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Veterans Services

Veterans Educational Benefits

Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) values its Veterans, Active-Duty Service Members and Dependents. Students are offered personalized assistance to support their transition to and success at MSJC.   Students may visit one of our Veterans Resource Centers, call one of our Veterans Resources or connect with us by email (veterans@msjc.edu).

A majority of MSJC’s degree and certificate programs are approved for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  Our Employment Concentration programs are not.  For a listing of MSJC Degree and Certificate programs see – Awards < Mt. San Jacinto College (msjc.edu)

The following educational benefits are available to Veterans and Dependents at MSJC:

  • Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®)
  • Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill® - Active Duty)
  • Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness and Employment Program)
  • Chapter 35 (Dependents Educational Assistance)
  • Chapter 1606 (Montgomery GI Bill® - Reservists)
  • Cal Vet Fee Waiver
  • The California Military Department GI Bill® Award Program (CMD GI Bill®)

Military students are required to choose a major and enroll in classes required of that major. Enrolling in classes not required of a major may lead to a reduction or termination of benefits.

Priority Registration 

Priority registration is offered to active duty service members and Veterans.  Active duty service members may submit a copy of their Leave and Earning Statement (LES) and Veterans may submit Member Copy 4 of their DD Form 214.  California regulations require "an honorable discharge, a general discharge or another honorable discharge" for priority registration.  Not eligible for priority registration are "dishonorable discharges or bad conduct discharges". 

Transcripts and Transfer Credit

Official transcripts from the military (Joint Services Transcripts – JSTs) and all previous schools, colleges and CLEP tests must be submitted to Mt. San Jacinto College for evaluation before the end of the student’s second term of attendance.

Students interested in Credit for Prior Learning using their Joint Service Transcripts shall receive credit as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) and approved by the appropriate discipline faculty of the college under the following circumstances: 

  • Official transcripts must be on file in the Enrollment Services Office.  

  • Credit course equivalency shall be determined by the faculty of the appropriate discipline using Military Articulation Platform (MAP). 

  • MSJC enforces the completion of a 12 units of credit minimum for residency and these 12 units of credit must be taken at MSJC and must be on the transcript prior to any other credit being posted. Evaluation of other transcripts can occur without residency at MSJC. 

Veterans and Service members may have their JSTs reviewed and evaluated for Credit for Prior Learning by completing and submitting the Veteran Evaluation of Prior Credit form to our Enrollment Services Office.  The Veteran Evaluation of Prior Credit form may be found here Commonly Needed Forms | Mt. San Jacinto College (msjc.edu) 

Veterans may be awarded three (3) units of credit for the Lifelong Learning and Self Development requirement by submitting the Veteran Evaluation of Prior Credit form and a copy of their DD214, verifying 180 days of active military service, to the Enrollment Services Office.   Students who are on active military duty and have completed boot camp may apply to receive the credit.  

The course load requirements (Fall and Spring) for Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill®), Chapter 31 (Veterans Readiness and Employment), Chapter 35 (Dependents’ Educational Assistance), and Chapter 1606 (Montgomery GI Bill® – Selected Reserve) are:

Course Load Units
Full Time 12 units or more
¾ Time 9-11 ½ units
½ time 6-8 ½ units
¼ Time 3-5 ½ units
1

Chapter 33 recipients must be enrolled in a minimum of 7 units to receive partial Monthly Housing Allowance payments.

Summer Session: Full-time is considered 4 units in a six-week course or 6 units in an eight-week course.

Students taking a course that lasts less than a semester may be paid only for the actual enrollment period. If the student receives a “W” grade for non-attendance, they may be liable to repay the VA for the housing allowance received.  Any tuition and/or fees the VA covered will need to be repaid directly to the institution.

Students must be enrolled, attending, and successfully completing courses to be eligible for VA benefits. All grades of “W” will be reported to the VA and may result in the reduction or loss of benefits.

Continuing and returning students who were previously enrolled and qualified for VA Education Benefits and wish to continue to receive benefits must submit a Statement of Responsibility (SOR) form to Veterans Services each semester and each time a course is added and/or dropped.

Visit us on the web at msjc.edu/veterans/, for more information about the program and our office hours. You may also contact Veterans Services at (951) 639-5237 or via email at Veterans@msjc.edu.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA).

To receive VA Educational Benefits a student must be in satisfactory academic standing as outlined by Enrollment Services. A student in Academic Warning or Academic Probation with Enrollment Services will be considered to have that same standing for their VA educational benefits. For additional information contact one of the School Certifying Officials.   See – Enrollment Services Policy.

  • Veterans Resource Center
    San Jacinto Campus 1560
    (951) 639-5237; or
  • Veterans Resource Center
    Menifee Valley Campus, 2001
    (951) 639-5237; or 
  • Veterans Resource Center
    Temecula Valley Campus, 2nd Floor, Room 257
    (951) 639-5237

Veterans Resource Centers (VRCs)

The Veterans Resource Centers (VRCs) are located in Building 1560 (San Jacinto Campus), Building 2001 (Menifee Valley Campus) and in Room 257 on the 2nd Floor, of our Temecula Valley Campus. 

Our VRCs provide a welcoming and safe environment designed to support the needs of MSJC Veterans and Dependents.  Students are offered personalized assistance to support their transition to and success at MSJC and include:

  • A Veterans Counselor for academic and career counseling;
  • A full-time School Certifying Official to assist with Federal and State VA Education benefits;
  • VA Student Employees to guide and support a student’s transition and success;
  • On and Off Campus Resources specifically designed to support the success of Student Veterans and Dependents;
  • Free computer use and printing;
  • A lounge area with refreshments, a couch and tables, a flat screen TV, a DVD player, a refrigerator, a coffee maker, and a microwave; and
  • A conference/study area.

MSJC serves more than 1,400 Veteran students district wide and the VRC ultimately accommodates the influx of Veterans through a seamless and supportive transition into college life.

Policy Protecting Students from Fees and Penalties Due to VA Payment Delay (Preventing Drop for Nonpayment)

Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) military students with Chapter 33 GI Bill® benefits or Chapter 31 Veterans Readiness and Employment benefits may register and attend classes without penalty if the beneficiary submits a written request to use entitlement along with verifiable and authoritative proof of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance (e.g., Certificate of Eligibility; Statement of Benefits) not later than the same day the individual registers for classes.

MSJC will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 beneficiary borrow additional funds, because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to MSJC due to the delayed disbursement of a Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 payment.

A student entitled to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 VA Educational benefits must submit the following to prevent drops for non-payment:

  1. Chapter 33 Beneficiaries.  Submit a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for entitlement for educational assistance no later than the same day the individual registers for classes for a course of education for which the individual  wishes to use the individual’s entitlement, or
  2. Chapter 31 Beneficiaries.  The Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Counselor must submit a Purchase Order through Tungsten Network for eligibility verification no later than the same day the individual registers for classes, and,
  3. Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 Beneficiaries.  Provide additional information necessary for the proper certification of enrollment by MSJC (i.e., Statement of Responsibility) no later than the same day the individual registers for classes.

In-State Tuition 

Under Section 702 of the Veterans Choice Act and California Assembly Bill 1606, if you are a Covered Individual under a GI Bill® program (Chapter 30 or Chapter 33), the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program (Chapter 31) or, the Dependent Education Assistance program (Chapter 35), you may be eligible for In-State Tuition rates at MSJC even if you have not lived in California prior to the start of the term.  

Once classes start, however, you will need to be living in California. 

As a Veteran, you are a “Covered Individual” if you have served on Active Duty for at least 90 days since September 10th, 2001. 

Note: Section 702 of the Veterans Choice Act covers you only after discharge, not while you are still on active duty or while you are a member of the Active Guard Reserve (AGR). 

As a spouse or child of a Veteran, you are a “Covered Individual” if one of these is true: 

  • You are using educational benefits transferred from a Veteran, or 

  • You are using benefits under the Fry scholarship and the Veteran served for a period of active-duty service of at least 90 days before their death, or 

  • You are using benefits through the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Education Assistance (DEA) program (Chapter 35). 

You will keep your status as a Covered Individual if you stay enrolled at MSJC. You can take scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms, but if you leave MSJC and then reenroll, you will not keep your status as a Covered Individual. 

If you feel you are eligible based on the above criteria, please obtain your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and contact MSJC Veterans Services at 951.639.5237 or Veterans@msjc.edu 

You may obtain a copy of your COE from the VA at https://www.va.gov/ 

You may also visit one of our Veterans Resource Centers (VRCs) for additional information.  

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 Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill-