Veteran Services
- Educational Benefits
- Dependents
- Dependents of California Veterans
- Registration Procedures
- Courses
- Dropping or Adding Classes, Withdrawals
- Changes of Major, Address, and Dependents
- Additional Course Enrollment Information
- Less-Than-Semester-Length Courses
- Disqualification
- Southwestern College General Catalog
- Placement Test/Transcript
The Veterans Services Office provides assistance to veterans and their dependents who may be eligible for various educational benefits. Applications and information for applying and using these benefits may be obtained from the Veterans Services Office, and/or the Department of Veterans Affairs, 8810 Rio San Diego Drive, San Diego, CA 92108. Every student who plans to attend under veterans benefits is required to complete the proper paperwork at the campus Veterans Services Office each semester.
Wives, widows, and children under age 26 of deceased or 100% disabled veterans may be eligible for educational assistance if the veteran's death or disability was service-connected. Information is available in the Veterans Services Office.
Dependents of California Veterans
Students who are widows, in some cases, or children of veterans may be eligible for educational assistance. Information regarding these benefits may be obtained at the County Veterans Office, 734 Beech St., Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92101-2402, or call 619/531-4545.
Students receiving benefits need to declare their courses each semester with the Veterans Services Office. The Veterans Services Office will certify and report your enrollment information to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Students are responsible for enrolling in courses needed for completion of their degree. Continuing students should refer to their latest Student Educational Plan (SEP). Courses may not be repeated if they have previously been completed with a passing grade. Remember, a grade of "D" is considered to be passing, except for courses in which a grade of "C" or better is required for graduation.
Dropping or Adding Classes, Withdrawals
The Veterans Services Office must report unit load changes immediately to the Department of Veterans Affairs. In order to avoid possible overpayment of benefits and subsequent billing from the Department of Veterans Affairs, it is imperative that students collecting benefits report all course changes, unit load changes, withdrawals, etc. to the Veterans Services Office.
Changes of Major, Address, and Dependents
These changes should be reported to the campus Veterans Services Office as soon as they occur so that the necessary forms can be completed.
Additional Course Enrollment Information
The Student must make up grades of "incomplete". Students may not repeat and receive benefits a second time for a course in which a grade of "incomplete" was originally assigned.
The Department of Veterans Affairs does not penalize the student for courses "failed" (courses in which a grade of "F" is received). If these courses are required to complete the degree, they may be taken again and claimed for veteran's benefits. Continual substandard grades, however, may disqualify a student from attending Southwestern College.
Credit by Challenge Examination may never be claimed for veterans' benefits.
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Less-Than-Semester-Length Courses
Less-than-semester-length courses are certified by the Veterans Services office for the exact dates of the course only, and not for the entire semester.
The Veterans Services Office must notify the Department of Veterans Affairs whenever a veteran or dependent is subject to academic and/or progress disqualification. Veteran's benefits are immediately suspended. Students are urged to take advantage of the tutorial assistance benefits offered through the Department of Veterans Affairs as soon as academic difficulties begin.
Southwestern College General Catalog
Veteran and dependent students are held individually responsible for the information contained in the catalog. Failure to read and comply with Southwestern College regulations will not exempt a veteran student from whatever penalties occur. The section in the catalog pertaining to Academic Policies and Regulations is one of particular concern to veteran students collecting educational benefits.
In order for a student's academic program to be certified for veterans' benefits, he/she must take the mathematics, writing, and reading placement tests. The student is also responsible for ensuring that all official transcripts of prior college work are on file with the Admissions Center by the end of the first semester.
Second semester students cannot be certified for benefits without a Student Educational Plan (SEP). Once all assessment tests are taken and all official transcripts are on file with Admissions, a counseling appointment must be made to have an SEP completed. Students need to plan ahead to avoid possible interruption of veterans' benefits.
CESAR E. CHAVEZ BUILDING OPERATIONAL HOURS - FALL 2010 (PDF, 135KB)
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