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Students using Chapter 31 (Veterans Readiness and Employment) or Chapter 33 (the Post 9/11 GI Bill®) education benefits are permitted to attend or participate in the course of study beginning on the date on which the student provides to the CF Veterans Services Office a Certificate of Eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33. CF will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees or the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other college facilities. CF will not require any student who is using Chapter 31 or 33 to borrow additional funds due to the student’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to CF due to the delayed disbursement of funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs under Chapter 31 or 33.
Students must submit their Certificate of Eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance no later than the first day of a course of study for which they have indicated they would like to use their educational benefits and provide a copy of their schedule to the CF Veterans Services Office, building 11, at the Ocala Campus, or email the schedule and the Certification of Courses for VA Educational Benefits Form to veterans@cf.edu. A student is then protected in his or her courses while the VA processes payment to CF. This benefit is afforded to the student as long as he or she is receiving benefits under Chapter 31 or 33.
In accordance with Florida law and college policy, any eligible veteran or dependent wishing to pursue an approved program within the parameters of Chapter 30, 35, or 1606 will have, upon request, up to 90 days after the first day of classes to pay registration fees. Students using VA educational benefits are responsible for payment of all deferred fees by the due date regardless of whether or not they have received benefits from the VA.
Veteran and dependent students receiving a VA deferment will be expected to pay their tuition and fees by the due date on their CF deferment contract. If the fees are not paid by the due date on the VA deferment contract, the following may occur:
- The student may be barred from class attendance.
- The student may be administratively withdrawn from current class enrollment and earn no grades or credits for the semester.
- No grades, transcripts or other academic records will be issued from the Office of Enrollment Services.
- The student’s VA education benefits will be terminated along with current semester enrollment and reported to the VA. This will result in an overpayment status with the Veteran’s Administration, and any received VA funds may need to be returned to the VA.
- The student will be in a repayment status to CF and be held responsible for tuition and fees owed even if the student earns no credit for their semester.
- The student will be barred from future registration until fees are paid.
- If fees remain unpaid, the student’s account will be turned over for collection.
- The student will forfeit eligibility to receive any future VA deferments while attending CF.
Under Public Law 116.315, veterans cannot be certified to the VA by CF in any program in which Chapter 30, Chapter 33 and Chapter 35, and Chapter 1606 VA education benefit recipients comprise more than 85 percent of the enrollment in the program. Chapter 35 VA students are included in the 85:15 percent ratio computation; however, they can be certified to the VA in any approved program, regardless of the percentage of veterans in that program.
Payment Policy
Many veterans receive additional types of aid other than VA benefits, such as a Federal Pell grant or Federal Direct Student Loans. Since final coursework certification is not submitted until after the drop/add period has ended, tuition payment from the VA may not have been received by the college at the time of disbursement of the additional aid. CF’s policy is to deduct payments owed to the college from the funds that are available at the time of disbursement. Once the VA has submitted tuition payment to the college on the veteran’s behalf, those funds, less any tuition or fees still owed to CF, will be disbursed to the student.
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