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2024-2025 Seminole State College Catalog
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Veterans' Services

The Veteran Student Services Office serves as an advocate and liaison between Seminole State College, its students, and the various federal, state, and local agencies concerned with veterans' benefits. We want to make sure that veterans and dependents are successful.

Our office serves over 500 Active Duty, Reservists, National Guard Members, Veterans, and their family members. We are here to help these students with their educational journey.  

  • Seminole State offers GI Bill®-eligible programs for veterans and their dependents under current federal laws. 
  • Procedures for admission to the College and registration for classes are the same as followed by all students.
  • Seminole State also participates in the DoD MOU program.

Location and Information: The Veterans Student Services Office is located on the Sanford/Lake Mary Campus in the Student Center Building, Room SC-266. The Office provides the following information and assistance with the:

  • Application for educational benefits and obtaining a certificate of eligibility;
  • Certification of approved classes;
  • VA deferment of tuition and fees;
  • DoD-funded tuition assistance;
  • Veterans' special needs.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs determines eligibility for veteran and dependent benefits. Your military status will determine the benefit programs for which you may be eligible.

College and Student Responsibilities: In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e), Seminole State College adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Veteran Readiness & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA. This school will not:

  • Prevent the student’s enrollment;
  • Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
  • Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
  • Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

  • Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or VA Statement of Benefits by the first day of class;
  • Provide a written request to be certified by filling out a Certification Request Form (CRF) found on the Veteran Student Services website
  • Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies

If a veteran has not previously used VA educational benefits, the following should be sent to the College's Veterans Student Services Office:

  • A copy of the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA;
  • A copy of each DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty-if applicable);
  • A copy of the DD Form 2384-1 (Notice of Basic Eligibility - NOBE) signed by the Reserve or National Guard Unit (if applicable).

Agencies available for assistance are the Seminole County Veterans Services Office in Sanford and the Veteran Affairs Regional Office in Muskogee, OK.

Veteran Deferment: According to Florida law, any eligible veteran or eligible dependent receiving benefits under Chapters 30, 31, 33, 35, or 1606, Title 38, United States Code, is entitled to a 60-day deferment of matriculation or registration fees each academic term of enrollment, provided that the period of deferment does not exceed the number of days of the term or course for which the student is registered. The deferment of fees shall begin the first scheduled day of classes in any term and all deferred fees must be paid in full within 60 days or by 10 days prior to the end of the term, whichever period of time is less. Eligible students desiring to exercise this right should contact the College Veteran Student Services Office.

Satisfactory Academic Progress: Veterans and/or dependents eligible to receive VA educational benefits must be aware of current Veteran Administration regulations and the Standards of Progress that apply. The following are of specific concern to those students who desire VA Enrollment Certification:

  • Satisfactory progress must be maintained according to the Seminole State’s Standards of Academic Progress. If a student fails to meet these requirements and is placed on Academic Suspension, his/her benefits will be terminated. To reinstate benefits, the student may:
    • Re-apply for certification once his/her GPA and academic standing meets the requirements for certification eligibility, or
    • Petition to enroll while on academic suspension through their assigned educational advisor. If the petition is approved, the student is required to re-certify his/her benefits with Seminole State's Veteran Student Services Office.
  • Certification is not made for any course taken that does not directly apply to the program authorized by the VA.
  • Certification is not made for any course previously completed with a passing grade.
  • VA payments are not authorized for any course in which the veteran receives a grade of W (withdraw), X (audited) or N (no credit). A student who receives a grade of I (incomplete) must complete the coursework with the instructor during the first 30 days of the following term, otherwise a grade of "F" is assigned and the VA Office is notified.
  • VA payments/course certifications cannot be processed for developmental courses taken by students classified as "Exempt" for placement proficiency.
  • Only "Resident" (on campus) offered developmental courses can be certified for students classified as "Non-Exempt" for placement proficiency.

Course Substitution for Veterans: Substitution of unrelated courses outside the certified major must be in accordance with Seminole State policy and procedures.

The following conditions must be met by the school if a course substitution is made by students receiving VA educational benefits:

  • Document condition for allowing substituted course for original and substituted course;
  • Ensure that the substituted course is made prior to the veteran's completion or registration for the term in which the substituted course is to be taken, not to include add/drop period;
  • Place copies of all material related to the veteran's substituted course in their school records;
  • Ensure that the substitution complies with the Seminole State course substitution procedure.

Veteran Course Selection: An educational program selected by a veteran must be complete in that it must include all training needed to reach the stated objective. It must be generally accepted as being required for the attainment of the selected objective. Questions regarding any veteran policy should be directed to the Veteran Student Services Office.

Veterans' Attendance Policy:

  • College credit courses
    • Records of attendance may be maintained to determine the last day of attendance for partial or complete withdrawals.
    • Veterans may be withdrawn from a course when their lack of attendance precludes any possibility of satisfactory course completion. Initiation of a withdrawal shall be consistent with the instructor's policy regarding attendance for all students.
    • A veteran may be recertified in a class when the instructor determines the absences will not jeopardize the veteran's ability to satisfactorily complete the courses in the prescribed time period.
  • Career/College Credit Certificate Programs
    • VA educational benefit recipients who register in Career/College Credit Certificate Program courses and accumulate three days of unexcused absences within a calendar month for which they have received VA certification will have this certification adjusted or terminated for lack of attendance.
    • A student may be recertified in the program when the instructor determines the absences will not jeopardize the student's ability to satisfactorily complete the course in the prescribed time period.
    • Students have the right of appeal through the College Petitions Committee when they feel the circumstances warrant such action.
    • VA regulations require veterans' withdrawals to be submitted promptly and that the last date of attendance be recorded on the withdrawal form.

To comply with VA attendance regulations, instructors should initiate a withdrawal as soon as it can be determined that the student is no longer attending or is unable to complete the course requirements because of poor attendance.