Santa Rosa Junior College

Santa Rosa Junior College is an approved college for the training of veterans and veteran's dependents under the various public laws of the United States and California Veteran enactment's.

Students eligible for veterans benefits are urged to contact the Veterans Affairs Office in Plover Hall well in advance of registration so that necessary arrangements may be made with the Veterans Administration or the California Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans should keep in mind that the timelines with which their checks will arrive is usually in direct correlation with the timeline with which they apply to the Veterans Administration. Payments will be retroactive from the first day of attendance. Since the payment of fees and books cannot be deferred until receipt of benefits and the Dean's Loan Fund cannot provide loans to cover all veterans during the first two or three months of school, the veteran should be financially prepared until benefits begin.

The state of California provides a program for children of veterans who are deceased or are disabled from service-related causes. Application should be made to the Sonoma County Vets Services, 2300 County Center Drive, Building A, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.

Veterans and military reserve members are granted four units of college credit for completion of basic training. Additional academic credit may be granted for advanced military experience and training as determined by the Evaluations Office of Admissions and Records.

Veterans Educational Benefits

Benefits are paid to eligible veterans, dependents, reservists, and service members while they are in an approved training program. Major programs are:

The Post-9/11 GI Bill
The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

As of August 1, 2009, the Post-9/11 GI Bill is effective for training. Approved training under the Post-9/11 GI Bill includes graduate and undergraduate degrees, and vocational/technical training. All training programs must be offered by an institution of higher learning (IHL) and approved for GI Bill benefits. Additionally, tutorial assistance, and licensing and certification test reimbursement are approved under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay your tuition based on the highest in-state tuition charged by a public educational institution in the state where the school is located. The amount of support that an individual may qualify for depends on where they live and what type of degree they are pursuing.

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (MGIB-AD)
The MGIB program provides up to 36 months of education benefits. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following your release from active duty. This program is also commonly known as Chapter 30.

The current benefits amounts may be found at http://www.gibill.va.gov.

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
Dependents' Educational Assistance provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances

Section 301 of Public Law 109-461 adds a new category to the definition of "eligible person" for DEA benefits. The new category includes the spouse or child of a person who:

VA determines has a service-connected permanent and total disability; and
at the time of VA's determination is a member of the Armed Forces who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical care, services, or treatment; and
is likely to be discharged or released from service for this service-connected disability.

Persons eligible under this new provision may be eligible for DEA benefits effective December 23, 2006, the effective date of the law.

Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Program

The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program is authorized by Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 31. It is sometimes referred to as the Chapter. For veterans with service-connected disabilities so severe that they cannot immediately consider work, VR&E offers services to improve their ability to live as independently as possible.

Tuition Assistance

All participants in the above federal programs are eligible for tuition assistance. Please contact our office for information and applications.

California Veterans Dependents Educational Assistance
The dependent child, spouse or unmarried surviving spouses of a service connected disabled or deceased veteran may be entitled to tuition and fee waiver benefits at any campus of the California State University system, University of California or a California Community College. For information and applications for any of the above programs please contact the Santa Rosa Junior College Office of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
This program is for veterans who entered active duty for the first time after December 31, 1976, and before July 1, 1985, and contributed to a training fund.

Survivors & Dependents' Educational Assistance
Some family members of disabled or deceased veterans are eligible for education benefits.

Time Limits
Generally, veterans have 10 years from the date they were last released from active duty to use their education benefits. Spouses generally have 10 years from the date we first find them eligible. Children are generally eligible from age 18 until age 26. These time limits can sometimes be extended.