How to Apply for Veteran Benefits
It is the student’s responsibility to submit all of the following Required Documents to the VA School Certifying Official (SCO), located upstairs in the Charles C. Matthews Foundation Student Center, Office #2204. *The Veterans Administration determines a student’s eligibility to receive educational benefits.

Step 1: Apply to Panola College

Submit your application and complete all of the required admission documents.

Step 2: Apply for VA Education Benefits

Chapters 30, 31, 33, 35, and 1606: Apply online at www.va.gov.

Texas Hazelwood Act: Apply online at www.tvc.texas.gov.

  • Texas veterans who may be eligible for benefits under the Hazlewood Act should contact the Financial Aid Office, located in the Martha Miller Administration Building.

Not sure which Chapter applies to you? Use the GI Bill comparison tool at https://www.va.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool.

Contact the VA Student Hotline at 1-888-442-4551 to determine what benefits you qualify for and the best way to use those benefits.

Step 3: Apply for Your Certificate of Eligibility (COE)

To use your Ch. 30, 33, 35, or 1606 education benefits, apply now for your COE. You will receive your COE by mail 4-6 weeks after applying.

Step 4: Complete the VA Student Information Sheet

Complete the VA Student Information Sheet.

Return it to the VA School Certifying Official (SCO):

  • In-person: Upstairs in the Charles C. Matthews Foundation Student Center
  • Email: ledelen@panola.edu

 

Step 5: Submit a Copy of Your DD-214

If you do not have a copy, you may request to have your DD-214 (Member 4 Copy) sent to you.

Return it to the VA School Certifying Official (SCO):

  • In-person: Upstairs in the Charles C. Matthews Foundation Student Center
  • Email: ledelen@panola.edu

Step 6: Request Your Official Military Transcripts

  • Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy: (Joint Services Transcript) Request Joint Services Transcripts be sent directly to the Registrar.
  • Air Force: (CCAF Transcript) Request CCAF Transcripts be sent directly to the Registrar.
  • This step is not necessary for dependents/spouses.

Step 7: Verify Your Attendance Monthly

Ch. 30, Ch. 35 (certificate students only), and Ch. 1606 students must verify their enrollment with the VA each month by the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE - preferred method), by calling the WAVE Education Case Manager at 1-888-442-4551, or by calling the Interactive Voice Response at 1-877-823-2378. You will not receive a check until your monthly enrollment verification has been completed.

Dependents/Spouses

Submit your COE, birth certificate, or marriage certificate (whichever is applicable), the veteran’s DD-214, and the VA Student Information Sheet.

Important Information to Remember

All students receiving VA Education Benefits must complete the Enrollment Certification Request each semester to have their classes certified with the VA in order to receive your benefits.

Each semester, students receiving VA education benefits must:

  • Register for classes with the School Certifying Official SCO)
  • Complete the Enrollment Certification Request
  • Notify the SCO of any schedule changes or withdrawals

VA students who drop courses will be required to repay any benefits received for those courses. If you are considering dropping a course, you should first call the VA Student Hotline at 1-888-442-4551 to see how dropping will affect your education benefits. You should then contact the SCO for further instructions on withdrawing from the course(s).

The VA will not pay for repeated classes in which a passing grade was received unless a higher grade is required for the specific program. 

A program of study must be selected. The VA will only pay for courses required in that selected program. The courses which a veteran and their dependents enroll in must count toward the attainment of the specific degree or certificate objective. Courses taken at other institutions may satisfy Panola College's requirements in a selected program of study. Accepted courses for credit may not be repeated for VA pay.

Veterans and their dependents must make satisfactory progress. Veterans and their dependents who are receiving monthly payments for their entitlement based on their enrollment at Panola College must abide by Panola College's academic probation and suspension policy. The VA will be notified of unsatisfactory progress the semester a student is placed on scholastic suspension. Benefits may be interrupted by poor attendance.

Panola College is fully approved for the training of veterans under the provision of the G.I. Bill® (Public Laws 346, 550, 16 and 890-358), Chapter 33 Post 9/11 G.I. Bill®, and other Education Benefit Programs. Veterans and dependents of veterans should apply to the Veterans' Affairs Office (located in the Charles C. Matthews Foundation Student Center) six (6) weeks prior to registration. A veteran entitled to benefits under these laws will receive a monthly check varying in amount depending on credit hour load from the VA. A child of a veteran may receive benefits in the same way under certain conditions. Any student enrolling under the above provisions should bring with him/her sufficient funds to defray initial costs of tuition, fees, books, personal expenses, etc. since there is usually a period of six to eight weeks before the veteran or another eligible person receives his/her initial payment from the Veterans Administration.

 

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the United States 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.

Additional Information About Veteran Benefits

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Office Hours

Monday - Thursday: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

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