California College of the Arts offers a welcoming community to United States Veterans and family members of veterans. The college is approved to use VA education benefits for the training of veterans and eligible persons under Title 38, U.S. Code.

CCA participates in the Yellow Ribbon program and has stated its intent to comply with the 2012 Executive Order 13607, Establishing Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions.

In compliance with Title 38 USC 3679, CCA allows veterans and veterans’ dependents with a Certificate of Eligibility for educational benefits to register into classes. CCA charges only one set of tuition and fees, regardless of student residence, and does not restrict classroom or college access to students using chapter 31 or 33 VA education benefits due to late payment; nor will CCA require these students to borrow additional funds.

If you have specific questions about your certification at CCA, contact the School Certifying Official (SCO) in the Student Records Office via email at studentrecords@cca.edu or call 415.551.9233.

1111 Eighth Street, San Francisco, CA, 94107
Hours: M–F, 8 am–4:30 pm (PST)

• Instructions for students with veterans education benefits
• Chapter 31: Vocational Rehabilitation
• Chapter 33: Post-9/11 GI Bill®
• Yellow Ribbon
• Chapter 35 Benefits (Dependents Educational Assistance)
• Chapter 30/32 VEAP / 1606 Benefits (GI Bill®)
• Student Responsibility
• Direct Deposit
• Veterans Benefits & Academic Standing
• VA Regional Office Contact Information
• FAQs for Students with VA Educational Benefits

First-time students
In order to initiate your veteran educational benefits, you must turn in the proper paperwork to the Student Records Office.

The School Certifying Official in the Student Records Office must have copies of specific forms you submit to VA in order to verify your status each semester. Your enrollment will not be verified if copies of these forms are not submitted.

It is recommended that eligible students submit their application for educational benefits to VA before registering for courses, and to contact the Student Records Office immediately after enrollment.

Transfer students
Please be sure to complete the application for changing schools or programs for your designated benefit. Submit this form to VA and provide a copy of this form along with your original application form to the School Certifying Official in the Student Records Office.

Please review the information below to find a complete list of forms needed for each benefit chapter.

All Students
For VA educational benefits, apply online through va.gov.

It is recommended that applications be submitted to VA at least two months prior to the start of the proposed term of enrollment; doing so ensures your application is processed in a timely manner.

The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, section 107, is now in effect. VA will pay the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) based on the zip code of the campus where the majority of classes are attended.

All eligible Chapter 31 veterans should review the benefits information on VA's website. CCA needs authorization from a veteran's Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor to certify the educational benefits.

All eligible Post-9/11 GI Bill® veterans should review the benefits information on VA's website.

First-time students must complete an application for VA education benefits (Form 22-1990 for veterans, or if you're looking to transfer your benefits to a family member or spouse, please complete Form 22-1990E). All approved students must submit a copy of the following letter to the CCA School Certifying Official:

• Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (form DD-214).
• Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from VA.
• Copy of 22-1990 or 22-1990E

The Certificate of Eligibility provides a detailed explanation of your benefits including your benefit percentage and months of eligibility. VA will mail the COE to your home address 2-4 weeks after completing your application through va.gov

Transfer students
(Those who attended another institution using VA benefits prior to enrollment at CCA.)

Please turn in a copy of your COE to the School Certifying Official in the Student Records Office and submit a Request for Change of Program or Place of Training (Form 22-1995). (Note: This should be done prior to registering for courses at CCA.)

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 GI Bill website.

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This program allows institutions of higher learning (degree-granting institutions) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed the annual maximum.

The institution can contribute up to 50 percent of those expenses and VA will match the same amount as the institution.

Only Chapter 33 students approved for 100 percent coverage are eligible for this benefit. We encourage all veterans to review the Yellow Ribbon eligibility criteria directly from the VA website.

General eligibility requirements for the Yellow Ribbon Program include the following:

• Veteran served an aggregate period of duty after September 11, 2001 of at least 36 months.
• Veteran was honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001.
• Student is a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® based on a veteran’s service under the eligibility criteria listed above.

All approved Yellow Ribbon students must submit:

• a copy of their Certificate of Eligibility (COE) that includes Yellow Ribbon approval from VA.
• a copy of their 22-1990 or 22-1990E

CCA participates in The Yellow Ribbon Program and grants tuition assistance to persons who provide documentation of eligibility.

Tuition assistance is provided annually and support continues throughout their time at CCA provided the following applies:

• CCA continues to participate in the program.
• The student remains in good academic standing.
• The student has remaining entitlement.

While CCA is committed to helping all students achieve their educational goals, our participation in the program will be evaluated annually and the amount of tuition assistance is subject to change.

Please contact the Financial Aid Office for more information about CCA’s tuition assistance via The Yellow Ribbon Program and financial aid options: 415.993.3902 or finaid@cca.edu.

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 GI Bill website.

First-time students

• You must complete an Application for Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance (Form 22-5490).
• You may need to submit a copy of your birth certificate or marriage certificate, as applicable.
• Submitting a Department of Veterans Affairs letter of eligibility and disability rating for the veteran may help expedite the processing of your application.

Transfer Students
(Those students who attended another institution using VA Benefits prior to enrollment at CCA.)

Please turn in a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility to the School Certifying Official in the Student Records Office as well as the following:

Request for Change of Program or Place of Training (Form 22-5495). This should be done prior to registering for courses at CCA.

First-time students must complete and turn in the following:

• The Certificate of Eligibilty.
• Chapter 30/32 must turn in a copy of their DD-214.
• Chapter 1606 students must also turn in a copy of their DD-2384.

Transfer students
(Those students who attended another institution using VA benefits prior to enrollment at CCA.)

Please turn in copies of the all forms listed above to the School Certifying Official in the Student Records Office as well as a Request for Change of Program or Place of Training (Form 22-1995). This should be done prior to registering for courses at CCA.

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 GI Bill website.

Important information for all students receiving VA Education Benefits:

• Contact the School Certifying Official via email at studentrecords@cca.edu upon acceptance at CCA.
• Pre-enroll in your courses to prevent delays in your benefit payment.
• Immediately report any changes to your full-time status to the VA certifying official at CCA.
• Make sure VA has your current street and email address on file.
• Direct all questions regarding a check’s arrival, benefit denial, etc., to VA.

Direct deposit is available for some VA benefits. Please contact VA to see if your benefit is eligible and to complete any associated paperwork.

Veterans receiving benefits at CCA who fail to meet the standards for satisfactory academic progress for two consecutive semesters will be subject to interruption of their veterans benefits.

The decision of CCA to allow a third semester of probation or to reinstate a student following dismissal does not guarantee renewed benefits.

P.O. Box 8888
Muskogee OK 7402-8888

VA Hotline: 888.442.4551
Hotline hours: 7 a.m.–5 p.m. (CT)

For questions about your benefits, you can utilize the online Ask VA (AVA) resource.

Q: How many semester credit hours are considered to be full-time for VA purposes?

A: During standard terms (Fall/Spring) full-time enrollment is 12 units for undergraduate students and 9 units for graduate students. During a nonstandard term (Summer) the VA calculates the rate of pursuit.

Q: Do all classes count for VA benefits?

A: No. The VA will only pay for courses that are required for your degree program here at CCA.

Q: What happens if I drop a course?

A: If you drop a course, please contact the School Certifying Official. This will need to be reported to the VA.

Q: What happens if I withdraw from a course?

A: You may be required to repay all or a portion of the tuition benefits you have received for this term. Please contact the School Certifying Official for more information of how this could impact your benefits.

Q: As an admitted CCA student, what do I need to submit in order to activate my VA educational benefits? When does my benefit information need to be submitted to CCA?

A: To ensure timely processing of educational benefits, please submit a recent Certificate of Eligibility to CCA 30 days or more before the start of the semester to studentrecords@cca.edu. More specific information on required documentation is listed above.

Q: How will my VA education benefits interact with other financial aid for which I may qualify?

A: The School Certifying Officials in Student Records work closely with CCA’s Financial Aid Office in order to maximize all possible aid for each student receiving VA benefits.

The financial aid process for GI Bill® recipients begins with certification of enrollment with VA; all initial paperwork must be submitted by the student to Student Records before a financial aid award can be built.

Once enrollment has been certified with VA, CCA’s Financial Aid Office will begin packaging and communicating with each student individually.

Q: Are my books and/or housing costs covered by my GI Bill® benefits?

A: It depends on your GI Bill® chapter and your specific qualifications. Benefit recipients typically receive a stipend for books and supplies and some will also receive a monthly housing allowance. This information can be found on your COE.

Q: Are there other on-campus resources for veterans?

A: Yes. CCA offers a complete array of student services and resources, including advising, counseling, tutoring, disability services, and career development.

In addition, there are many student activities, clubs, and organizations on campus.

Disclaimer

It is the students’ responsibility to contact the VA with benefit eligibility, payment, and monthly housing allowance questions.

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 GI Bill website.