The Veterans Benefits Office welcomes you to Columbia College. Our role is to assist and support veterans and qualified dependents in accessing veterans educational benefits, such as the GI Bill®, as well as other programs and resources. 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 https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Veteran students are eligible for Level 1 priority registration at Columbia College. To receive a priority registration date, a veteran student must:
Provide a copy of their DD-214 Member 4 form to the Admissions and Records office via email or in person and complete the matriculation steps below:
To view which of these tasks you still need to complete, click "Registration Date & Time" on ConnectColumbia or contact the Counseling Office at 209-588-5109.
If you are using your VA education benefits, you must have a veteran counselor-approved education plan. Rebekah Rogers and Katie Marquez are the academic counselors for veterans. Before any classes can be certified and benefits paid, please make an appointment with one of them. 209-588-5130.
Non-Resident fees are NOT covered by your VA education benefits.
Students who are members of the Armed Forces of the United States domiciled or stationed in California will submit their military identification card.
A student who is a natural or adopted child, stepchild, or spouse and who is a dependent of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States domiciled or stationed in California on active duty will submit their military dependent identification card.
A member of the armed forces of the United States stationed in California on active duty for more than one year immediately prior to being discharged will need to submit the Form DD 214 listing California as the separation station for a one year exception within two years of separation.
Under the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act, students who are “covered individuals” are exempt from non-resident tuition. Generally, if you are a veteran eligible for educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill®-Active Duty (MGIB-AD) or Post-9/11 GI Bill®, who resides in California and enrolls in the community college from a period of active duty of 90 days or more, you may submit the following documentation to be exempt from nonresident tuition:
Certificate of Eligibility showing you are eligible for Montgomery GI Bill®-Active Duty (MGIB-AD) or Post-9/11 GI Bill® education benefit programs (Chapters 30 or 33, respectively).
You may obtain a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility online at: www.ebenefits.va.gov.
Please note that: the student must be physically present in California to be eligible for this exemption.
To apply for AB13 (VACA) California Non-resident Tuition Exemption for Eligible Veterans & Dependents you must:
Columbia has a full-time mental health counselor available in the fall and spring semesters for appointments. Please visit Columbia College Mental Health Services.
Veterans are encouraged to leverage their military training into transfer work credits to help them finish their academic program in the shortest amount of time. Credit for Prior Learning can be petitioned for experiences that may qualify to meet program requirements. The first step is to have your documentation (JST transcripts, credential documents, etc.) in hand for your meeting with your veteran counselor. Your counselor can look at your documentation and guide you in the CPL process. Please visit the Credit for Prior Learning web page for the rules and regs around this credit option.
The VA requires students who are using veteran education benefits to request transcripts from previous institutions to be sent to the Admissions and Records office of Columbia College. Once the transcripts have arrived, you need to file a Transfer Work Request after meeting with your counselor to have your transcript evaluated for potential credit.
The Columbia College Veteran Resource Center, located in Tamarack 119, strives to meet veterans wherever they are in their transition from military to college life and assist by providing an inclusive community of those who understand the culture of military service. Services include:
