Veterans services are available to assist veterans, spouses, and children of disabled or deceased veterans who may be eligible for federal and/or state educational benefits.
Veterans and their dependents should contact American River College's Veterans Resource Center each semester to initiate benefits. Veterans will need to provide a copy of their DD-214 and other supporting documentation. Eligibility may take several weeks to process. Eligibility is determined by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Eligibility for Programs Eligibility for VA educational benefits can be extended to veterans, reservists, and children of service-connected deceased or disabled veterans under the following programs:
- Forever GI Bill® – Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act
- The Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapter 30)
- US Department of Veterans Affairs Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) (Chapter 31)
- Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33)
- Dependents' GI Bill® (Chapter 35)
- Reservists Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapter 1606)
For more information please visit Veterans Affairs Educational Benefits.
VA requires that all credit for previous education and training is on file at American River College. Veterans and dependents are required to submit transcripts from other institutions before they meet with their academic counselor at American River College. American River College will maintain a record of the previous education and training of veterans and eligible persons – and indicate where credit has been granted, if appropriate – and the student will be notified accordingly. An evaluation of prior credit will be recorded and granted appropriately on a VA Education Plan. All recipients of VA educational benefits are required to select a major and have a VA Educational Plan on record.
In most cases, all tuition and enrollment fees, miscellaneous fees, textbooks, and class supplies are paid for by the student and not by VA. The exception is students who are using the Post 9/11 GI Bill® or Vocational Rehabilitation benefits. Students using Post 9/11 – Chapter 33, Transfer of Entitlement, Fry Scholarship, or Vocational Rehabilitation – Chapter 31 benefits must notify the Veterans Resource Center immediately after they enroll each semester to avoid being dropped for non-payment.
Principles of Excellence
American River College is a member of the White House Executive Order 13607 Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members. The Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Education established Principles of Excellence to apply to educational institutions receiving funding from Federal military and veterans educational benefits programs, including benefits programs provided by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Principles ensure that these educational institutions provide meaningful information to service members, veterans, spouses, and other family members about the financial cost and quality of educational institutions to assist those prospective students in making choices about how to use their Federal educational benefits; prevent abusive and deceptive recruiting practices that target the recipients of Federal military and veterans educational benefits; and ensure that educational institutions provide high-quality academic and student support services to active-duty service members, reservists, members of the National Guard, veterans, and military families.
Veterans Choice Act
If you're receiving veterans educational benefits, you may be able to receive in-state tuition rates under Section 702 of the Veterans Choice Act.
Eligibility Requirements for Veterans
To be eligible, all the following must be true:
- When you start school, you live in the state where your school is located
- You've served on active duty for at least 90 days since September 10, 2001
- You're receiving benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD), or Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
Note: Section 702 of the Veterans Choice Act covers you only after discharge, not while you're still on active duty or while you're a member of the Active Guard Reserve (AGR).
Eligibility Requirements for Spouses or Children
To be eligible, the following must be true:
- When you start school, you live in the state where your school is located
- One of the following must be true:
- You're using education benefits transferred from a veteran
- You're using benefits under the Fry Scholarship and the veteran had served a period of active-duty service of at least 90 days before their death
- You're using benefits through the Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program
Keeping Your In-State Residency Status
You'll keep your in-state residency status as long as you remain enrolled at a Los Rios college. You can take scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms, but if you discontinue and return, you won't keep your in-state residency status under the Veterans Choice Act.
Registration Priority for Veterans
All veteran student are subject to the provisions under SBI 1456. Under the provisions of California Education Code 66025.8. American River College will grant priority registration to eligible members or former members of the Armed Forces of the United States. Proof of current military status (military ID or DD214 Member4) must be submitted to the School Certifying Official. For eligibility information, please contact the Veterans Resource Center.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the US Department of Veterans affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the officialUS Department of Veterans Affairs website.
