Office of Admissions & Records

Veterans Services

Room 192, Building 100
Phone: (510)723-6910
MaryLou Cisneros, Veterans Specialist

Veterans Office Service Hours

• Monday, 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
• Tuesday - Thursday, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
• Friday, by appointment only

The Veterans Administration is authorized by law to provide a wide range of benefits to those who have served their country in the Armed Forces and to their dependents. These are some of the benefits you may be eligible for while attending Chabot College:

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty, Chapter 30

The Montgomery GI Bill establishes a program of educational benefits for eligible persons entering military service after June 30, 1985. Military pay is reduced each month for the first 12 months of active duty in order to establish an educational fund.

The maximum entitlement is 36 months of full-time benefits. The VA determines monthly benefit rates.

Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve, Chapter 1606

To be eligible for educational assistance a person must have a 6-year obligation to serve in the selected reserve signed after June 30, 1985. Maximum entitlement is 36 months of full-time benefits, which terminate 10 years from the date of eligibility or the day following separation from a reserve component.

VEAP, Chapter 32

The Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) provides benefits to individuals who initially entered active duty after 12/31/76 and while serving on active duty voluntarily contributed to an educational assistance fund. Maximum entitlement is 36 months of full-time benefits. Benefits terminate 10 years from the date of discharge. The VA determines monthly benefit rates.

Survivors & Dependents, Chapter 35

Survivors and dependents of a veteran may be eligible for benefits if the veteran died while on active duty, died after discharge from active duty of a service-connected disability, is permanently and totally disabled as a result of a service-connected disability, or listed as missing in action for a total of more than 90 days. Eligible persons are entitled to a maximum of 45 months of full-time benefits. Payments are usually provided for children between the ages of 18 and 26.

Applying for Initial Benefits

Veterans must complete an Application for Education Benefits, Form 22-1990. For Chapter 30 and 32 benefits, a copy of the Veteran’s DD-214 must be turned in with the application. For Chapter 1606 the reservist must turn in a "Notice of Basic Eligibility" which is furnished by the reserve unit. For Chapter 35 benefits, students must complete an Application for Survivor’s and Dependent’s Education Benefits, Form 22-5590, and submit with a birth certificate and copy of veteran's DD-214.

All students must complete an Enrollment Certification Request form each semester, after completing registration for all courses. Students who have applied for benefits at a prior college need not re-apply; simply fill out Form 22-1995 to show a change of school, and if applicable, A Form 572 for a change of address.

Student Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of each student to notify the Chabot College Veterans Office of Changes in unit status, courses, grades, academic objective, and number of dependents to be claimed, and address. In order to receive benefits on time or avoid the possibility of an overpayment, notify the office promptly of any adjustments. If you are a continuing student, it is necessary to request certification of enrollment each semester through the Veterans Office at the time of registration.

Students are also required to maintain satisfactory academic progress as outlined in the Chabot College Catalog and the Veterans Office Academic Standards of Progress information sheet.

Transcripts - Evaluation of Prior Credit

Students are responsible for requesting official academic transcripts from all schools attended before, during or after military service—whether or not benefits were received. Transcripts must be forwarded to the Admissions Office at Chabot College. Enrollment will only be certified for one semester pending evaluation of prior credit provided the student has not earned a degree or accumulated an excessive number of units by VA standards.

Declaring an Academic Objective

VA requires that a student declare an academic objective (i.e., AA Degree – Nursing or BA Degree – Liberal Studies) after one semester.

If a transfer objective is being pursued, VA will authorize benefits for only those courses required for the major. A transfer evaluation must be completed after all transcripts are in and after completion of one semester.

If a student is pursuing an AA Degree, VA will authorize benefits only for courses required for the specific major after one semester.

The VA will award benefits for only one program or major at a time. A second or subsequent change of program required completion of a new 1995 or 5495 form.

For information on declaring an academic objective and/or changing your major contact the Veterans Specialist, Mary Lou Cisneros, by phone at (510)723-6910 or by e-mail at mcisneros@chabotcollege.edu.

** NOTE: You may be entitled to receive up to a total of 48 months of full-time benefits if you use more than one VA Education Program.

Withdrawing from Classes

The law requires that students notify the Chabot College Veterans Office of any withdrawals from courses. The VA will adjust or terminate benefits retroactive to the beginning date of the term. If the change of enrollment is due to reasons beyond the student's control, which VA accepts as mitigating circumstances, benefits are adjusted on the effective date of the reduction. Form 21-4138, Statement of Support of Claim, must be filed for consideration.

Mitigating Circumstances

Mitigating circumstances are those which directly hinder a student’s pursuit of a course(s) and which are judged to be beyond the student’s control. Following are some general categories of mitigating circumstances: serious illness of the student, serious illness or death of an immediate family member, immediate family or financial obligations, discontinuance of a course by the school.

Variable-Unit Courses

Chabot College offers courses in which students may earn more units per semester. These courses are structured so that the amount of credit earned depends upon the amount of creditable work completed. The VA requires that enrollment be certified for the minimum number of units attempted, followed by an updated certification at the end of the semester reflecting the actual number of units earned.

Nonpunitive Grades

Students earning nonpunitive grades are not eligible for VA benefits for the course(s) in which the grades were assigned. Nonpunitive grade can result in an overpayment. Nonpunitive grades include No-Credit (NC), In-Progress (IP), Incomplete (I) and any grade or symbol which regardless of the title used, does not satisfy graduation requirements and is not used in calculating the grade point average.

Repeating a Course

Students who repeat courses which were previously completed with grades of A, B, C, D, or CR are ineligible for benefits. Certain courses are repeatable as specified by the Chabot College Catalog, if required for the student’s academic objective.

Questions Regarding Status of VA Benefits

Students who receive correspondence from the VA and have questions regarding their benefits should bring in the correspondence to expedite the receipt of their benefits.

When Can You Expect Payment?

Approximately eight weeks after the application and enrollment certification is submitted to VA by our office, the student will receive a computer-generated award letter from VA showing the enrollment period certified, remaining entitlement, delimiting date, and claim number.

Further Information

If further information is desired, contact the Veterans Office at Chabot College or the Veterans Administration:

VETERANS AFFAIRS REGIONAL OFFICE
Oakland Federal Building
1301 Clay Street, Room 1300 North
Oakland, CA 94612-5029
Telephone (800)827-1000