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Services for Veterans

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

VA Educational Benefits-G.I. Bill®

Priority Registration

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:

  • meet with your counselor to create an educational plan.
  • complete the Columbia College online orientation.

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.

Veteran Academic Counseling

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.  

Residency for Veterans and Dependents

Non-Resident fees are NOT covered by your VA education benefits. 

AB 13 (VACA) Exemption or Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act (VACA H.R. 3230)

Veterans or dependents of an eligible Veteran who meet the following requirements shall be exempt from paying non-resident tuition at Columbia College. A "covered individual" for purposes of compliance with the VACA Act and Education Code Section 68075.7 is defined as:

  1. A veteran eligible for educational assistance under either the Montgomery G.I. Bill - Active Duty (MGIB-AD) or Post-9/11 G.I. Bill education benefit programs who resides (lives) in California (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and enrolls in the community college from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
  2. An individual elgible for transferred education benefits under either the Montgomery G.I. Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) or Post-9/11 G.I. Bill education benefit program who resides (lives) in California (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and enrolls in the community college from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
  3. An individual is eligible for transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits while the transferor is on active duty who resides (lives) in California (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) as described in 38 USC 3679 (c)(2)(B)(ii)(II). the 3-year enrollment period limitation does not apply to eligible dependents of active duty service members. 
  4. An individual eligible for benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (provides Post-9/11 G.I. Bill benefits to the children and surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty while on active duty) who resides (lives) in California (regardless of his/her formal state of residence).
  5. Individuals eligible for rehabilitation under 38 U.S. Code Section 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. This change is effective for courses provided during a quarter, semester, or term beginning after March 1, 2019.

Under this exemption, students are NOT eligible to receive a California College Promise Grant (Formerly BOG waiver). Students will still be classified as a non-resident but given an exemption from paying non-resident tuition.

Senate Bill (SB) 701 amended California Education Code (CEC) 68075.7 to conform with the federal law that eliminated the requirement of the expiration of a 3-year eligibility period. Regardless of the passage date of SB 701, colleges must still implement the change by the August 1, 2021 effective date.

To apply for AB13 (VACA) California Non-resident Tuition Exemption for Eligible Veterans & Dependents you must:

  1. Complete and sign the AB13 (VACA) Affidavit form.
  2. Attach all applicable documentation:
    1. Copy of DD214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
    2. Certification of Eligibility (COE) from VA confirming the approval of education benefits for the student.
    3. Copy of Photo ID

Mental Health Counseling

Columbia has a full-time mental health counselor available in the fall and spring semesters for appointments.  Please visit Columbia College Mental Health Services.

Credit for Prior Learning and Transfer of Previous Credits

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.

Veterans Resource Center

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:

  • R & R area 
  • Use of computers with internet access and free printing
  • Separate quiet space with a computer equipped with adaptive technology 
  • Veterans Club meetings and events