Whatcom Community College
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Veteran Services
Whatcom recognizes all who have served
We look forward to seeing and serving you on our campus and in our community. The Veteran Services Office and Whatcom Community College thank you for your service and dedication. It is our honor to be involved in this partnership to help you accomplish your educational goals.
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Step 1: Apply for Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits
- Visit VA Education for detailed information about federal education benefits.
- Contact VA Education 888.442.4551 for personalized help with your GI Bill® benefits.
- Whatcom's Veteran Services Office can help with applying for GI Bill® benefits.
- After applying for benefits, VA Education will send you a certificate of eligibility. Please provide your certificate of eligibility to Whatcom's Veteran Services Office.
Step 2: Apply for admissions to Whatcom
- After applying for admissions you will receive a welcome email with next steps.
- Visit your WCC Student Portal to setup your ctcLink account and WCC student email.
Step 3: Initial math and English course
- Military connected students needing a math or English course can meet with a Veteran Services Advisor for help with placement.
- English Informed Self-Placement
- Math Guided Self-Placement
Step 4: Apply for financial aid and scholarships.
- Military connected students can use financial aid and scholarships while using VA Education benefits.
Step 5: Build your VA Education approved degree plan and enroll in classes
- An approved degree plan is required to use GI Bill® benefits.
- A Veteran Services Academic Advisor can help you build an approved degree plan, and enroll in classes.
- Schedule your advising appointment with a Veteran Services Advisor.
- David Aguilar - schedule an appointment
- Jarid Corbitt - schedule an appointment
- Please contact Veteran Services to schedule an appointment. Veteran Services email, Veteran Services phone 360.383.3015, Veteran Services location: Laidlaw Center, room 133.
Step 1: Start the Military Tuition Assistance application with your education service office (ESO) from your branch of service, and get approval from your command. For more information, visit:
Step 2:Apply for admissions to Whatcom
- After applying for admissions you will receive a welcome email with next steps.
- Visit your WCC Student Portal to setup your ctcLink account and WCC student email.
Step 3: Initial Math and English Course
- Military connected students who need a math or English course can meet with a Veteran Services Advisor.
- English Informed Self-Placement
- Math Guided Self-Placement
Step 4: Apply for financial aid and scholarships. Military connected students can use financial aid and scholarships while using military Tuition Assistance education benefits.
Step 5: Build your Tuition Assistance approved degree plan and enroll in classes
- Tuition Assistance benefits require an approved degree plan.
- A Veteran Services Advisor can help you build your branch approved degree plan, and enroll in classes.
- Schedule your advising appointment with a Veteran Services Advisor.
- David Aguilar - schedule an appointment
- Jarid Corbitt - schedule an appointment
- Please contact Veteran Services to schedule an appointment. Veteran Services email, Veteran Services phone 360.383.3015
Step 6: Submit your degree plan and class information using your Tuition Assistance branch portal.
Step 7: Submit your signed Tuition Assistance Authorization to Whatcom's Veteran Services Office Veteran Services email.
Spouses of service members on active duty, under Title 10 orders, with pay grades of E1 through E5, W1 through W2, and O1 through O2 are eligible to participate in the My Career Advancement Account (MYCAA) Scholarship program.
Step 1: Apply for MYCAA benefits
Step 2: Apply for admissions to Whatcom
- After applying for admissions you will receive a welcome email with next steps.
- Visit your WCC Student Portal to setup your ctcLink account and WCC student email.
Step 3: Initial math and English course
- Military connected students needing a math or English course can meet with a Veteran Services Advisor for help with placement.
- English Informed Self-Placement
- Math Guided Self-Placement
Step 4: Apply for financial aid and scholarships. Military connected students can use financial aid and scholarships while using federal education benefits.
Step 5: Build your degree plan and enroll in classes
- The MYCAA requires a specialized degree plan to use MYCAA benefits.
- A Veteran Services Advisor can help you build an approved degree plan, and enroll in classes.
- Schedule your advising appointment with a Veteran Services Advisor.
- David Aguilar - schedule an appointment
- Jarid Corbitt - schedule an appointment
- Please contact Veteran Services to schedule an appointment. Veteran Services email, Veteran Services phone: 360.383.3015, Veteran Services location: Laidlaw Center, room 133.
Washington State law allows veterans, active duty members, reservists, Washington National Guard members, and eligible family members to receive in state tuition rates. To qualify, students must submit the required documentation for review.
Please download and review the Military Connected In-State Tuition Application Form for eligibility. Collect the supporting documentation specified in the form and send your completed form and supporting documentation to Whatcom Community College's Records or Veteran Services Office. Once submitted, Whatcom Community College's residency officer will review your file and contact you once a final decision is made.
If you have questions about your status, need help with the paperwork, or to submit your form and documentation, please contact the Records or Veteran Services Office. Records email, Records phone: 360.383.3630, Records location: Laidlaw, room 102 Veteran Services email, Veteran Services phone: 360.383.3015, Veteran Services location: Laidlaw, room 133.
Service members, veterans, and dependents using Veterans Administration education benefits or Tuition Assistance are required to have all prior civilian and military credits evaluated and applied to their selected degree or certificate of study.
Request official transcripts from all prior colleges sent to:
Enrollment Services
Whatcom Community College
237 West Kellogg Road
Bellingham, WA 98226
360.383.3030
registration@whatcom.edu
In accordance with Title 38 USC 3679, Whatcom Community College adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Veteran Readiness and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits or Dependents Education Assistance (Ch. 35) or Montgomery G.I. Bill® (Ch. 30) or Montgomery Selected Reserve (Ch. 1606) while payment to Whatcom Community College is pending from VA. Whatcom Community College will not:
- Prevent the student's enrollment;
- Assess a late penalty fee;
- Require student to secure alternative or additional funding;
- Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.
However, to qualify for this provision, such students will be required to:
- Produce a certificate of eligibility for educational assistance by the first day of class (a "certificate of eligibility" can also include a "Statement of Benefits" or a VAF 28-1905 authorization form from Ch. 31 authorization purposes.)
- Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies and procedures.
Called to Active Duty or training for less than 30 days
A member of the Washington National Guard or any other military reserve component who is a student at an institution of higher education and who is ordered for a period of 30 days or less to either active or inactive state or federal service and as a result of that service or a follow-up medical treatment for injury incurred during that service misses any of the following: class, test, examination, laboratory, class day on which a written or oral assignment is due, or other event upon which a course grade or evaluation is based, is entitled to make up these events without prejudice to the final course grade or evaluation. The makeup must be scheduled after the member's return from service and after a reasonable time for the student to prepare for the event.
Called to Active Duty or training for more than 30 days
A member of the Washington national guard or any other military reserve component who is a student at an institution of higher education and who is ordered for a period exceeding 30 days to either active state service, as defined in RCW38.04.010. With regard to courses in which the person is enrolled, the person may:
Withdraw from one or more courses for which tuition and fees have been paid that are attributable to the courses. The tuition and fees must be credited to the person's account at the institution. Any refunds are subject to the requirements of the state or federal financial aid programs of origination. In such a case, the student shall not receive credit for the courses and shall not receive a failing grade, an incomplete, or other negative annotation on the student's record, and the student's grade point average shall not be altered or affected in any manner because of action under this item;
Be given a grade of incomplete and be allowed to complete the course upon release from active duty under the institution's standard practice for completion of incompletes; or
Continue and complete the course for full credit. Class sessions the student misses due to performance of state or federal active military service must be counted as excused absences and must not be used in any way to adversely impact the student's grade or standing in the class. Any student who selects this option is not, however, automatically excused from completing assignments due during the period the student is performing state or federal active military service. A letter grade or a grade of pass must only be awarded if, in the opinion of the faculty member teaching the course, the student has completed sufficient work and has demonstrated sufficient progress toward meeting course requirements to justify the grade;
To receive a refund of amounts paid for room, board, and fees attributable to the time period during which the student was serving in state or federal active military service and did not use the facilities or services for which the amounts were paid. Any refund of room, board, and fees is subject to the requirements of the state or federal financial aid programs of origination; and
If the student chooses to withdraw, the student has the right to be readmitted and enrolled as a student at the institution, without penalty or redetermination of admission eligibility, within one year following release from the state or federal active military service.
If you are called to an active or inactive state of federal service or training while enrolled at Whatcom Community College, please contact Veteran Services. Veteran Services email, Veteran Services phone: 360.383.3015, Veteran Services location: Laidlaw Center, room 133.
We recommend you visit the following websites before deciding to attend Whatcom Community College.
- Tuition Assistance (TA) Decide: This dynamic information and comparison tool is designed specifically to aid participants of DoD's Tuition Assistance (TA) program in making informed choices on schools and education programs.
- The Financial Aid College Financing Plan is a Federal tool used to notify students about their possible financial aid award package. It is designed to simplify information about school costs and financial aid. Please contact Whatcom's Veteran Services Office for your Financial Aid College Financing Plan.
- College Scorecard: College Scorecard makes it easier for you to search for a college that is a good fit for you. Use the College Scorecard to find out more about affordability and value of colleges you are interested in attending.
- College Navigator: This college search engine produces information relevant to admissions statistics, retention, financial aid, and academics. It also gives you another way to compare schools, find schools in your area, and determine costs associated with attending those schools.
- Paying for College: Use this website to get help in making informed financial decisions about how to pay for college, understand financial aid offers, and student loan repayment.
Active duty, reserve, and National Guard students who receive military Tuition Assistance (TA) are refunded proportionally through at least 60% of the quarter for which the funds were earned. TA funds are earned proportionally during the quarter, with unearned funds returned based on when a student stops attending due to officially withdrawing from a course. If the student does not officially withdraw and stops attending the last date of attendance will be determined by the instructor.
- VA Education Call Center phone: 888.442.4551
- VA general benefit information phone: 800.827.1000
- Bellingham Vet Center: "Help without Hassel" phone: 360.733.9226
- VA Community Based Outreach Clinic (CBOC) phone: 360.848.8500
- VA Debt Management phone: 800.827.0648
- VA Puget Sound health care phone: 206.762.1010
- Whatcom County disabled American veterans phone: 360.715.7453
- Whatcom County veterans assistance program phone: 360.715.7453
- FAFSA (Federal Application for Federal Student Aid)
- Post-9/11 GI Bill® Housing Allowance rates
- We recognize that those who served may require additional support while pursuing their educational goals. Whatcom's Access and Disability Services Office is available to help students who may need accommodations. Get connected with Whatcom's Access and Disability Services office.
Whatcom Community College recognizes veterans with red, white, and blue honor cords at the annual commencement ceremony. Veterans, active military, reservists, and Washington National Guard students who are participating in the commencement ceremony are eligible to receive the honor cord. Please contact Veteran Services to get your graduation honor cord. Proof of service, such as DD214 or military ID card, is required. Veteran Services email, Veteran Services phone: 360.383.3015, Veteran Services location: Laidlaw Center, room 133.
‘‘GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill".
