GI Bill® Benefits

APPLY 

• Apply for admission to Ventura College

• If this is your first time using GI_® Benefits at Ventura College, you will need to Apply for benefits

Net Price Calculator: The net price calculator is a tool for students and parents to use to get an estimate of what it may cost to attend Ventura College each year. The "net price" (cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships) is the amount students and/or their families will have to cover with work, savings, and/or loans.

FINANCIAL AID

• Apply for the Ventura College Promise, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application (CADAA), which could potentially get your tuition and fees paid for up to two years.

Net Price Calculator: The net price calculator is a tool for students and parents to use to get an estimate of what it may cost to attend Ventura College each year. The "net price" (cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships) is the amount students and/or their families will have to cover with work, savings, and/or loans.

Contact Financial Aid for questions.

 PORTAL

• Your acceptance email will be sent to the email you used to create your OpenCCC Account when you applied
• The acceptance email contains a link to set up the portal
• Click on the link to activate your MyVCCCD student portal after your acceptance email is received
• Sometimes the acceptance email goes to an "Important," "Other," or "Junk" folder
•  View this How-to-Video for assistance setting up your portal.
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ORIENTATION

• Complete the orientation online through your MyVCCCD portal under the MySuccess tab

TRANSCRIPTS

• Submit official high school or college transcript to Admissions & Records
  • All Veteran Students: Submit official Joint Services Transcripts to Admissions & Records
  • Veteran Students using GI Bill^®benefits: May request certification once all official transcripts are on file.

PLACEMENT

• Visit Assessment for the latest English & math placement information
  • Noncredit Students: Do not need to complete this step
• Click here to view an informational video about the AB705 Initiative and What it Means for Students

• All Veteran or Active Duty Students:  Submit your DD214 or Military ID to Admissions & Records through Secure Form Submission to receive priority registration.

Visit our Math & English placement website for the latest information

• Noncredit Students: Do not need to complete this step
• Click here to view an informational video about the AB705 Initiative and what it means for students

ENGLISH

Congratulations! You're ready for English V01A, the required writing class for all associate's degrees and for transfer. You can do it! But if you don't feel ready yet, you can take one of our super-supported English V01A classes. These classes are especially designed to have a friendly, supportive, and helpful classroom environment, so that you can succeed.

Find a class that works for you. We have a large selection of classes to meet your personal preference. We offer fully in-person classes, hybrid classes (combination of online and in-person), and fully online classes.

MATH

Welcome to VC Math department! We have a variety of math courses that you can choose from, based primarily on your career goals. The following site can walk you through some questions about your goals to help you determine just the right math class for you: Math department self-placement page.

If you prefer a brief overview:

• B-STEM careers normally start with Math V04 (College Algebra)
• Liberal Arts careers normally start with Math V40 (Math for the Liberal Arts)
• Humanities normally start with Math V44 (Introduction to Statistics)
• Elementary Ed Teachers will begin with Math V38 (Math for the Elementary School Teacher)

Most of these courses offer a support option (an additional J course) for you to have extra support and review time with your instructor.

PLAN YOUR CLASSES

• Veteran Students USING GI Bill^®benefits: Meet with the Veteran's counselor to complete a comprehensive education plan.
  • Call (805) 289-6060 to make an appointment or click here to schedule an appointment online.
• Veteran Students NOT USING GI Bill^®benefits: Join the First-Semester Course Planning (FCS) Canvas Page to review instructions on how to plan for courses as a new student.
  • Transfer students: Do not need to complete this step. Instead, visit a counselor for a drop-in appointment to develop a 1^st semester educational plan and request an external coursework evaluation
• Clear prerequisites
  • Prerequisites are enforced for all students
  • If you have met the prerequisite for the course outside of Ventura College, you will need to request prerequisite clearance by following the steps on the Prerequisite page.

VETERANS USING BENEFITS - INITIAL SET UP

• Veteran Students using GI Bill^® benefits:  Submit your Certificate of Eligibility to Admissions & Records through Secure Form Submission
• Active Duty Students using Tuition Assistance:  Submit your TA approval to the Student Business Office  
  • It is recommended that service members to speak with their Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within their Military Service prior to enrolling at Ventura College.

VETERANS USING BENEFITS - REQUEST CERTIFICATION EVERY SEMESTER

• Submit your Veteran's Agreement & Request for Certification to Admissions & Records every semester you wish to be certified
• A new request is required every semester
• Veteran Students using GI Bill^®benefits will be certified for benefits when the following items are complete:
  • Certificate of Eligibility is on file in Admissions & Records
  • DD214 is on file in Admissions & Records
  • All official, high school, military, and university transcripts are on file in Admissions & Records
  • External credit evaluations are completed and on file in Admissions & Records
  • A comprehensive education plan is completed by the academic counselor and on file in DegreeWorks
  • A completed request for certification is on file in Admissions & Records for every semester you wish to be certified.

REGISTER

• Register for classes through your MyVCCCD portal under the Register/Pay tab.
  • Veteran Students using GI Bill^®benefits: Register for classes on your education plan.

For detailed information about Registration, visit the Registration page.

PAY FEES

• Check your financial aid awards through your MyVCCCD portal under the Financial Aid tab
• Pay fees (if no award is listed) or set up a payment plan through your MyVCCCD portal under the Register/Pay tab
  • Veteran Students using GI Bill^® CH. 33 Post 9/11 and CH. 31 Veterans Readiness & Employment (VR&E) benefits: After registering for courses on your education plan, confirm with Admissions & Records School Certifying Officials that your account is coded to hold your spot in your classes.
    • Qualifying students who have turned in their Certificate of Eligibility and requested certification will not need to pay their fees. VA will be billed for the fees.
  • Active Duty Students using Tuition Assistance: Speak to the Student Business Office prior to paying any fees

For detailed information about Paying for College, visit the Paying for College page.

• The Admissions and Records Office offers assistance and information to Veterans and eligible dependents regarding VA Educational Benefits. 
• The School Certifying Officials (SCOs) in the Admissions & Records Office certifying veterans registration to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  • All certification guidelines can be found in the US Department of Veterans Affairs School Certifying Official Handbook.
• Upon receiving certification, VA pays the school and student as appropriate.

• School Certifying Officials (SCOs) are Admissions and Records classified professionals responsible for certifying veterans' initial enrollment for GI Bill_® Benefits and reporting any changes in enrollment throughout the semester.
  • The certification submitted by the SCOs is evaluated by VA to determine payment.

• When the SCO certifies a student an automatic email is generated by VA confirming
  • the number of units certified,
  • type of certification (residence or distance),
  • dates of instruction, 
  • date certification was submitted to VA.
• All email confirmations will go to the students MyVCCCD email

VA determines payment amount based on the certification submitted by the SCO.

• If you believe your certification is inaccurate please contact us at vcadmissions@vcccd.edu.
• If you have questions about the payment amount or determination, please contact VA.
  • 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551)