Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City

Veterans Benefits

If you are a veteran, we honor and welcome you. Stop by a veterans office (located in your campus financial aid office) for personal help to certify benefits and get information. You may also contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by calling 1.888.442.4551 or visiting their website.

Applying for benefits

Apply for benefits at least six to eight weeks before the beginning of the semester. Applications are available in a campus veterans office or online at http://www.gibill.va.gov.

Benefits for which you may be eligible:

Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30):

If you entered the service after 1985 and had $100 per month deducted from your pay for one year. This may also apply to veterans who would have been eligible for the "Old GI Bill" and were in the service after Chapter 30 took effect.

Vocational Rehabilitation (Chapter 31):

If you have a service-connected disability. Authorization is determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs before enrollment.

Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33):

If you served a minimum of 90 aggregate days of active duty service on or after September 11, 2001.

Dependents and Survivors (Chapter 35):

If you are a dependent or survivor of a veteran with a service-connected disability or a service-connected death.

Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve/National Guard (Chapter 1606):

If you are in the Selected Reserve or National Guard and have a six-year obligation. Your military unit determines eligibility.

REAP-Reserve Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 1607).

If you are a reservist and activated for a minimum of 90 days after September 11, 2001.

Payment

Your benefits depend upon the dates and duration of your service and the nature of the discharge. The amount you receive depends on the number of credit hours (degree-related) completed each semester:

Fall or Spring Semester	Summer Term	Amount Received
12(+) credits	6(+) credits	Full stipend
9-11 credits	5 credits	¾ stipend
6-8 credits	3-4 credits	½ stipend
1-5 credits	1-2 credits	Tuition/fees

Short-term (8-week, mini-session, etc.) classes may impact your monthly rate. Check with your campus veterans office. You may be required to repay benefits for hours not completed. Advance pay: If you are using your benefits for the first time or are returning to college after being out of school one or more semesters, you may be able to get an advance payment check. Request this at least four weeks before the start of the semester.

VA contacts

Local VA Office	Regional VA Office
4801 Linwood Boulevard	P.O. Box 66830
Kansas City, MO 64128	St. Louis, MO 63166-6830
Phone: 816.861.4700	Phone: 1.888.442.4551
TDD: 816.922.3328

Maintaining eligibility

To stay certified, you must:

1. Declare and pursue an educational objective.
   That means you enroll in courses that are:
   
   • Required in a program or are electives that meet specific requirements.
   • Designated in the MCC catalog as prerequisites to courses required in a program.
   • Developmental, as prescribed by a counselor to make up educational deficiencies.
   • Prerequisites that you have previously completed but did not make the grade and are required to enter the next course.

     Note: Courses taken on a pass/fail or audit basis are not eligible.

2. Attend classes regularly and provide the office with changes in class schedules.
3. Make satisfactory progress by:
   • Enrolling in two or more courses and pass at least one course each term.
   • Maintaining a minimum grade point average (GPA) as follows:
   After 12 credit hours attempted-1.50 GPA
   After 30 credit hours attempted-1.75 GPA
   After 45 credit hours attempted-1.90 GPA
   After 62 credit hours attempted-2.00 GPA
   
   • Accumulating no more than 12 credit hours of "F" grades.

Exceptions

If you don't meet these requirements for one semester because of unusual circumstances, you may submit a written request for a waiver, along with documentation, to the dean of students. Otherwise, you may be placed on probation for one semester. An additional probationary semester may be allowed with the dean's approval.

Paying for classes

Be prepared to pay your tuition and fees at the time of enrollment since your benefit is paid directly to you on a monthly basis. Options for payment include:

• Federal student aid
• MCC payment plan