Veterans & Military | Hagerstown Community College
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Hagerstown Community College

Veterans & Military

Veterans & Military

Through approval by the Veterans Administration (VA), Hagerstown Community College is proud to offer veteran educational benefits. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to meet with HCC’s Veterans and Military Specialists before enrollment at HCC to ensure they understand the VA educational benefits process and other forms of financial aid available.

Hagerstown Community College is in full compliance with Public Law 113-146, Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (“Choice Act”) Section 702, and Maryland House Bill 935. This means that certain out-of-state veterans and active duty military personnel and their dependents may qualify for In-County or In-State Tuition Rates. All qualified students must complete the Application for Nonresident Tuition for Eligible Military & Veterans form to verify eligibility. For more information, visit the Application for Nonresident Tuition for Eligible Military & Veterans form.

For additional questions or to discuss anything else regarding the Veterans & Military programs at HCC, please schedule an appointment.

*Per HCC Board of Trustees Policy 3017, HCC does not provide any employee incentive compensation based on securing enrollments or federal financial aid of Veterans, actively serving members of the military and their dependents; HCC also does not engage in high-pressure recruitment tactics within these or other student populations.

Program Brochures

Forms

Campus Resources

Veterans Connection Center

The Veterans Connection Center is located in the newly renovated Student Center on campus, room 169. The center provides a central place for veteran students to connect with other veterans and support staff on campus. Private study space and computer access is available to help make the transition from military duty to the college classroom a stress-free experience. A map covers one of the walls in the center to identify where HCC’s veteran students have served.

Military Tuition Assistance

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is a program available to active duty, National Guard and Reserve Component service members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process and restrictions. This money is usually paid directly to the institution by the individual services. As a veteran using Tuition Assistance (TA), you must receive approval from your military supervisor prior to registering for classes. If you choose to register for classes before TA funding is approved, it is your responsibility to pay tuition or sign up for the college’s payment plan in case your TA funding is not approved. HCC’s Finance Office (Student Accounts/Accounts Receivable) processes Military Tuition Assistance and can assist students with questions, 240-500-2496. View HCC's refund schedule for unearned TA funds. For additional information: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/education-employment/for-service-members/how-to-use-the-military-tuition-assistance-program/

External Resources

GI Bill® Website
The GI Bill® website has information regarding the different chapters of educational benefits, amounts paid in each chapter, other details regarding veterans benefits, and a direct link to the Buffalo Regional Processing Center, the latter which enables students to check on the status of their claims.

VA Feedback Tool
The Veterans Administration, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Education released an online feedback tool designed to give military and veteran education beneficiaries the power to report negative experiences with the education institutions and training programs they attend as beneficiaries of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and military tuition assistance programs.

Military and veteran students and their family members can submit feedback at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/feedback.asp.Tuition Assistance (TA) or Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) Scholarship recipients can submit feedback at www.militaryonesource.mil/voluntary-education/complaint. Federal financial aid recipients can send feedback to compliancecomplaints@ed.gov.

On April 27, 2012, President Obama signed Executive Order 13607 to address reports of misleading or predatory behavior toward veterans, service members, and their families pursuing higher education. EO 13607 directs agencies to establish, implement, and promote compliance with “Principles of Excellence” for educational institutions that interact with veterans, service members, and their families.The new feedback system is just one in a series of new tools launched recently to help veteran and military education beneficiaries learn more about their vocational aptitudes, select an educational institution, and best use their educational benefits.

Note: Hagerstown Community College recognizes that the term “GI Bill®” is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. Government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill. Hagerstown Community College meets compliance with 38 U.S.C. 3679 (Policy Advisory PL 115-407 Section 103).  Hagerstown Community College will allow an individual to attend or participate in a program of education if the individual provides the school with a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) which verifies eligibility of benefits under Chapter 31 or Chapter 33.  All VA beneficiaries will be permitted to attend or participate in a program of education without prior tuition payment by VA1, so long as the beneficiary provides a COE to Hagerstown Community College.