Veterans Resource Information
Montgomery G.I. Bill® Educational Assistance Program – Active Duty (MGIB)
Eligibility
The Montgomery G.I. Bill® (Active Duty), also known as Chapter 30, is a program of education benefits generally for individuals who entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985, and had their basic pay reduced by $100 a month for the first 12 months of service. The participant must meet the requirements for a high school diploma or an equivalency certificate before the first period of active duty ends. Completing 12 credit hours toward a college degree meets this requirement. Other individuals may qualify based on their active duty service. Benefits available to each may vary depending on their particular situation and length of service. Contact the Department of Veterans’ Affairs at 1-888-442-4551 with questions about eligibility criteria.
Education and Training Available
The following opportunities are available under the Montgomery G.I. Bill®: courses at colleges and universities leading to associate, bachelor or graduate degrees, independent study or cooperative training programs, courses leading to a certificate or diploma from business, technical or vocational schools, apprenticeship or on-job training programs, correspondence courses, and flight training. Before beginning training, the veteran must have a private pilot license and meet the physical requirements for a commercial license. The individual may also receive tutorial assistance benefits if enrolled in school half-time or more. Remedial, deficiency and refresher training may also be available.
Entitlement
Generally there is 36 months or the equivalent in part-time training. You may receive a maximum of 48 months of benefits under more than one VA program. In most cases eligibility expires 10 years after last discharge from active duty.
Montgomery G.I. Bill® Eligibility – Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)
The Montgomery G.I. Bill® (Selected Reserve) also known as Chapter 1606 is for members of the reserve elements of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, as well as the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. To be eligible a reservist must: have a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve signed after June 30, 1985 or; if an officer, agree to serve six years in addition to the original obligation, complete Initial Active Duty for Training (ADT), meet the requirements for a high school diploma or equivalent certificate before completing the IADT, and remain in good standing in a Selected Reserve unit.
Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) or Chapter 1607 provides benefits to a member of a reserve component who serves on active duty on or after September 11, 2001 under title 10 U.S. Code for a contingency operation and who serves at least 90 consecutive days or more. National Guard members also are eligible if their active duty is under section 502(f), title 32 U.S.C. and they serve for 90 consecutive days when authorized by the President or Secretary of Defense for a national emergency and is supported by federal funds. Individuals are eligible as soon as they reach the 90-day point whether or not they are currently on active duty. DoD will fully identify contingency operations that qualify for benefits under Chapter 1607.
Disabled members who are injured or have an illness or disease incurred or aggravated in the line of duty and are released from active duty before completing 90 consecutive days are also eligible.
Education and Training Available
Reservists may pursue any program of education approved for Chapter 30. Remedial, deficiency and refresher training may also be available to the reservist.
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program
Eligibility
Educational assistance benefits, also known as Chapter 35, are available to spouses and children of veterans who die or are permanently and totally disabled as a result of a disability arising from active service in the Armed Forces; Veterans who die from any cause while rated permanently and totally disabled from service-connected disability; Service persons presently missing in action or captured in line of duty by a hostile force; or Service persons presently detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government power.
Education and Training Available
Benefits are payable for approved programs of education at institutions approved for Veterans’ training. The individual with a deficiency in a subject may also receive tutorial assistance benefits if he or she is enrolled half-time or more. Remedial, deficiency and refresher training may also be available.
Special Benefits
An eligible child who is handicapped by a physical or mental disability that prevents pursuit of an educational program may receive special restorative training. This may involve speech and voice correction, language retraining, lip reading, auditory training, Braille reading, writing and similar programs. Specialized vocational training is available to an eligible spouse or child over age 14 who is handicapped by a physical or mental disability that prevents pursuit of an educational program.
VA will provide counseling services, including testing, to help an eligible dependent select an educational or vocational objective, develop a plan to achieve it, and overcome any problems which might interfere with its successful achievement.
Entitlement
45 months of education or training or the equivalent in part-time training.
Training for Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities (Vocational Rehabilitation)
Eligibility
Also known as Chapter 31, a veteran may be eligible for benefits if he or she incurred or aggravated a service-connected disability and who is in need of vocational rehabilitation because his or her disability creates an employment handicap. Vocational rehabilitation may be provided for up to 48 months. An eligible veteran now generally has 12 years from the date he or she is notified of entitlement to DVA compensation in which to use these benefits. DVA may approve an extension of time and/or length of training in certain cases. Disabled veterans are encouraged to contact the DVA office nearest them to obtain detailed information and to request Form 28-1900, Disabled Veterans’ Application for Vocational Rehabilitation.
State of Illinois Veteran Grant Program
The Illinois Veteran Grant will pay for in-state and in-district tuition and certain fees at all state-controlled colleges, universities and community colleges. The grant may be used for a period equivalent to four calendar years, including summer terms. Use of the program is determined by a unit system in which the maximum number of units available is 120.
The student must complete an application form, and provide a Form DD214 Member 4, containing discharge information, or its equivalent, which verifies dates of service and residency prior to and after separation from service. Applications are available at the student’s college of choice and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) and should be submitted to: ISAC, 1755 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, IL 60015. Individual questions regarding eligibility should be directed to ISAC.
MIA/POW Scholarship
Eligibility
Any spouses, natural child, legally adopted child, or any stepchild of a veteran or service person who has been declared by the U.S. Veterans Administration to be a prisoner of war, missing-in-action, have died as the result of a service connected disability or permanently disabled from service connected causes with 100 percent disability and who, at the time of entering service, was an Illinois resident or was an Illinois resident within six (6) months of entering service shall be eligible for the scholarship.
The child must begin using the scholarship prior to his or her 26th birthday. The course of study must be completed by the expiration of the twelfth year from the initial term of study.
Entitlement
An eligible dependent is entitled to full payment of tuition and certain fees to any state-supported Illinois institution of higher learning consisting of the equivalent of four calendar years of full-time enrollment including summer terms (i.e. 120 points).
Any dependent who has been or shall be awarded the scholarship shall be reimbursed by the appropriate institution for any tuition and fees which he or she has paid for and for which exemption is granted under this section, if application for reimbursement is made within two months following the end of the school term for which payment was made.
In lieu of a four-year scholarship, any eligible dependent with a physical, mental, or developmental disability shall be entitled to receive a benefits to be used for the purpose of defraying the cost of attendance or treatment at one or more appropriate therapeutic, rehabilitative or educational facilities.
Applications available in the Financial Aid Office and Veterans’ Affairs Office.
Illinois National Guard Grant
Eligibility
The applicant must be on active duty and must have served for at least one year in the Illinois National Guard. Company grade officers are eligible as well as enlisted personnel. Time in other branches of the service does not count toward this requirement. The applicant must comply with Selective Service registration requirements and must not be in default on any Illinois Student Assistance Commission guaranteed student loan(s). The recipient must maintain an acceptable grade point average (GPA) according to the policy determined by the college of record.
Illinois National Guard members who have been called to federal active duty service may also be qualified applicants for the Illinois Veteran Grant Program. More details are provided at Illinois Veteran Grant Program page.
If the applicant ceases to be a member of the Illinois National Guard, the educational benefits will be terminated as of the Guard term that remains after Guard termination shall become the responsibility of the applicant.
The Illinois National Guard Grant must be reapplied for each year.
The ING grant code for Richland Community College is 133
Deadlines for ING: You must reapply each year.
- October 1 for full year consideration
- March 1 for second semester and summer term consideration
- June 15 for summer term consideration
Forever GI Bill®
The Forever GI Bill® provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. Veterans must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.
The Veterans’ Affairs office is located with the Financial Aid office in the Student Success Center located at the main entrance of campus.
Addendum to Catalog
Compliance with 38 USC 3679(e)
VA Pending Payment Compliance
Beginning August 1, 2019, and despite any policy to the contrary, Richland Community College WILL NOT take any of the following actions toward any student using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while their payment from the United States Department of Veteran Affairs is pending to the educational institution:
1) Prevent their enrollment;
2) Assess a late penalty fee to;
3) Require they secure alternative or additional funding;
4) Deny their 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:
1) Produce the VA’s Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class;
2) Provide written request to be certified;
3) Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies (see our VA School Certifying Official for all requirements).
