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Important Information for Veterans

How to Maximize Your VA Benefits

  • Please inform the VA office of any schedule changes that you make (adding a class, dropping a class, completing a substitution form, change of major, double major, etc.) This includes late start courses especially any subsequent developmental classes (DMA/DRE) that are added later in the semester.
  • Hybrid (HY), Blended (BL) and Online (IN) remedial courses are not payable under any VA education benefit, including Chapter 31 (VR&E).
  • The VA will only pay for classes that are needed for your curriculum program. Please see your Academic Advisor if you have questions about whether a class is needed. (You can check your own academic evaluation on your my.pittcc.edu account. After you log in, go to WebAdvisor for students, find the “Academic Planning” section, and click on Program Evaluation.)
  • The VA will not pay for you to retake a class if you have already taken it and passed it.
    • Example: You received a D in a science class, and you wish to retake it in order to improve your grade. The VA will not allow you to be certified for this class. This could change your enrollment status from full time to part time.
  • For Post 911/Chapter 33 beneficiaries: In order to receive your full housing allowance, you must have at least one seated class for the entire term. If you do not, your housing benefit will be significantly reduced.
  • The VA pays based on attendance, so short term or late start courses can affect your rate of pay.
    • Example: You are registered for four 3 credit classes, with a total of 12 credit hours. Three of the classes run the entire term, from January until May. However, the 4th class (3 credit hours) is an 8-week class that ends the first week in March. After that class ends, you are only attending 3 classes, (9 credit hours). Although PCC considers you a full-time student since you are taking 12 credits during the semester, the VA will only consider you a part-time student when your 4th class ends in March. This will affect your housing allowance or monthly benefit. The only way to remain a full-time student for VA purposes in the above scenario is to add another class that begins when class number 4 ends.
  • Chapter 35 Students: Chapter 35 recipients who received ChampVA health benefits need to send an email to the School Certifying Official (SCO) at the beginning of every semester requesting that the ChampVA health benefits form is submitted for verification of enrollment.
  • At the beginning of a semester, please allow the VA around 60-90 days from the start of the term to process your enrollment.
  • Failing, dropping, withdrawing from classes, or excessive absences (non-participation, non-attendance or failure to participate in course work or failure to complete assignments) may affect VA education benefits and could result in reduced or terminated payments. PCC Veterans Services monitors enrollment and attendance and reports changes to the VA to help prevent overpayments. VA education benefit users are responsible for attending classes and notifying the Veterans Services office of any schedule changes and (or) changes to the beneficiary’s program of study. Failure to do so may result in overpayment and (or) debt to the VA.

When the school has submitted your certification to the VA, you will receive an email that will read “Enrollment Manager – Record submitted by certifying official.” If you make any changes to your schedule after you have been certified, please inform the VA office. Failure to notify our office of schedule changes could result in an overpayment from the VA and/or Financial Aid, which could result in a debt you would need to repay.

Incentive Compensation

Pitt Community College prohibits the payment of any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly upon success in securing student enrollments or the awarding of federal financial assistance, including Department of Defense Tuition Assistance funds, to any person or entity engaged in student recruitment or admissions activities or in making decisions regarding the awarding of student financial assistance.

High-Pressure Recruitment of Service Members

Pitt Community College prohibits the use of high-pressure recruitment tactics for the purpose of securing Service member enrollments. The College will not engage in multiple unsolicited contacts consisting of three or more contacts by phone, email, in person, or through other means, nor will the College engage in same-day recruitment and registration practices intended to pressure a Service member into enrollment.

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