Prior to Enrolling
Eligible service members must receive approval from an Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within your branch of military service prior to enrolling at Georgia College or any institution. Since military funding is limited, it is important for all service members to use all their resources in making any educational decision.
Veteran’s Administration Benefits Certification
As soon as you are admitted to the university, you should contact the VA Certifying Official in the Registrar’s Office to begin the process of applying for your benefits. The following documents are needed when completing an application:
- DD Form 214
- Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) (Required for those who are in the National Guard or Reserves)
- Kicker/Buy up documentation (If eligible)
- University Fund documentation (If eligible)
In order to receive VA benefits in subsequent semesters, you must notify the VA Certifying Official in the Registrar’s Office every semester after registering for classes. (We also encourage you to register at your earliest available opportunity to provide adequate processing time.) We cannot assume that you want to continue receiving benefits or certify you for a term without your permission.
Any time you make a schedule change, you must also immediately notify the Veteran Certifying Official of the change. Schedule changes include adding courses, dropping courses, or withdrawing from the university. Please note that a reduction in your course load may result in a retroactive reduction in benefits and a debt to the VA. You will be responsible for paying back any and all debts to the Veterans Administration if an overpayment is made.
In addition, the VA requires prompt notification whenever you change your program of study. If you change your major, you must report the change to the VA Certifying Official immediately. You will also need to complete a Form 22-1995 Requests for Change of Program or Place of Training or Form 22-5495 Chapter 35 to apply for a change of program.
Academic Credit for Military Experience
Georgia College is an institutional member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC), a group of over 1900 colleges and universities providing voluntary postsecondary education to members of the military. As a SOC member, Georgia College recognizes the unique nature of the military lifestyle and is committed to easing the transfer of relevant course credits, providing flexible academic residency requirements, and crediting learning from appropriate military training and experiences.
If you desire credit for your educational experience in the armed forces, you need to provide the Registrar’s Office with your Joint Service Transcript (JST), DD-214, or transcripts from the Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS), Community College of the Air Force (CCAF), Coast Guard Institute (CGI), and/or other appropriate transcripts that summarize the skills and experiences obtained during military service. The University Registrar will evaluate the courses taken in consultation with the faculty and appropriate department chairs and determine the appropriate amount of credit to be awarded. Georgia College awards credit for military experiences as recommended by the American Council on Education when these recommendations are consistent with our mission and course outcomes. Because most of our liberal arts coursework is grounded in the theoretical and foundational nature of knowledge, rather than the practical application of skills, the experiences completed through military training are not always consistent with the types of experiences a student would have in Georgia College classes.
There is no limit on the number of hours of armed forces education experience credit that can be awarded at Georgia College; however, a student must meet minimum residency and other degree requirements as outlined in the graduation requirements section of the university catalog.
Tuition Waivers
Active duty military personnel, separated military personnel, National Guard or Military Reserves members, their spouses, and their dependent children may be eligible for out-of-state tuition waivers. To receive more information, please contact our Student Accounts Office.
isakson and roe: section 1018
Additional information on disclosures and tools required by the Isakson and Roe Act are available on our Isakson and Roe page.
Priority Registration
Veterans of our Armed Services, Reservists, and members of the National Guard receive priority registration. This allows students to register on the first day of registration for the upcoming term, along with graduate students, other priority registration students, and seniors. Students desiring priority registration should provide a copy of their DD214 to the Registrar’s Office before registration begins.
Commissioning
Graduating students who will be commissioned into the armed services are invited to share that experience with the university community during our commencement ceremony. Please contact the University Registrar at least two months prior to the ceremony if you are interested.
Military Withdrawals
Understanding the unique requirements of military service, Georgia College & State University provides full refunds of tuition and mandatory fees and pro-rated refunds of elective fees for students in the following circumstances. Students in these circumstances should submit their call to active duty papers to the Registrar's Office.
- Military reservists and members of the National Guard who receive orders to active duty or are reassigned for temporary duty or mandatory training that prevents completion of the term.
- Active duty military personnel who receive reassignment or a temporary duty assignment or a training assignment that would prevent completion of the term.
- Those otherwise unusually and detrimentally affected by the activation of members of the reserve components or the deployment of active duty personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States who demonstrate a need for exceptional equitable relief.
Service Members Point of Contacts
The point of contact for Service Members for Tuition Assistance (TA) program is the Senior Student Accounts Manager with the Business Office. This point of contact will answer all concerns regarding the TA Program and certify the needed applications as well.
The point of contact for Service Members for the Department of Education Title IV funding will be Financial Aid Advisors who are assigned according to the students last name. The Financial Aid Advisor will ensure that all questions and concerns are addressed as it pertains to federal, state, and intuitional funds available to service members. Information regarding Financial Aid can be found here.
The Veterans Certification Representative serves as the point of contact in the Registrar’s Office for Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits. This representative will certify benefits and answer any questions and address any concerns.
Each point of contact ensures that they counsel service members on TA, financial aid or VA education benefits. Georgia College also have several departments that will help service members in areas such as academic counseling, job search support and other support services. These departments include but are not limited to:
Academic Advising Center
Career Center
Disability Services
Learning Center