GI Bill® Educational Benefits and Eligibility

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

For detailed information about each specific VA educational benefits, click on the links below.

Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill: Provides financial support for education and housing to eligible individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service after September 10, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Chapter 33 Post-9/11 Transfer of Entitlement: The transferability option under the Post-9/11 GI Bill allows eligible Service-members to transfer unused benefits to their spouses or dependent children.

Chapter 33 Post-9/11 Fry Scholarship: Provides Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to the eligible children and surviving spouses of Service-members who died in the line of duty while on active duty after September 10, 2001.

Post-9/11 GI Bill (For all 3 Ch. 33 benefits above)

Chapter 30: Montgomery GI Bill: Veterans must have entered active duty on or after July 1, 1985, and must have made monthly contributions while on active duty. The MGIB-AD program—sometimes known as the original Montgomery GI Bill—provides education benefits to Veterans and Service members who have at least two years of active duty. Students must verify their enrollment at the end of each month through W.A.V.E. (Web Automated Verification of Enrollment).

Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty

Chapter 31: Veterans Readiness and Employment Program (VR&E): This program is for eligible disabled veterans as determined by the Veterans Administration (VA). To be considered for it, a veteran must have received or eventually receive an honorable discharge (or a dismissal from the military that is NOT a dishonorable discharge), have a VA service-connected disability rating of 10% or more, and apply for VR&E services.

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment

Chapter 35 – Dependents Educational Assistance Program: Offers education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition or of Veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition.

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Assistance

Chapter 1606: Selected Reservist GI Bill: Provides education and training benefits to eligible members of the Selected Reserve, including the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. Volunteers must have entered or extended their enlistment for at least six years on or after July 1, 1985. Students may not use Chapter 1606 benefits and Federal Tuition Assistance simultaneously. Students must verify their enrollment at the end of each month through W.A.V.E. (Web Automated Verification of Enrollment).

Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve

Benefits for Current Service Members

Federal Tuition Assistance: Members of the Selective Reserves and National Guard may be eligible for federal tuition assistance. Contact your ESO (Education Service Officer) in your branch for details.

Michigan State Tuition Assistance (MINGSTAP): You may be eligible for MINGSTAP if you are a member of the Michigan National Guard.

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA): You may be eligible for the MyCAA Scholarship if you are a military spouse.

For detailed information about FTA, MINGSTAP, and MyCAA please visit HFC's Military Tuition Assistance page.

Requesting Certification of Enrollment

All students must review and complete all requirements indicated on the Veterans Checklist. For assistance, contact veterans@hfcc.edu

HFC students requesting to use VA educational benefits need to submit:

• VA Certification Request Form (must be submitted every semester).

Documents can be e-mailed to veterans@hfcc.edu, or faxed to the Welcome Center (313-845-6464) Attn: Veterans.

To Comply with Department of Veterans Affairs Regulations:

1. For military deployment or reactivation: If you are unable to complete your current semester due to deployment or reactivation, contact the VA Certifying Official immediately. Submit Tuition Appeal Form and a copy of the official military deployment or reactivation paperwork to the Registrar's Office.

2. You must report any reduction or increase in training time or changes in your schedule to the VA Certifying Official as soon as the changes are made to avoid possible over-payments made to you and/or HFC. Failure to report drops could result in the loss of benefits dating back to the first day of the semester and possibly money that you will need to return to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs due to over-payment. You must report ALL changes in your enrollment as they occur immediately.

3. If you are dismissed from the College due to unsatisfactory academic progress (academic dismissal), this information will be reported to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. Once you are permitted to return to the College, approval will have to be granted by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs to continue enrollment certification for educational benefits.

4. Non-punitive grades (DR, W, NA, or I) will be reported to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. This could result in a reduction of benefits for that semester dating back to the first day of the semester, and result in a debt with HFC and/or the Veterans Administration.

5. The Dept. of Veterans Affairs regulations prohibit payment for repeated classes (A through D grades) or for classes that are not required for his or her degree. If a student earns a grade in a class that does not meet the prerequisite requirement(s) for enrollment in the next course level required for his or her degree or program, that course can be repeated and submitted to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs for certification. If a student is requesting certification for an elective course(s), the elective course(s) must be listed on the program evaluation as a required prerequisite, program admission requirement, or elective course needed to earn the total number of credits required for an associate degree.

Note: You must complete and submit the HFC VA Certification Request Form EACH semester you receive educational benefits. In addition, if you change your program of study you must inform the VA Certifying Official prior to enrollment certification.

Enrollment Status

The Dept. of Veterans Affairs reviews the start and end date of your classes to determine your benefit(s) eligibility for each semester. Course enrollment is reported and used to determine benefit(s) eligibility. If you are taking a class that is 100% online or that is partially online (classroom/web course) this may impact your monthly benefit(s) amount, depending on the number of credits you are enrolled in that meet on campus for the duration of the semester. For questions on COVID-19 impact on course modality, contact your School Certifying Official.

For Fall, Winter, and Summer (15 week) semesters:

Questions? Contact the HFC Office of Veterans Services at veterans@hfcc.edu

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). For more information see the GI Bill Trademark terms of use.

More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site.