Veteran Information

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Virtually all academic, vocational, and technical courses leading to a degree or certificate at San Jacinto College are approved for veteran training. The College maintains a Veteran Services department located on the Central, North, and South campuses.

Students who expect to receive veteran education benefits while attending San Jacinto College should contact the Veteran Services department located on the campus they plan to attend.

In certain cases, dependents of veterans may be eligible to receive US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits. Students who expect to receive veteran education benefits while attending San Jacinto College should contact the Veteran Services department located on the campus they will attend.

Disabled veterans who plan to receive the Vocational Rehabilitation education benefit should contact the counseling and training office at the VA Regional Office in Houston at 713-383-1985, and then contact the Veteran Services department located on the campus they will attend.

For more information on VA eligibility requirements, students may visit www.gibill.va.gov or the Veteran Services department website at https://www.sanjac.edu/support/veteran-support/. 

Steps in Applying for Veteran Benefits

Prior to applying for certification of benefits, students must:

  1. Submit official transcripts from all schools attended including military and non-accredited schools.
  • To request military transcripts for Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard, students may go to https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/.

  • To request Community College of the Air Force transcripts, students may go to https://www.airuniversity.af.mil.

  • Students may send college, university, and/or high school transcripts to San Jacinto College, Records Management, 13735 Beamer Road, Houston, TX 77089.

  1. Complete the VA form 22-1990, Application for Educational Benefits, (https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-22-1990-ARE.pdf).

  2. Meet with a Veteran's educational planner to discuss their degree plan and benefits.

Students applying for federal VA education benefits should submit the following documents to the Veteran Services department:  

  • Submit the DD214-member 4, 2, or 7 (DD214-member 1 is not acceptable).
  • Submit a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
  • Student schedule/fee bill PDF from student’s SOS account.
  • Student degree plan showing enrolled courses on the degree plan PDF from the student’s SOS account.

Course Withdrawal

The VA does not allow automatic payment of benefits for a grade of W, I, or FX. Incomplete grades will be reported to the VA as non-punitive. Students who drop courses may have to pay back money received for such courses.

The VA will allow payment only in cases of mitigating circumstances, and students will be required to explain in writing to the VA the reason for their withdrawal from courses. The VA allows for a one-time exclusion for dropping up to six credit hours.

Students should discuss withdrawals with the VA school certifying official to determine potential consequences to their educational benefits. The student is responsible for withdrawing from the course(s) by following the College’s standard withdrawal procedures. Students needing assistance to drop a college preparatory or other course(s) may visit Veteran Services. Students must notify the VA school certifying official at veterans@sjcd.edu once class(es) have been dropped, so an adjustment/amendment made be made to the certification. 

SB 937 – Excused Absence for Required Military Service

An institution of higher education shall excuse a student from attending classes or engaging in other required activities, including examinations, in order for the student to participate in required military service to which the student is called, including travel associated with the service.

A student whose absence is excused under this subsection may not be penalized for that absence and shall be allowed to complete an assignment or take an examination from which the student is excused within a reasonable time after the absence. An instructor may appropriately respond if the student fails to complete the assignment or examination in a satisfactorily manner within a reasonable time after the absence.

Repeating Courses

Students using VA educational benefits or Hazlewood may not retake a course in which a passing grade or a temporary grade of I has been awarded. The student is responsible for knowing which course(s) have been completed.

Transfer students should submit all academic transcripts from both accredited and non-accredited schools. This also includes military transcripts. Transcripts should be received and evaluated prior to selecting courses, when possible. The College is required to notify the VA of any course duplications, and appropriate changes will be made when a student has taken a class that has been deemed successfully completed.

Program Requirements

Federal and state regulations require that persons who have declared a degree plan take courses leading toward that objective. Any deviation from the approved program cannot be certified for VA benefits or Hazlewood benefits. Students should request a change of program before enrolling for courses outside the approved program. Electives not suggested in the catalog should be approved by the campus VA Certifying Official. Most veterans are exempt from college preparatory classes; however, if veterans want to be certified for college preparatory course work, they must show a need by taking a placement exam.

Tutoring

All students using VA educational benefits may be eligible for tutorial assistance paid by the VA. Free tutoring is available at the Student Success Centers located at Central, North, and South campuses. Students needing extra tutoring should contact the College Veteran Services department located on their campus for additional information.

Federal and State Academic Standards of Progress (Part 6)

The VA requires that a student make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to be eligible for VA educational benefits.

VA students on academic suspension will be reported to the VA.

All students receiving VA educational benefits are subject to the academic conditions under the Academic Probation and Suspension Table located in the catalog under Student Grades and Records.

Hazlewood Act

An act of the Texas Legislature known as the Hazlewood Exemption Act provides the following: All veterans who, at the time of entry into the US Armed Forces were Texas residents, designated Texas as home of record, or entered service in Texas and who were honorably discharged or discharged under honorable conditions after serving on active duty (excluding training time) for more than 181 days are exempt from paying tuition and certain fees.

The Hazlewood Act also allows veterans to use other federal aid in conjunction with Hazlewood benefits. An eligible person is limited to a maximum of 150 credit hours attempted. Students who are in default on an educational loan guaranteed by the state of Texas are not eligible to receive Hazlewood benefits. In addition, students who are claiming the Hazlewood exemption are required to follow Financial Aid’s minimum GPA and excessive hour criteria. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) and no more than 90 overall hours. Students who do not meet the minimum SAP standards are encouraged to apply for a Hazlewood appeal.

Students eligible for Hazlewood benefits must meet the following academic requirements:

  1. Grade Point Average (GPA) Component
    San Jacinto College uses the 4.0 grade point average system and numerical code:
    GPA Numerical Code
    4.0 A
    3.0 B
    2.0 C
    1.0 D
    0.0 F
    A student is expected to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 based upon the aggregate number of hours attempted at San Jacinto College.
  2. Time Frame Component
    A student receiving the Hazlewood exemption will be expected to complete their San Jacinto College educational objective or course of study within the first 90 credit hours attempted.

Grades of F, FX, I, NG, W, and repeated courses are counted in the aggregate total number of hours attempted. Students will not receive exemption if the class has previously been passed unless the program of study requires students to take the course more than twice.

Required Documents

To comply with the requirements of the Texas Veterans Commission, during or before registration, veterans or qualifying dependents must present the following documents for the files at San Jacinto College:

Veteran required Hazelwood documents:

  1. The member 4 copy of DD214 (separation papers). DD214-member 1 is not a valid DD214 for use of educational benefits;
  2. Provide proof of eligibility or ineligibility for Chapter 33, from VA office in Muskogee, OK, if the veteran served after 09/11 and separation. In the event the veteran is eligible for Chapter 33, the cost of enrollment for the term may not exceed the value of Hazlewood (COE is required). Veterans may request a copy of their benefits eligibility letter by submitting a request through the VA’s Ask a Question website at www.gibill.va.gov;
  3. A completed formal application for Hazlewood Act benefits. Applications are available at the Veteran Services department on each campus, or students may also download the application from the Texas Veterans Commission website at https://www.tvc.texas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Forms-TVC-ED-1-and-TVC-ED-1a-Texas_Hazlewood_Act_Exemption_Application_with_Supporting_Documents_Instructions-Revised-01DEC21-v2.pdf; and
  4. Veterans must also provide a copy of their Hazlewood Online Database Report. hazlewood.tvc.texas.gov/students.

Note: Veterans may use the Hazlewood Exemption in conjunction with other VA education benefits and Pell Grant, if eligible. However, compliance with the “default loan” clause will be verified by the school. Please contact the campus Veteran Services department for more information.

Children and Spouses required Hazelwood documents:

  • The member 4 copy of DD214 (separation papers). DD214-member 1 is not a valid DD214 for use of Educational Benefits;
  • A letter from the VA office stating the military parent or spouse died as result of service-related injuries or illness, is missing in action, or became totally disabled for purposes of employability as a service-related injury or illness;
  • Provide proof of eligibility or ineligibility for Chapter 33 from VA office in Muskogee, OK, if the veteran served after 09/11. In the event the veteran is eligible for Chapter 33, the cost of enrollment for the term may not exceed the value of Hazlewood (COE is required). Students may request an education benefits letter by calling 1-888-442-4551;
  • A completed formal application for Hazlewood Act benefits. Applications are available at the Veteran Services department. Applications are also available at the Texas Veterans Commission website at https://www.tvc.texas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Forms-TVC-ED-1-and-TVC-ED-1a-Texas_Hazlewood_Act_Exemption_Application_with_Supporting_Documents_Instructions-Revised-01DEC21-v2.pdf; and
  • Students must provide a copy of their Hazlewood Online Database Report. https://hazlewood.tvc.texas.gov/students/.

Transferability of Benefits (Legacy):

Eligible veterans may assign unused hours to a child under certain conditions. The following documents are required:

Transfer Credit-United States Military

San Jacinto College may give undergraduate credit for demonstrated proficiency in areas related to college-level courses completed while in the United States military. The College will use Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES) and the Office of Education Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education (ACE) to determine proficiency. In assigning credits of this nature, the College will use the recommendations of the American Council on Education (ACE) as guidelines.

Students may earn a maximum of 15 credit hours of course work from official military transcripts and two credit hours of PHED activity courses and apply these toward a degree or certificate in this nontraditional manner. The College will evaluate and assign credit only for the courses that apply to the student’s major and used for graduation. The College will evaluate the credit as transfer work, which will not appear on the San Jacinto College transcript. The College will assign the courses the grade of “CR” indicating credit. These grades will not calculate in the overall GPA of the student, but the credit hours will count in the total hours for financial aid awards.

Any student wishing to earn credit for military experience must submit official transcripts. Students must have official transcripts mailed to the College from the appropriate office depending on the student’s branch of service.

The Joint Services Transcript can supply military transcripts for all branches of service except the Air Force. These can be sent electronically to San Jacinto College and in most cases are available within 7-10 business days. To request transcripts, students may log into https://jst.doded.mil/official.html.

For more information on CLEP examinations, students may review: https://www.dantes.mil/clep/ and the Community College of the Air Force (CAF) (accredited and all college-level credits will be accepted): https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Barnes/CCAF/Display/Article/803247/community-college-of-the-air-force-transcripts/.