agree to admission in a different program/plan.
