Announcements
Greetings Veteran Students,
If you are using VA Educational Benefits (Post 9/11 GI Bill), you will be required to verify your enrollment with the VA. This is in addition to the Certification Request which must be submitted each semester to the MJC Veterans Services office.
Please be prepared to verify your enrollment with the VA by ensuring they have your correct contact information
Enrollment Verification
Starting in the 2021-2022 school year, Post-9/11 GI Bill® students who receive Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and/or kicker payments are required to verify their enrollment to continue receiving their payments. Read below to learn more about the enrollment verification requirement and verification methods.
What is enrollment verification?
Enrollment verification is a new requirement for Post-9/11 GI Bill students to verify that they have remained enrolled in the same courses or training every month. Students who receive MHA/kicker payments will have their payments withheld if they fail to verify or report that they are no longer enrolled in their courses or training. To streamline the process, VA is providing the option to verify enrollment easily and securely via text message.
How do I verify enrollment?
Text Message Verification
● Opt in: Students with a U.S. mobile phone number can use text messages as a simple, quick
option for verifying monthly enrollment. As your enrollment approaches, you will receive
the following opt-in text: “Post-9/11 GI Bill housing and kicker payments now require
monthly enrollment verification. Would you like to submit yours via text? Please reply
YES or NO.” Reply “YES” to opt in. The text message link will expire 14 days after receipt, so please respond within that time frame.
● Verify: After opting in, you can verify your enrollment every month simply by responding
to the following text message from VA: “Did you remain enrolled in your courses in
MONTH YEAR as certified? Please reply YES or NO. If you have dropped all your courses,
you must reply NO.” Reply “YES” to verify enrollment for the previous month. If you don’t reply within 6 days, the conversation will expire and you will need to call the Education Call Center
(ECC) at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) domestically or 001-918-781-5678 internationally
to verify your enrollment.
Enrollment verification via text message is safe and secure. VA will never ask for your personal information, such as social security number or bank account
information, via text.
VA strongly recommends text message verification for verifying your enrollment.
If you are unable to verify via text, you will need to contact the ECC at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) and ask a representative to verify your enrollment. NOTE: ECC wait times may be high due to the number of students verifying enrollment each month. If you’re not sure if VA has your phone number on file, you can also contact the ECC to update your contact information and ensure you can verify via text.
Want to Learn More? Here are step-by-step instructions on how to verify enrollment.
What happens if I fail to verify my enrollment
If you fail to verify enrollment for two consecutive months, your MHA/kicker payments will be placed on hold. In order to have your payments released, you will need to call the ECC to verify your enrollment. When you call the ECC to release your payments, you may also enroll in text message verification at that time.
Why am I being required to verify my enrollment?
By regularly verifying your enrollment, you protect your GI Bill entitlement by preventing charges for classes or training you did not attend. Though this new requirement is an additional step, enrollment verification is easy to do and will help you better manage and access your earned benefits, as well as help prevent overpayments.
New Process Beginning Spring 2022:
Students using Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits are required to verify enrollment each month. Failure to verify for two consecutive months will impact their Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and/or kicker payments.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are encouraging students to sign up for text message verification. This will provide students a simple and convenient verification option and ensure they receive MHA and/or kicker payments uninterrupted. After December 17, 2021, all impacted students with a US mobile phone number on file will receive an opt-in text as their next enrollment period approaches. Note: Students who do not have a US mobile phone number on file with VA will not be able to use text verification. They will be automatically enrolled into email verification.
VRC Help Desk:
The VRC is OPEN (Virtually) and our VA work-study’s are working remotely to support their fellow veteran and dependent students! The VRC is the liaison between veterans or their dependents, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Our goal is to provide Veteran students, and dependents with services to assist them as they embark on achieving their educational goals.
The Virtual Veterans Resource Center is also open, Monday to Thursday from 1:00pm to 2:00pm.
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android via this link.
Password: MJCVETS
Six Ways You Will Be Successful at MJC
MJC is committed to transforming lives! We do this through educational programs and services informed by the latest approaches to teaching and learning. MJC is a dynamic, innovative environment meeting needs of the ever-changing populations of our regional community.
We invite you to join us in a partnership for your success! Our role in the partnership is to thoughtfully and meaningfully integrate the RP Group research findings related to the Six Success Factors of Student Achievement.
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Directed-students have a goal and know how to achieve it
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Focused-students stay on track—keeping their eyes on the prize
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Connected-students feel somebody wants and helps them to succeed
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Engaged-students actively participate in class and extracurricular activities
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Nurtured-students feel like they are part of the college community
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Valued-students’ skills, talents, abilities and experiences are recognized; they have opportunities to contribute on campus and feel their contributions are appreciated
Veteran Services Service Area Outcome (SAO)
Veteran and Dependent students will know about available resources and services specifically designed for Veteran and Dependent students at Modesto Junior College.
Veteran Services-Support Service Learning Outcome (SSLO)
- Veteran and Dependent students will be able to identify and understand educational benefits earned through military service.
- Veteran and Dependent students will understand degree requirements, as well as receive necessary referrals and interventions in order to improve retention, transfer, and graduation rates.
- Veteran and dependent students will understand terminology and community resources available through military service upon completion of meeting with Veteran Center staff.
Veteran Affairs- Principles of Excellence
- Provide students with a personalized form covering the total cost of an education program.
- Provide educational plans for all military and Veteran education beneficiaries.
- End fraudulent and aggressive recruiting techniques and misrepresentations.
- Accommodate Service members and Reservists absent due to service requirements.
- Designate a point of contact to provide academic and financial advice.
- Ensure accreditation of all new programs prior to enrolling students.
- Align institutional refund policies with those under Title IV, which governs the administration of federal student financial aid programs.
Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018
The Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-407) was signed into law on December 31, 2018. This law has five sections pertinent to the administration of Veterans' educational or training benefits with two of the provisions directly affecting schools. The first of these provisions will be implemented in August.
Beginning on August 1, 2019, educational institutions must have a policy in place allowing G.I. Bill® and VR&E beneficiaries (Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 beneficiaries) to attend a course of education or training for up to 90 days from the date the beneficiary provides a certificate of eligibility, or valid VAF 28-1905. This allows a student to attend the course until VA provides payment to the institution. The educational institution must also have a policy to not impose a penalty, or require the beneficiary to borrow additional funds to cover tuition and fees due to late payments from VA. Section 103 requires a State Approving Agency (SAA), or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) when acting in the role of the SAA, to disapprove certain courses of education. VA can grant a waiver to these requirements.
‘‘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."