FAQ's, Tips and Information

You can submit all necessary VA documents to initialize your VA benefits by submitting your forms to your nearest campus enrollment services office or apply online via the VA Web site.

Upon completion of the VA Application for Education Benefits, an estimated amount of VA benefits will be posted as a resource for financial aid purposes. If this amount is incorrect, or you are no longer eligible for VA education benefits, please contact your home campus to make appropriate adjustments.

Florida State College at Jacksonville has 30 days from the first day of the term or receipt of VA documents to notify the VA administration of initial enrollment and schedule changes to your file. The Veterans Affairs Regional Office (VARPO) process can take approximate 30 to 45 days to finalize your VA payment.

Contact the FSCJ Military and Veterans Service Center or nearest campus VA representative to obtain the correct form to change your program of study. Your program of study on file with Florida State College at Jacksonville should be the same program indicated on your VA form.

Depending on the program, benefits for vocational programs are determined by the number of hours you are attending classes per week. The average vocational program requires attendance per week of 22 clock hours to be considered full-time. There are some vocational programs that require 18 clock hours to be considered full-time. (see your campus VA representative for listing.)

VA will calculate VA benefits according to the start and end date of each session. Therefore, students that enroll in multiple sessions must understand that VA will not determine payment based on total number of hours enrolled.

If you haven't applied for VA education benefits, this is your first step to start utilizing VA education benefits at Florida State College at Jacksonville. Apply online at www.ebenefits.va.gov (It is important to create an eBenefits account. This account will allow you direct access to your military records.).

Once VA processes and approves your education benefits, you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility approval letter. Submit a copy of your approved Certificate of Eligibility letter to the College's Military and Veterans Service Center at Building U 129,11901 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32246. (Your letter must show approval status to start benefits. If denied, contact the VA Regional Office at 1-888-442-4551.)

Veterans and dependents receiving veteran benefits must complete the "certify these classes" process in Connections upon registering, in order to have your enrollment status processed to VA before the drop/add deadline. If you fail to initiate this process, your enrollment to VA will automatically be sent after the drop/add deadline. (Note: If you do not want to use your VA benefits at any time, you must notify your campus or center Enrollment Services representative to submit documentation requesting not to be certified.)

If you are a veterans selecting Post 9/11 education benefits for the first time, make sure the date you elect to start using Post 9/11 benefits is the date that you want coverage from VA to start. By electing a date after a term has started, VA will only pay from the date indicated on your application. You will be responsible for any unpaid tuition balance.

When changing VA chapters due to your current benefits will expire within a term, payment from VA will be effective the date you are approved under Chapter 33. You will be responsible for any unpaid amounts. Also, if you elect to start Post 9/11 before your current benefits expires, you will only receive the number of months remaining under your current VA chapter for Post 9/11. (Example: You have 20 months left under GI Bill ® Chapter 30. You want to change to Post 9/11, Chapter 33. You will only receive 20 months under Post 9/11. If you first exhaust the 20 months remaining under Chapter 30, then apply for Post 9/11 Chapter 33, you will receive an additional 12 months under Post 9/11.) See www.gibill.va.gov for additional information. IMPORTANT: You cannot receive more than 48 months of benefits under any combination of VA education programs.

Florida State College at Jacksonville does not participate in advance payment of VA educational benefits from VA. Tuition and fees are due as indicated.

The VA does not pay between break in terms. Pay is calculated based on the number of credit hours enrolled and the number of days within a term. If you are enrolled in different term dates, remember your payment will adjust if your start date and ending term date are different. Contact a FSCJ Military and Veterans Service Center or campus VA representative for additional information.

A few known VA related agencies that send tuition directly to VA are Vocational Rehabilitation, Chapter 33, Military Tuition Assistance (TA) and MyCAA. If your tuition payment is not sent directly to Florida State College at Jacksonville, you are responsible for payment. Make sure you submit needed documentation to assure your tuition will be covered. Otherwise payment is due as indicated. NOTE: Chapter 33-Post 9/11 tuition payments are expected from the Veterans Administration as indicated on your approved Certificate of Eligibility. If your eligibility rating is less than 100%, then you must pay the difference. Upon receipt of payment to the College from VA and if VA fail to pay the expected amount, you will be responsible for payment of the balance.

• You elected your Post 9/11 benefits to be effective after the beginning date of a term.
• Your benefits have expired or you have reached your delimiting date.
• You withdraw (W) or received a failure for non-attendance (FN) grade.
• You have a previous debt on file with VA.
• The veteran did not transfer enough month of entitlement to the dependent.
• At any point VA sends a particle payment, you will be responsible for payment.

If you are using Chapter 33-Post 9/11 benefits, and you are eligible to receive other third party grants to pay tuition, in most cases you can only use one party to cover tuition at a time. This does not include Title IV funds such as Pell grants, student loans and some scholarships such as Bright Futures and Florida Prepaid. If you are using employer tuition waiver, purple heart waiver or approved through an appeal process to retake a class at no cost, we cannot submit tuition to VA to send payment for the same classes. Check with the FSCJ Military and Veterans Service Center or a campus VA representative for additional information.