Opportunities for Veteran Students and Service Personnel
Trident Technical College is a fully accredited Institution of Higher Learning that is certified to process claims for veterans, and spouses and children of 100 percent disabled or deceased veterans, with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the State of South Carolina. TTC is also designated a Servicemembers Opportunity College (SOC) by the Department of Defense, the American Counsel on Education (ACE) and the American Association of Community Colleges. Trident Technical College is also a participating member of the SOCNAV (Navy), SOCMAR, (Marines) and SOCAD (Army) programs. Information about all SOC programs is available at your Military Education Office. As a SOC institution, TTC is committed to assisting veterans, eligible spouses and dependent children, and active duty personnel meet their educational needs.
TTC has a full-time Veterans Assistance Center located in Building 410 on Main Campus. The Veterans Assistance Center coordinates college services and provides information, referrals and assistance to veteran students, active duty personnel and their families with admission, educational and vocational counseling, financial aid and other needs that affect educational progress. The telephone number is 843.574.6105.
If you feel that you may be eligible for VA or South Carolina state benefits, contact the Veterans Assistance Center. The Veterans Assistance Center will help you complete all of the necessary applications and will mail them to the appropriate approving agency for you. It could take between three to six months to apply, get approval and receive funds from the VA. You should be prepared to pay your tuition, fees, expenses and instructional fees for this period. You assume full responsibility for all fees at the time of registration. You are responsible for informing the Veterans Assistance Center of changes in enrollment status or changes in dependency or marital status. You are responsible for keeping your address and phone numbers current with the Admissions Office and with the Veterans Assistance Center. Your benefits may be suspended or terminated if problems arise with your certification and we cannot contact you.
All veterans and eligible persons receiving VA educational benefits while enrolled at TTC are required to maintain class attendance. When a student's absences in a traditional class exceeds two consecutive weeks of scheduled meetings after the drop/add period, the instructor will complete and submit an Attendance/Progress report to the TTC VA Office. If a student ceases active involvement in online or other modes of distance learning courses for two consecutive weeks, the same procedure of reporting will apply. The TTC VA Office will notify the Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Atlanta, Georgia or the Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Office in Charleston, S. C. of the change in enrollment. The respective offices will determine the necessary adjustment to a student's educational benefits. If you drop, withdraw or change your enrollment in a class or classes at the College, you are required to complete an official Drop/Add or Withdrawal Form. This form must be completed and then signed by your instructor. It must include your last date of attendance (LDA) in the class. You must deliver this form to the Registrar’s Office for processing as well as bring a copy of the form to the Veterans Assistance Center.
You must declare a VA approved major to receive benefits from the VA or the State of South Carolina. You should choose your major carefully. Changing your major slows down progress toward completion of your degree. It also unnecessarily uses up your benefits which are limited in amount. This is particularly important if you are going on for advanced studies. If you change your major, you must complete a change of program form in the Veterans Assistance Center, and complete a program update form in the Admissions Office. Vocational Rehabilitation students receiving Chapter 31 benefits, are not permitted to change their majors without the permission of their VA case manager.
Educational Programs for Veterans/Dependents and Active and Reserve Personnel
Qualified veteran students may be considered for various financial aid or scholarship programs. All students are encouraged to apply for all available programs. Additional information is available at the Veterans Assistance Center, the Financial Aid Office or by visiting the TTC website.
Montgomery G.I. Bill (Chapter 30): This program provides 36 months of full-time benefits to veterans, or military personnel, in return for service to their country; a $1,200 contribution with completion of their first tour of duty under honorable conditions. These students also may qualify for VA work-study positions when available.
Vocational Rehabilitation (Chapter 31): This program pays tuition, fees, textbooks, supplies and equipment plus a monthly subsistence allowance to veterans with a compensable service-connected disability resulting in employment disability as determined by the VA. You must apply within 12 years of VA notification of disability compensation. Generally, benefits are payable up to 48 months for undergraduate training. Cost-free tutorial assistance is available but must be requested as early in the semester as possible. Eligible students may qualify for VA work-study positions when available.
VEAP (Chapter 32): This program provides up to 36 months of full-time benefits to personnel who entered active duty military service between Jan. 1, 1977 and June 30, 1995. In return for a monthly contribution of $25-$100, the military provides matching funds of up to $8,100 depending on amount and length of contributions. These students may qualify for VA work-study positions when available.
Dependents Educational Assistance (Chapter 35): This program provides benefits for spouses and children of veterans who, resulting from active duty, died of service-related causes or have been awarded 100 percent total permanent disability. There are many different eligibility requirements for this program. Please visit the Veterans Assistance Center for help in completing your application. These students may qualify for VA work-study positions when available.
S.C. State Free Tuition Program: Children of veterans, who were either residents of South Carolina at the time of entry into service or who have resided in South Carolina for at least one year, may be eligible for the S.C. State Free Tuition Program. The program requires that the veteran served honorably in the armed forces of the United Stated during a period of war and either died while in service or as a direct result of service; or was a POW or MIA; or is totally or permanently disabled as determined by the Veterans Administration; or has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The veteran, if disabled, must still reside in South Carolina. These students are not eligible for VA work-study positions unless they also receive Chapter 35 benefits.
Payment of Benefits: Eligible students receive benefits based on their particular VA benefit program and training time while at TTC. The Veterans Administration processes benefit payments at the end of the month for that month’s enrollment. Advance payment of the first partial month’s benefit and second full month’s benefit is available if you are entering college for the first time or you were previously enrolled but have a break of 30 days or more between sessions. The VA must receive advance pay request at least 60 days before and not more than 120 days before the beginning of each semester.
These hours apply for VA pay purposes only.
FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS
|
Full time |
12 semester credit hours |
|
3/4 time |
9 semester credit hours |
|
1/2 time |
6 semester credit hours |
SUMMER TERM
Since the Summer Term is considered an accelerated term (10 weeks), the following hours apply for VA purposes:
|
Full time |
8 semester credit hours or more |
|
3/4 time |
6-7 semester credit hours |
|
1/2 time |
4-5 semester credit hours |
|
Less than 1/2 time |
3 or less semester credit hours |
Please visit the Veterans Assistance Center for more information regarding benefits during the Summer Term.
Active Duty Tuition Assistance: This program pays all or part of tuition costs for college courses taken while on active duty. Each branch of the military administers it. Check with your Military Education Office for program requirements. Tuition Assistance forms should be processed through your Military Education Center and submitted to the TTC Business Office well in advance of the start of the semester.
Other Resources for Dependents: Educational loans may be available through Army Relief, Navy Relief and Air Force Aid Societies for qualified children or spouses of active duty servicepersons, servicepersons who died while on active duty or retired status, or veterans on retired status.
General Information: The federal, state or private agency administering these educational assistance programs has sole responsibility for determining eligibility and awarding benefits. Most federal VA educational benefits are payable for 10 years from the date of discharge or the date of eligibility. Generally, veterans with dishonorable discharge are not eligible. Federal or state legislation reserves the right to change, without notice, any programs and guidelines for eligibility.
Tutorial Assistance
You may receive monetary assistance from the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay a tutor, if one is required. All chapters except Chapter 31 must pay the tutor directly and then submit a claim for reimbursement for tutorial tssistance to the VA. Those students that receive benefits under the S.C. State Free Tuition program only are not eligible for tutorial reimbursement. Additional information is available at TTC's Veteran's Assistance Office.
Veterans Work-Study Program: There are a limited number of VA work-study positions for veterans attending college in the Charleston area. The Department of Veteran's Affairs pays minimum wage for this work. These wages are tax-free.
Veterans Requirements
As a veteran, you may receive benefits only for those courses that are included in a program of study, as outlined in this Catalog and as approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs. If you change a program of study, all credits that fulfill requirements in the new program are applied. You must check with the TTC Registrar’s Office to transfer credits. The Department of Veterans Affairs requires all veteran students to have their military and college transcripts submitted, reviewed and transfer credits posted prior to the end of the second semester of attendance. The VA will authorize benefits for courses that are repeated if the courses are within the program outline and were previously failed.
Veterans Attendance Policy
All veterans and eligible persons receiving VA educational benefits while enrolled at TTC are required to maintain class attendance. When a student’s absences in a traditional class exceeds two consecutive weeks of scheduled meetings after the drop/add period, the instructor will complete and submit an Attendance/Progress report to the TTC VA Office. If a student ceases active involvement in online or other modes of distance learning courses for two consecutive weeks, the same procedure of reporting will apply. The TTC VA Office will submit to the VA the changes in enrollment and notify the student by email or phone that changes have been reported. Circumstances may occur that allow the student to have his/her benefits reinstated. Reinstatement can only occur within the semester in which the changes originated.
