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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 Veterans Services webpage 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). Please also see the VA approved programs by visiting the GI Bill® Comparison Tool.

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

Military students are required to choose a program of study and enroll only in classes required for that program. Enrolling in classes not required for a student's program of study may lead to charges that are not covered by VA 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 4 Copy or Service 2 of their DD Form 214 (copy includes your discharge status).  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 first term of attendance. This will ensure duplicate coursework is not certified and students are not required to return funds to the VA. 

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: 

  • All official transcripts must be evaluated by the Enrollment Services Office.  

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

Veterans may be awarded three (3) units of credit for the Lifelong Learning and Self-Development requirement by submitting 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. 

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

Students must be in satisfactory academic standing as outlined by Enrollment Services. A student in Academic or Progress Notice or Pause with Enrollment Services will be considered to have that same standing for their VA educational benefits. Students who are on Academic or Progress Pause will not be able to register for the subsequent term. For additional information contact one of the School Certifying Officials by emailing veterans@msjc.edu.   See – Enrollment Services Policy.

Veterans Resource Centers (VRCs)

The Veterans Resource Center provides comprehensive, student-centered support designed to assist veterans, active-duty service members, and their dependents in achieving their educational and personal goals. Services include assistance with education benefits and certification, transition support from military to college life, and connections to campus and community resources. The VRC offers dedicated study spaces, peer support opportunities, and referrals for additional services. The goal of the VRC is to create a welcoming environment that fosters success, belonging, and holistic well-being.

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 can visit the Veteran Services website for more information on the steps to prevent drops for non-payment.

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 re-enroll, 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-