Texarkana College Student Handbook & Catalog

Veterans Benefits

Texarkana College is approved by the Texas Veterans Commission under the provisions of Title 38, U.S. Code for VA educational benefits to train veterans and other eligible persons for approved programs and courses required for those programs. Students requesting the Montgomery GI Bill®, Post 9/11 GI Bill®, or Veteran Readiness and Employment educational benefits must complete an application and provide additional forms to the VA School Certifying Official in the Financial Aid Office. Applications should be completed online at https://www.va.gov.

Students seeking veteran’s education benefits should contact our VA School Certifying Official at least six weeks prior to their registration period. All benefit recipients (excluding Chapter 31, Chapter 33, and Hazlewood) are normally required to pay their educational costs up front; however, a tuition deferment for up to 60 days is an option for students using these benefits. Please contact the TC Financial Aid Office for more information or to apply. Certification of enrollment is made by a VA School Certifying Official once the student notifies the certifying official that they have finalized their schedule for the semester. Funding from the Veteran’s Administration for purposes other than direct payment of tuition and fees (i.e. housing and book stipend payments for Chapter 33 recipients, and all payments for recipients of Chapters 30, 35, and 1606) will be paid directly to students by the Veteran’s Administration Office.

The Department of Veteran Affairs requires that colleges have and enforce a satisfactory academic progress policy for veteran educational benefits. Students who fall into an unsatisfactory progress status in connection with these standards become ineligible for further benefit certification at that college. Texarkana College has chosen to align its academic progress standards for veteran educational benefits with our Financial Aid Standards of Academic Progress (FA-SAP), which include the following three criteria:

  • GPA: Must maintain a cumulative financial aid SAP grade point average of 2.0

  • Completion: Must receive satisfactory grades in 67% of cumulative credit hours attempted

  • Maximum Time Frame (Max Credits): Must not have attempted an excessive number of cumulative credit hours at Texarkana College relative to the size of their degree, defined as 150% of the published length of their current program.

Students who fail to maintain GPA or completion standards are placed on a warning status after their first semester in which they fail to maintain standards. After two unsatisfactory semesters with bad GPA or completion, they lose eligibility and are placed on suspension. Students who exceed the maximum time frame for their degree or certificate are immediately placed on suspension. Suspension of eligibility may be appealed with good cause using the same SAP appeal process employed for Title IV financial aid. Appeals will be evaluated and either approved or denied based on whether a student has demonstrated cause to believe they will become academically successful in their next semester (for GPA or completion) or on whether or not they can complete their degree or certificate without accumulating an attempted credit hour total the evaluator(s) of the appeal would consider excessively high for a two-year college (for Max Credits). Please refer back to the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress standards section of the catalog for full details.

Certification Requirements

  • Students must follow a Texarkana College degree plan. Only courses that apply to their declared degree plan at Texarkana College will be approved for benefits.

  • Students must provide an official transcript from all previously attended post-secondary schools. This includes non-accredited institutions and the student’s military transcript (if not a spouse/dependent).

  • Students must notify the VA School Certifying Official upon registration each semester in order to request certification. Certification is not automatic. Students must request certification online using the web form found on the TC web page dedicated to veteran education benefits (https://www.texarkanacollege.edu/admissions-aid/tuition-financial-aid/financial-aid/veterans-benefits/).

  • Students should allow 4-6 weeks for processing paperwork by the VA School Certifying Official and additional processing time for the VA Regional Office.

Note: Please refer to https://www.va.gov/education/ or call 1-888-442-4551 for additional requirements, updates, information, and other resources for your educational benefits.

Eligible veterans receive monthly payments for their entitlement based on the coursework for which they enroll. Students should make certain that each course meets the requirements for graduation in the veteran’s declared degree program or completion of a certificate program. A course for audit credit will not be certified for payment. Please note that the following is also reviewed by the Veteran’s Administration:

  • All withdrawals, enforced withdrawals, and reductions in class loads will be reported to the Veteran’s Administration Office, and may result in a debt to the VA, Texarkana College, or both.

  • Repeats of classes where Ds or above were earned will not be covered for veteran’s benefits.

VA Delayed Payment Policy

Texarkana College strives to ensure that students will not be penalized by any undue delay in payment from the Department of Veterans Affairs in accordance with our values and guidance set out in the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, section 3679(e) of Title 38, United States Code as amended.

We allow students using VA educational benefits that pay tuition directly to the college (VA Veteran Readiness and Employment or Post-9/11 GI Bill® at the 100% rate) to attend their course of study without further payment requirements from the date they submit documentation of their eligibility for benefits to 90 days after the student’s tuition and fees are certified or until the VA makes payment, whichever comes first. “Documentation of eligibility” is defined as confirmation from your VA counselor for Veteran Readiness and Employment, a certificate of eligibility or VA.gov printout for Post-9/11 GI Bill®, and a “new student packet” for both types of beneficiaries (available on our website or in the Financial Aid Office) to ensure accurate certification.

It is our practice to “hold” these students’ classes without further expectation of payment once documentation of eligibility is received, count the full amount of their eligible tuition and fees “paid” once the student’s information is certified to the VA and reported to our Business Office, and ensure that payment is made by the Department of Veterans Affairs on the back end through our weekly and monthly reconciliation processes. We will not impose any penalties or denial of services on a student – such as late fees or denial of access to classes, libraries, or institutional facilities – on the basis of delayed VA payments, nor will we require students to borrow loan funds to cover tuition and fee costs we know will eventually be paid by the VA. (Please note that it is still possible for these students to incur late fees, but only on the basis of waiting until the late registration period to enroll, not as a consequence of delayed payment by the VA.)

Isakson and Roe / Principles of Excellence Compliance

Pursuant to the Isakson and Roe Act of 2020, Texarkana College affirms that we adhere to the federal government’s Principles of Excellence regarding veteran benefits administration. Moreover, we prohibit automatic renewal of a VA educational benefits recipient or other covered individual in courses and programs without their express consent, and ensure that each of these individuals approve of their enrollment in a course prior to registering them in classes or certifying their hours to VA. We also encourage all students using VA educational benefits to also apply for federal or state financial aid, and we always offer students grant (non-loan) aid if they qualify for it prior to packing or arranging any student loans or alternative financing.  

VA Beneficiary In-State Tuition Policy

In accordance with the Isakson and Roe Act of 2020, students using Chapter 30, 31, or 33 VA educational benefits (a.k.a. the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, the Montgomery GI Bill® for Active Duty, or Veteran Readiness and Employment) qualify for in-state tuition as long as they physically reside in the state of Texas, regardless of how long they have lived in-state. If a student has questions about this provision, or if they believe they qualify for in-state tuition as a result of it and are not currently receiving tuition at the in-state rate, they should contact the TC Financial Aid Office at financial.aid@texarkanacollege.edu.

The Montgomery GI Bill®

The Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapter 30)-Active Duty program provides up to 36 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship/on-the-job training, and correspondence courses. Remedial deficiency and refresher course may be approved under certain circumstances. The Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapter 1606)-Selected Reserve Program may be available to you if you are a member of the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, the Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard. Students may use this education assistance program for degree programs, certificate or correspondence courses, cooperative training, independent study programs, or apprenticeship/on-the-job training. Remedial, refresher, and deficiency training are available if student test scores indicate they are needed.

Eligibility for Chapter 1606 is determined by the selected reserve components. The student is normally responsible for paying tuition and fees at the time of registration; however, a tuition deferment for up to 60 days is an option for students using these benefits. Please contact the TC Financial Aid Office for more information on how to apply. The VA makes the payments to the student for this program upon verification of enrollment certification which must be completed each semester. The student may be entitled to receive up to 36 months of education benefits. The following documents are needed to use the Montgomery GI Bill® benefits:

Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33)

The Post 9/11 GI Bill® is program developed by the VA that went into effect August 1, 2009. This program is for individuals who serves at least 90 aggregate days (or at least 30 continuous days with a discharge due to a service-connected disability) of active duty from 9/11/2001 to the present. Veterans applying for this program may be eligible for a housing allowance and books/supplies stipend in addition to payments covering tuition and fees up to the highest undergraduate rate for a public institution of higher learning in the state. To check your eligibility and get further information on this program, please visit https://va.gov/education or contact the VA at 1-888-442-4551. Required documents for Chapter 33 benefits are the same as those listed above for the Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapter 30).

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA-Chapter 35)

Dependent’s Educational Assistance provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved if student test scores indicate they are needed. The following documents are needed to use DEA benefits:

Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31)

Veteran Readiness and Employment counselors employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs determine eligibility for this veterans’ benefit. Information on how to contact a Veteran Readiness and Employment counselor can be obtained in the Financial Aid Office. Additional information regarding Veterans’ benefits may be obtained by visiting the VA web site at https://va.gov/careers-employment/vocational-rehabilitation.

Hazlewood Exemption for Texas Veterans

Veterans who are citizens of Texas, who were residents of Texas at the time of enlistment, who received an “honorable” or “general – under honorable conditions” discharge, and who are not eligible for VA educational benefits that provide for direct and full payment of tuition and fees, may be eligible for the Hazlewood Exemption. This exemption covers all tuition and most fees related to enrollment, but not books, supplies, or housing deposits. In certain cases, this benefit may also be extended to the veteran’s children or spouse. Students wishing to obtain this exemption status should contact the Veteran Services representative in the Financial Aid Office for an application, or they can visit www.tvc.texas.gov. The completed application and supporting documentation should be submitted to the TC Financial Aid Office for evaluation. Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing.

Hazlewood exemption recipients are required by state law to follow a degree plan, and the exemption is not to be used to pay for classes that are not needed for graduation.

To comply with this guidance, Texarkana College follows the school policies listed below for all students using Legacy Hazlewood:

  • Degree Plan Applicability – Hazlewood will only exempt tuition for uncompleted degree requirements. This means that if a student takes a non-required elective, Hazlewood cannot be used to cover it. For Continuing Education classes that receive formula funding, the course or program is considered its own “degree plan” until completed, and students will not be allowed to pursue a separate credit-hour degree plan concurrently.

  • Transient or Undeclared Students – Hazlewood benefits will not be paid for Legacy Hazlewood students with a “transient” admission status or an “undeclared” major. Such students must be degree-seeking at Texarkana College to qualify.

  • Dual Credit / High School Students – Dual credit students’ majors will be assumed to be “AA – General Studies” for purposes of the Hazlewood exemption unless they are taking a workforce class like welding or cosmetology, in which case that workforce certificate program will be their assumed degree plan.

  • Hazlewood will not pay for repeats of successfully completed classes. Once a Hazlewood recipient attempts a class and earns a letter grade that counts as a completion for purposes of graduation (A, B, C, or D), Hazlewood cannot be used to pay for that class a second or third time.

  • Hazlewood will not pay for a course that has been attempted more than twice (a.k.a. “three-peat”). Classes attempted more than twice incur a “three-peat” penalty fee because the college does not receive any head-count (“formula”) funding assistance from the state for that class. Since the college receives no funding assistance from the State of Texas for a “three-peated” class, a state exemption like Hazlewood cannot be used to pay for it. This is different from the previous rule about repeats because it still holds true even if the grades received the first two times are not passing or don’t satisfy completion (W or F grades).

Hazlewood Act Benefit Limitation for High-Cost Programs

Texarkana College participates in the Texas Hazlewood Act, which provides eligible veterans, spouses, and dependents an exemption from tuition and certain mandatory institutional fees as defined by state law.

Certain programs at Texarkana College entail extraordinary course or program fees significantly higher than standard academic fees. Under Texas Education Code, Chapter 54, Subchapter H, colleges may exclude certain program costs from coverage under the Hazlewood Act exemption.

Students are responsible for all applicable fees not covered by the Hazlewood Act. Prospective and current students are strongly encouraged to consult with a Veteran Services representative in the TC Financial Aid Office prior to enrollment to fully understand program costs and benefit limitations.

A current list of designated programs and applicable fee exclusions is available below:

  • All flight programs offered through Texarkana College (both non-credit and credit programs), including Private Pilot, Instrument Pilot, and Commercial Pilot.

Additional Resources and Information Regarding VA Benefits

  • The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Education Service – the source of information concerning your educational benefits: http://www.gibill.va.gov

  • VA.gov – the governments one-stop-shop for all veteran education benefits: https://VA.gov

  • Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31) Benefits – Information about VR&E for veterans with a documented service-related disability who want to pursue training to enter a suitable career: https://benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/