Veterans Affairs Education Benefits and Eligibility

Central Piedmont's Veterans Affairs Education Benefits Office enhances the educational experience of veterans and eligible family members by providing access to education and training benefits within a supportive environment. 

Central Piedmont has completed the requirements for approval with Veterans Affairs as regulated by the North Carolina State Approving Agency. Students using Veteran Affairs Education Benefits can be certified for the approved programs at Central Piedmont. It also applies to eligible dependents, such as your spouse or children. Classes in Continuing Education are not approved to use Veteran Affairs Education Benefits.

Certifications are accepted once registration opens for the term and are accepted throughout the term. If you are receiving veterans education benefits, you must request certification for your benefits each semester that you are enrolled. Visit the VA Education Benefits Certification page to learn how to complete the certification request. 

Review the following to learn about the various GI Bill education benefits, requirements, and how to set up you eBenefits account. 

VA Education Benefits 

  • Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill®
  • Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill, Active Duty (MGIB-AD)
  • Chapter 31 Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E)
  • Chapter 33 Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship
  • Chapter 33 Post-9/11 Transfer of Entitlement
  • Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Assistance
  • Chapter 1606 Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)

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 on the Department of Veterans Affairs website. 

Requirements for VA Education Benefits

Students electing to use Veterans Affairs education benefits must meet requirements specified by Veterans Affairs and the North Carolina State Approving Agency. Although Central Piedmont's VA Education Benefits Office does not work for the Department of Veterans Affairs, it is our job to work closely with them to ensure that your needs as a student are met.

  • Eligibility

  • Academic Standards

    When you receive VA education benefits, you are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better). Educational assistance benefits to veterans and eligible persons will be discontinued once you no longer make satisfactory progress toward completion of your training. These standards are described in the Veterans Affairs section of the Central Piedmont catalog.

  • Withdrawal

    It is your responsibility to report all withdrawals or attendance issues to Central Piedmont's VA Education Benefits Office immediately to prevent overpayments. You are required to complete the Veterans Affairs Schedule Adjustment form (PDF) and submit mitigating circumstances in writing for evaluation and approval within five business days via email to the Veterans Affairs Education Benefits Office.  

    What are Mitigating Circumstances?

    If you drop a course or withdraw from school after the drop period and receive a non-punitive grade, VA will reduce benefits effective the first day of the term. If there are circumstances beyond your control that prevent you from continuing in school or that cause you to reduce credits, the VA may use those mitigating circumstances to reduce any overpayments due back to the VA.

    Examples are:

    • illness or injury afflicting you during the enrollment period
    • illness or death in your immediate family
    • unavoidable change in your conditions of employment
    • unavoidable geographical transfer resulting from your employment
    • immediate family or financial obligations beyond your control that require you to suspend pursuit of the program of education to obtain employment 
    • discontinuance of the course by the school
    • unanticipated active military service, including active duty for training
    • unanticipated difficulties with childcare arrangements that you have made for the period you are attending classes

    The last date of attendance must be verified by the instructor for all withdrawals.
    The VA allows a one-time exclusion from being penalized for withdrawing for up to six credit hours. You can be paid up to the last date of attendance for those six hours. After that time, you have to provide the VA Education Benefits Office with mitigating circumstances or repay any benefits received. If you attended classes throughout the semester and receive a “W” (non-punitive) as a grade, this has to be reported to the VA Regional Office and is not part of the six-hour, one-time exclusion even if you can document that you attended through the last day of class. You are responsible for overpayments resulting from non-punitive grades.
    Failure to notify the VA Education Benefits Office of withdrawals and continued acceptance of educational funds may be considered fraud. You are encouraged to register only for those classes that you know you can complete.

  • Programs

    The VA Education Benefits Office is unable to certify the following courses:

    • that are not required for completion of your degree, diploma, or certificate program
    • that are considered Adult Basic Literacy Education
    • previously completed successfully, including "D" grades unless the program requires a higher grade.
    • that transfer credit has been granted for
    • taken while not admitted to a VA-approved diploma, certificate, or degree program
    • not leading to an educational, professional, or vocational objective (i.e. continuing education courses)
    • which credit by examination have been received for
    • being audited rather than taken for credit
    • that are Developmental (DRE and DMA) and RISE Support courses taken online
    • or program not approved by the State Approving Agency

    All policies are subject to change based on institutional and federal guidelines.

Set Up Your Education Benefits (eBenefits) Account

The Department of Veterans Affairs has started migrating from their eBenefits website to the va.gov site. However, some requirements must still be completed on the Department of Veterans Affairs Education Benefits website.

If you have a common access card, you can use it to log in to eBenefits. If you do not have a common access card, you will need to register for your account manually. As a prior service member, you can also sign up for a premium account that will allow you access to all e-benefits options.

To set up your eBenefits account, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs Education Benefits website and select "Register."

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