The Tennessee College of Applied Technology programs may be approved for students to use their VA benefits. Please check WEAMS Public at https://inquiry.vba.va.gov/weamspub/buildSearchInstitutionCriteria.do for the list of currently approved programs at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology. If your program is not listed, please contact the VA School Certifying Official.

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 website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/. Additional details regarding VA benefits are listed under the Veterans Assistance section of this handbook.

Military reserve, National Guard, and other military-affiliated individuals will be readmitted and pay tuition at rates in accordance with TBR Policy 2.03.01.04, Readmission of Service Members.

This program assists eligible veterans and dependents of veterans by providing educational benefits through the Veterans Administration. Appropriate forms to be completed should be obtained from the VA Certifying Official prior to enrollment. Veterans must submit transcripts/certificates of previous education/training from Colleges, technical or vocational schools, military, etc., to apply for benefits. Upon enrollment, veterans should present their DD214 form and/or their Notice of Eligibility, to the VA Certifying Official where paperwork will be processed and forwarded to the Veterans Administration. Veterans will receive their benefit checks directly from the Veterans Administration approximately six to eight weeks from their enrollment date.

If you are receiving benefits based on your status as a service person, veteran, or reservist you must verify your enrollment at the end of each month to receive benefits. Benefits are paid after each month of school is completed. For Post 9/11 Chapter 33 benefits, verification can be done in several ways:  

• Text Messaging –To streamline the verification process, VA is encouraging students to sign up for text messaging. To do so, students can contact the Education Call Center (ECC) at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) to ensure VA has their mobile phone number. Students who choose VA’s “Opt-In” feature will receive a text message each month prompting them to verify their enrollment status. 
• Telephone – Students who Do Not Opt-In for text may call the Education Call Center (ECC) at 888-442-4551 to verify their enrollment status.  For Chapter 30 or 1606 benefits, verification can be done beginning the last day of the month by using the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) at https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave or by calling toll-free at 1-877-823-2378 and using your touch-tone phone. Both systems are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. If you are receiving VEAP or Dependents Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) benefits are sent automatically each month, no need to verify enrollment. 
• Email – Students choosing not to “Opt-In” to text messaging can choose to verify enrollment via the email address on record with the VA. ID.me or Login.gov account – Students with an existing account can sign in to verify school enrollment and must verify clock hours enrolled and start and end dates of enrollment for the month. Online – Students can verify enrollment through Ask VA at  https://ask.va.gov/ and must include enrollment dates in the message.  Additional details on enrollment verification are provided at  https://www.va.gov/education/verify-school-enrollment/ and on the VA’s infographic at https://benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/images/IsaksonRoe/1010-ihl-process-infographic.pdf.  

• For Chapter 30 and 1606 benefits: verification can be done beginning the last day of the month by using the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) at https://gibill.va.gov/wave/index.do or by calling toll-free at 1-877-823-2378. Both systems are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. If you are receiving VEAP or Dependents Educational Assistance (Chapter 35), benefits are sent automatically each month, so there is no need to verify enrollment.

Service members, veterans, and dependents of veterans who are eligible beneficiaries of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits or other governmentally funded educational assistance, subject to the conditions and guidelines set forth in the Tennessee Code Annotated 49-7-104 as amended, may elect, upon formal application, to defer payment of required tuition and fees until the final day of the term for which the deferment has been requested. Application for the deferment must be made no later than 7 days before the beginning of the term, and the amount of the deferment shall not exceed the total monetary benefits to be received for the term. Students who have been granted deferments are expected to make timely payments on their outstanding tuition and fees balance once education benefits are delivered, and eligibility for such deferment shall terminate if the student fails to abide by any applicable rule or regulation or to act in good faith in making timely payments.

This notice is published pursuant to T.C.A. §49-7-104.

VA education benefits may be reduced for individuals who have a change of enrollment (drop from full-time to part-time/withdrawal) prior to the end of a trimester. In this situation, the institution must return aid to the Department of Veterans Affairs and a billing may be created on a student account. Students who withdraw in this type of scenario are responsible for payment to the institution.

Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018
Public Law 115-407

The Tennessee College of Applied Technology adheres to Public Law 115-407 and does not have any active policies inconsistent with section 103 of the law. The college ensures efficient processing of benefits and successful transition for our veterans and family members in the following ways:

1. Any covered individual will be able to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution a Certificate of Eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33 (a “Certificate of Eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website – eBenefits, or an authorization for Chapter 31 benefits) and ending on the earlier of the following dates:

• The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution.
• 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility.

Tennessee College of Applied Technology 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 covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under Chapter 31 or 33.

2. Students receiving VA educational benefits or VA Veteran Readiness and Employment Benefits as well as financial aid are permitted to purchase necessary books and supplies prior to aid receipt.

3. In the event, a student is eligible and certified for payment, but DVA’s payment is significantly delayed, Accounts Receivable will remove a balance due hold to allow registration for subsequent semesters.

Any additional documentation required for processing must be submitted.

Active Duty Military including National Guard and Reserve

In accordance with Change 4, DoDI 1322.25 (April 02, 2021) (Appendix to Enclosure 3, 4. f. (2) (d) (page 42)), "All institutions will have an institutional policy that returns any unearned TA funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60 percent portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending."

The Tennessee College of Applied Technology has a policy that returns any unearned tuition assistance (TA) funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60 percent portion of the period for which the funds were provided to the military service branch. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period (trimester), with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending. Instances when a Service Member stops attending due to military service obligation, the institution will work with the affected Service Member to identify solutions that will not result in student debt for the returned portion.

There are 432 hours (72 class days) per trimester.

Unearned TA Policy - Schedule of TA Funds to the Government:

Before Class Begins                                           100% Return

1 – 43 Hours  (1 - 7 days)                                    75% Return

44 – 86 Hours  (8 - 14 days)                                50% Return

87 – 259 Hours (15 - 43 days)                             25% Return (60% of course is completed)

260 – 432 Hours (44 - 72 days)                           0% Return

1. Full Refund

a. 100% of fees will be refunded for classes cancelled by the school.

b. 100% of fees will be refunded for drops or withdrawals prior to the first official day of classes.

c. 100% of fees will be refunded in the case of death of the student during the term.

2. Partial Refunds

a. A refund of 75% may be allowed if a program is dropped or a student withdraws within the first 10% of the scheduled class hours.

b. A refund of 50% may be allowed if a program is dropped or a student withdraws within 10 - 20% of the scheduled class hours.

c. A refund of 25% may be allowed if a program is dropped or a student withdraws within 20 - 60% of the scheduled class hours.

d. No refund may be permitted after 60% of the class hours have been completed.