Veteran and Active Duty Educational Benefits

• Chapter 30 The Montgomery G.I. Bill®. This program provides educational benefits to individuals entering military service after June 30, 1985. A form DD 214 Member 4 is required.
• Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation for Service-Disabled Veterans. This program is for individuals who have a compensable service-connected disability and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs determines that training and rehabilitation services are needed to overcome an employment handicap.
• Chapter 35 Dependents Educational Assistance Program. This program is for dependents (spouse or children) of individuals who die or are permanently disabled from service-connected causes.
• Chapter 1606 Montgomery G.I. Bill®-Selected Reserve. This program is available to members of the Selected Reserve, including the National Guard. A form DD 2384 (NOBE) is required.
• Chapter 1607 Reserve Educational Assistance Program. This program is available to members of a reserve component who serve on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, for a contingency operation. A form DD 214 or a copy of the orders is required.
• Chapter 33 Post 9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act of 2008. To be eligible, the service member or veteran must have served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty after September 10, 2001. A form DD 214 or a copy of orders is required.

Please refer to the current academic catalog for information pertaining to VA benefits on the following topics:

• Academic Requirements
• Address Changes
• Advanced Payment Request
• Class Attendance
• Drops and Withdrawals
• Eligible Courses
• Internet/Online, Hybrid and Video Courses
• Non-punitive Grading/Mitigating Circumstances
• Prior Credit
• Program Changes
• Repeated Courses

To apply for benefits and learn more about educational benefits for veterans, visit the GI Bill® website.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill

The Department of Defense (DoD) Tuition Assistance (TA) program provides financial assistance to Service members for voluntary off-duty education programs in support of professional and personal self-development goals. TA is available for courses that are offered in the classroom or by distance learning and are part of an approved academic degree or certificate program. The courses must be offered by schools that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and are signatories to the current DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (DOD MOU).

The Tuition Assistance (TA) program pays the cost of tuition and some additional fees. Nearly all active duty military service members are eligible for TA. However, each service branch determines eligibility criteria that often reduce access. Tuition Assistance covers up to 100% Tuition and Fees, not to exceed $250.00 per semester credit hour or $4500.00 per fiscal year.

The process for requesting Tuition Assistance is generally the same for all branches of the military. However, please see the additional links at the bottom of this web page for more information regarding the specific type of military Tuition Assistance for each respective branch of service.

Follow the steps below.

1. Speak with your local Education Office, military counselor to ensure your eligibility for Tuition Assistance.
2. Follow their instructions on how to request Tuition Assistance for your course(s). Take note of the timeframe in which you are able to request your TA indicated in the chart below.
3. The military approves your TA request.
4. Once you are accepted to the college you should notify the Veteran Services Coordinator, Kim Johnson kim.johnson@converse.edu or by phone (864) 596-9728 that you are eligible for TA.

TA Request Timeframes

Army

• Start: 60 days before term starts
• End: 1 day before term starts

Air Force

• Start: 45 days before term starts
• End: 7 days before term starts

Navy

• Start: 120 days before term starts
• End: 14 days before term starts

Marines

• Start: 60 days before term starts
• End: 1 day before term starts

Coast Guard

• Start: 90 days before term starts
• End: 16 days before term starts

This program was established to provide financial assistance to members of the South Carolina Army and Air National Guard. NGCAP covers the cost of attendance, as defined by federal regulations, up to a maximum amount each award year. The maximum amount will be determined annually by the S.C. Commission on Higher Education (CHE). Students who have earned a bachelor’s or graduate degree are not eligible. To qualify, you must be in good standing with the active National Guard at the beginning of each academic year and remain a member in good standing throughout the entire academic year, maintain satisfactory academic progress, be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident and satisfy additional eligibility requirements as may be promulgated by CHE. The S.C. National Guard is responsible for providing a list of all eligible Guard members to CHE which will in turn notify the College. To be awarded, you must be on the list from CHE.

The CAP application is available at https://getsmartsc.com/scng-cap/ for the SC Air National Guard and SC Army National Guard members.

Read more about the South Carolina National Guard College Assistance Program.

Converse students may cross-enroll in the Southern Guards Battalion, Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) hosted at Wofford College. Students in Army ROTC take courses in Military Science. Military Science offers a basic program and an advanced program. Satisfactory completion of six semester hours in the basic program, or completion of a one-month Leaders Training Course qualifies the student for the advanced program.

Successful completion of the Bachelor degree, including the 12 credit hour Advanced Program, a military history course and computer and mathematics literacy courses, and the advanced camp in the summer between the junior and senior years qualifies the graduate for either a National Guard, a Reserve or a Regular commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army.

Advanced program Cadets and contracted basic program Cadets are required to participate in a weekly laboratory where leadership, critical thinking and team building training occurs. Cadets also meet three to five times weekly for physical training enhances their endurance, strength and flexibility.

There is no military obligation associated with any of the basic program courses. Converse students may compete for two- and three-year full scholarships. Army scholarships 100% pay all tuition and fees for full-time students during the Fall and Spring semesters. Additionally, the scholarship provides $1200 per year for books and a monthly stipend up to $500 per month.

For more information, please visit the Wofford ROTC page, call 864.597.4338, or email stricklenws@wofford.edu at Wofford College.

• Undergraduate, freshmen & transfer students cost and aid
• Graduate students cost and aid
• Adult Converse II students cost and aid
• Degree completion students cost and aid

Please note that Converse does not award credit for military experience or “military occupational specialty” (MOS) credit. Also, Converse does not accept transfer credit awarded from other institutions based on military experience or MOS credit.

VA students may receive monetary assistance from the VA to pay for a tutor, if one is required.

• Academic Support and Success at Converse

Service members who leave for active duty will be readmitted to Converse University with the same academic status achieved when last attending or when last admitted. A leave of absence (LOA) will pertain to service members if they depart while enrolled in classes. This applies to any student who cannot attend due to military service.

Service members whose education is disrupted for more than 30 consecutive days will be withdrawn from courses.

Undergraduate service members will be eligible to re-enroll into their program and academic catalog so long as they return within that academic year. Students who are away from the University longer than that one academic year are eligible for re-enroll, but under a new catalog up to three years after their departure. After this time period, a service member must reapply to the University.

Graduate service members may re-enroll in classes once they notify the Dean of the School of Education and Graduate Studies of their intention to return. Service members have five years to complete their degrees under the same catalog.