• Benefits will be received depending on the veteran’s enrollment status as a full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time, or less-than-half-time degree-seeking student.
• VA students are encouraged to meet with their Academic Advisor when selecting courses.
• Students will be approved only for courses that fulfill the exact requirements of the declared degree; no courses outside the declared program will be approved. Students must carefully select their courses; failure to do so may affect certification.
• The VA will not pay to repeat successfully completed courses, regardless of when the course was completed. Exceptions are made in cases where the course was failed or a course grade does not meet the minimum requirements for graduation. As a result, all transfer work must be evaluated before certification.
• Students may enroll for independent study courses (i.e., cooperative education), provided more than one-half of the credit hours required for certification are earned through regular classroom courses.
• Audit (X) courses cannot be approved for benefits.
• Hybrid courses are considered “seated” for VA certification.
• The VA will pay for developmental courses based on test scores, if required, for initial placement. The course delivery method must be fully seated.

Priority Registration

Currently enrolled students using VA educational benefits will receive “priority registration.” Students are notified of the registration dates via Lakehawk Mail each semester. New students to LSSC will follow the dates for new/transfer students to register for the first semester. First-time college students must attend a New Student Advising and Registration (NSAR) session before registering for classes. Transfer students will meet with an Academic Advisor to discuss courses for the upcoming semester. Information on NSAR is sent to students in advance of the start of each term with options for attendance. Students can schedule advising appointments under the Student Resources card in myLSSC.

Enrollment Certification Each Semester

Certification of enrollment hours takes place upon meeting with your VA Academic Advisor and submitting your documents through a Student Forms Workflow. The Workflow link is available under the Student Resources card in myLSSC. Students receiving benefits under Chapter 30 and Chapter 1606 must verify their enrollment hours by telephone at 888-442-4551 or via web at www.gibill.va.gov/wave/index.do. Students receiving Chapter 33 benefits must also verify their enrollment monthly. Chapter 33 students can opt into the VA text verification system or call the VA Education Call Center at 888-442-4551.

Veteran Educational Benefits are typically sent to students 45 to 90 days after certification of enrollment hours.

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 at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Housing Allowance

Students utilizing Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 veteran benefits must meet the required federal guidelines to receive a monthly stipend. The entitlement amount is determined by the number of credit hours taken during the semester and the requirement to take at least one fully seated or hybrid delivery course that meets the entire semester.

Changes to Semester Hour Status

VA benefits will be reduced if a student withdraws from a class, changes enrollment status from full-time to three-quarter-time or half-time, or from three-quarter-time to half-time. If the Veteran's enrollment status changes during a semester (e.g., a drop or withdrawal from one or more courses), the Veteran's Academic Advisor and the LSSC VA Certifying Official will adjust the benefits. The student is responsible for resolving any balance due to LSSC or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs resulting from the change in hours.

Fee Deferment, Textbooks, and Materials

The Veteran’s Certifying Official in the Financial Aid Office will issue a deferment for payment of student fees when you register for classes and submit a certification request.   If you have had a break in your educational program, you may need to provide an updated VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE), register for classes, and submit a certification request. While tuition and fee payment is pending from the VA, Lake-Sumter State College will not: prevent your enrollment; assess a late penalty fee; require you to secure alternative or additional funding; deny you 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 qualify for this provision, you will be required to produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class, provide a request to be certified using Workflow in myLSSC, and provide any additional information needed to properly certify your enrollment.

The deferment of payment applies to all chapters, but specifically to students receiving Chapter 31, 33, and 35 benefits. Lake-Sumter State College shall not impose financial or access penalties for up to 60 days.

LSSC will not assess a financial or access penalty for Chapter 31 and Chapter 33 beneficiaries, for up to 90 days, following the certification of enrollment to the VA for payment.

Please contact VeteransOffice@LSSC.edu with any questions.

Conduct Standards

Conduct standards for veterans and other eligible persons are the same as those for all students, per our Student Code of Conduct. If a student receiving veteran benefits is dismissed from the College for disciplinary reasons, a report will be made to the VA, and benefits may be terminated.

Academic Records

A cumulative, permanent record is kept for all students. This record shows all college credits attempted and earned. This includes all grades earned, including incompletes (I), audits (X), withdrawals (W), and semester and cumulative grade point averages (GPA). At the end of each semester, grades will be available online via myLSSC approximately one week after the last day of scheduled final exams.

Students who receive a grade of incomplete (I) will have until the end of the subsequent semester to complete the missing work; otherwise, the incomplete grade will be recorded as an incomplete failure (IF). A grade of "IF" has the same effect as an "F" on the student’s grade point average. For specific dates, please refer to the LSSC Academic and Registration Calendar.

Academic Progress

All students receiving veteran benefits must achieve satisfactory progress toward educational goals by meeting the established standards of academic progress. Students should refer to the Standards of Academic Progress section. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with the standards of academic progress. Students who do not maintain satisfactory academic progress will need to follow the information provided in the Academic Standing section.

The VA will be notified to terminate benefits for any student receiving veteran benefits whose overall GPA remains below 2.0 after two semesters. The student may be recertified for veteran benefits upon attaining satisfactory academic progress (2.0 overall GPA) and being removed from academic probation. A student who is declared ineligible for veteran benefits because of unsatisfactory progress and who wishes to be reinstated must meet with the LSSC VA Certifying Official.

Attendance

Punctual and regular attendance is encouraged in all courses and course activities. Any class session missed reduces learning opportunities and may adversely affect the grade earned in the course. Instructors will establish and include their class attendance policies in each course syllabus at the beginning of each term. 

Note:  Initial attendance is recorded based on being present in class and/or submitting an assigned academic-related activity during the first two weeks of the course. If marked as not attending during this period, the student will be financially responsible for the course, and Financial Aid and Veteran benefits may be decreased. Students reported as not attending will remain in the class, per Administrative Procedure 3-05.

Tutoring Assistance

Lake-Sumter State College offers learning services to all students. Refer to the Learning Center for all tutoring subject areas: https://libguides.lssc.edu/learning.

Veterans and other eligible persons receiving an educational assistance allowance are eligible for reimbursement for tutoring assistance. The course instructor must certify that the student needs private tutoring and that the requested subject area is unavailable through LSSC’s Learning Center. If applicable, the student must complete and submit VA Form 22-1990t for reimbursement. Students should contact VeteransOffice@LSSC.edu for assistance.LSSC is proud to serve those who have served in our country's armed forces. Dedicated staff are available to assist veterans in receiving educational benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs as they transition to LSSC and pursue their educational goals.