Veterans Services and Certification

Seminole Community College is approved for the training of entitled veterans and/or dependents who can qualify for such training under any current federal laws. Procedures for admission to the College and registration for classes are the same as followed by all students. The College's Veterans Affairs Office (room A104-F, building A, on the Sanford/Lake Mary Campus) is able to provide information and assistance in the following areas:

• Applying for educational benefits and obtaining certificate of eligibility;
• Veterans' special needs and counseling;
• Authorized deferment of payment of tuition and fees; and
• VA-funded tutorial assistance.

If a veteran has not previously applied for VA educational benefits, the following should be brought to the College's Veteran Affairs Office:

• A copy of each DD-214 (separation papers); 
• Certified copies of marriage certificates, divorce decrees, children's birth certificates and/or any other papers reflecting dependent status (active duty prior to 1977); and
• A copy of the DD-2384-1 form (NOBE) signed by Reserves on NG Unit.

Agencies locally available for assistance are the Seminole County Veterans Service Office in Sanford, Florida, and the VA Regional Office in Decatur, Georgia.

Veterans: According to Florida law, any eligible veteran or other eligible student receiving benefits under Chapters 30, 31, 32, 34, 35 and 1606, 1607, Title 38, United States Code, is entitled to one 60-day deferment of his matriculation or registration fee each academic year and an additional deferment each time there is a delay in the receipt of his benefit, provided that the period of deferment does not exceed the number of days of the term or course for which the student is registered. The deferment of fees shall begin the first scheduled day of classes in any term and all deferred fees must be paid in full within 60 days or by 10 days prior to the end of the term, whichever period of time is the lesser. Some fees are not eligible for deferment and the student is responsible for these fees at the time of registration. Eligible students desiring to exercise this right should contact the College Veterans Affairs Office.

College Credit Courses: Veterans who are absent from class 10 percent of the scheduled class time are subject to be dropped without warning. Veterans may be readmitted at the discretion of the instructor.

Career Programs Certificate Courses: Veterans who are absent 10 percent of the assigned hours in a calendar month, or whose cumulative absences exceed 10 percent of the total hours in a program for which they have received VA certification, may have this certification terminated for lack of attendance. Partial absences will be considered cumulative.

Students may be recertified in the program when the instructor determines the absences do not jeopardize the student's ability to satisfactorily complete the course in the prescribed time period.

Students have the right of appeal through the Collegewide Petitions Committee when they feel the circumstances warrant such action.

Satisfactory Progress: Veterans and/or other dependents eligible to receive VA educational benefits must be aware of current Veteran Administration regulations and the Standards of Progress that apply. The following are of specific concern to those students who desire VA Enrollment Certification:

• Satisfactory progress must be maintained according to the Standards of Academic Progress for Financial Aid Recipients. When students are placed on Academic Probation a request for termination of benefits is forwarded to the regional VA Office in Decatur, Georgia.
• Certification is not made for any course taken that does not directly apply to the program authorized by the VA.
• Certification is not made for any course previously completed with a passing grade.
• VA payments are not authorized for any course in which the Veteran receives a grade of W (withdraw), X (audited) or N (no credit). A student who receives a grade of I (incomplete) must complete the coursework with the instructor during the first 10 college days of the following term, otherwise a grade of F is assigned and the VA Office is notified.

Program Substitution for Veterans: Substitution of unrelated courses outside the certified major must have prior approval from the state approving agency and according to SCC policy and procedures. The Veterans Administration views any other course substitution as a violation of approval criteria and subject to appropriate VA action.

The following conditions must be met by the school if a course substitution made by anyone receiving VA educational allowance:

• Document condition for allowing substituted course in all course codes for original and substituted course; 
• Ensure that the substituted course is made prior to the veteran's completion or registration for the term in which the substituted course is to be taken, not to include add/drop period; 
• Place copies of all material related to the veteran's substituted course in their individual folders; and
• Ensure that the substitution is in compliance with the SCC course substitution procedure.

Veteran Course Selection: An educational program selected by a veteran must be complete in that it must include all training needed to reach the stated objective. It must be generally accepted as being required for the attainment of the selected objective. Questions regarding any veteran policy should be directed to the Veterans Affairs Office.

Did you know?

SCC intercollegiate athletic teams include baseball, softball, women's golf and men's and women's basketball.