Veterans' Services

Hartnell College is approved as an institution of higher learning for veterans and veterans’ dependents entitled to educational assistance. The Veterans Office staff provides assistance to Veterans and dependents in planning educational programs, referrals to community agencies, as well as helping students make the transition from military to student life at Hartnell. Additional services include:

Computers and printing for student use, Veterans Book Lending, on site tutors, and Veterans Club activities.

Certification to the Veterans Administration for educational benefits and admissions enrollment in the College are separate functions. The College’s Certifying Official is located in the Veterans Service Center. It is important that VA beneficiaries notify both the Admissions & Records Office and the College’s Certifying Official before they enroll in classes. Additional Veterans information is located in the Admissions section of this catalog under Service Member’s Opportunity College, and non-traditional credit (military courses, MOS DANTES, etc.).

The Veterans Resource Center acts as liaison to the Veterans Administration and assists veterans and their dependents in reaching their educational goals. Below are the current programs available to eligible veterans, service persons and dependents seeking assistance for education. Active duty personnel are reimbursed only for actual tuition and fees.

Chapter 30 - Montgomery G.I. Bill ®

To be eligible, students must have begun service July 1, 1985, or after, served two or three years of continuous active duty, have a high school diploma or equivalent, contributed $100 per month for the first 12 months of service and have an honorable separation.

Chapter 31 - VA Vocational Rehabilitation Program (VocRehab) ®

To be eligible, a veteran must have a 20 percent or more service-connected disability.

Chapter 33 - Post-9/11 G.I. Bill ®

To be eligible, a student must have served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, and still be on active duty, honorably discharged, retired or released from active duty for further service in a reserve component. A student may also be eligible if he/she was honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and served 30 continuous days after Sept. 10, 2001.

Forever GI Bill ® Housing Payment Fulfillment Act of 2018, Section 107

Basic Allowance for housing (BAH) Reflects Actual Housing Location Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) also known as Basic Allowance for housing (BAH) will calculate its payments based on where the student attends the majority of their classes. in the past, payment was calculated on where the school was located. This is a big change for online students receiving lower BAH payments because their school was located in an area with a lower BAH. for more information, students can go to: https://militarybenefits.info/forever-gi-bill

Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act

Under the provision of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act, the following individuals shall be charge a rate of tuition not to exceed the in-state rate for tuition and fees purposes:

A veteran educational assistance under Chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill - Active Duty program), Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness and Employment), Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 G.I. Bill), or Chapter 35(Dependents' Educational Assistance Program [DEA]) of title 38, United States Code, who lives in California while attending a school located in California (regardless of their formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school with a period of active duty serve of 90 days or more.

Any student using transfer Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 G.I. Bill benefits, (38 U.S.C § 3319)) who lives in California while attending a school located in California (regardless of their formal State of residency).

Any student described above while they remain continuously enrolled (other than regular schedule breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school.

Any student using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C § 3311 (b)(9)) who lives in California while attending a school located in California (regardless of their formal State of residence).

Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act (38.U.S.C.3679(c))

Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act (VACA) H.R. 3230). In August 2014, President Obama signed the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 ("VACA Act"), into law (Public Law No.:113-146). Section 702 of the VACA Act (38 U.S.C. 3679(c)) requires the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to disapprove programs of education under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIB-AD) and Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit programs (Chapters 30 or 33, respectively, of Title 38, U.S. Code) at institutions of higher learning if the school charges qualifying veterans and dependents ("covered individuals") tuition and fees in excess of the in-state rate for resident students for terms beginning after July 1, 2015. A "covered individual" is defined in the VACA Act as:

1. A Veteran who lives in the state in which the institution of higher learning is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.

2. A spouse or child entitled to transferred education benefits who lives in the state in which the institution of higher learning is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within 3 years of the transferor’s discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.

3. A spouse or child using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (provides Post-9/11 GI Bill ® benefits to the children and surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty while on active duty) who lives in the state in which the institution of higher learning is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the Service member’s death in the line of duty following a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.

4. The new category includes individuals eligible for rehabilitation under 38 U.S. Code § 3102 pursuing a course of education with education assistance from the Training and Rehabilitation for Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities ® (Chapter 31) education benefits program.

5. After expiration of the three year period following discharge or death as described in 38 U.S.C. 3679(c), a student who initially qualifies under the applicable requirements above will maintain “covered individual” status as long as he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters or terms) at the institution, even if they enroll in multiple programs and shall continue to be exempt from paying nonresident tuition and other fees.

Eligibility Determination of Military Status

As it relates to verifying student eligibility for “covered individual” status and qualification for Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty ® or Post-9/11 GI Bill ® education benefits (Chapters 30 and 33, respectively, of Title 38, U.S. Code), districts will need to rely on actual evidence and not a self-certification that the student meets the above criteria. Students eligible for VA education benefits are provided a “Certificate of Eligibility” (COE) by the VA that will confirm the approved education benefits for the veteran or eligible dependent (who is made eligible through the Transfer of Entitlement (TOE) to basic educational assistance under chapters 30 and 33 of title 38, U.S. Code). The DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, generally referred to as a “DD 214”, may also be of assistance in confirming “covered individual” status at it will show the effective date of the veteran’s discharge from active service. Students are required to submit the Certificate of Eligibility and DD 214 to the Admissions and Records office for verification and reclassification of residency status. Students who obtain VACA residency classification are not eligible for the California College Promise Grant.

Students Associated with the Armed Forces

Students who are members of the armed forces of the United States and their dependents stationed in this state on active duty, except those assigned to California for educational purposes, are exempt from nonresident tuition. There is no requirement for the military person to establish residence; however, the student must be on active duty on the residence determination date. If a nonresident student who is a member of the military becomes separated from the military, he or she would be required to provide evidence of intent to establish California residence for a minimum of one year prior to the residence determination date. Effective Jan. 1, 1996, Assembly Bill 723 was added to the California Education Code to allow a member of the armed forces who was stationed in California on active duty for more than one year prior to being discharged from the service, to claim resident classification for up to one year if he or she lives in California after being discharged. After the one-year exception, the student would have to prove California residence had been established.

Credit for Prior Learning AB 1786

Credit for Prior Learning may be available to current or former members of the Armed Forces. See a counselor to review this opportunity and apply for consideration.