• Complete FAFSA (optional)
• Complete TSI Testing or Provide TSI Scores within 5 years
  (May choose waiver if honorably discharged by submitting DD-214.)
• Provide Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination proof within the last 5 years, if under 22 years of age.  
• Submit official high school transcript, GED scores, or ALL official college transcripts (whichever is applicable) to the Admissions Office.
• Contact the Admissions Office at 903-693-2038 or admissions@panola.edu with questions about admissions documentation or your admissions status.
   

• Request your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by applying for your benefits at www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/. (Chapters 30, 33, 35 and 1606)
  • Do this NOW as it takes 4-6 weeks to receive. 
  • Contact the VA Education Call Center at 1-888-442-4551 to determine what benefits you qualify for and the best way to use those benefits.
     

Most documentation may be submitted to the SCO in person (Charles C. Matthews Foundation Student Center, Office #2310) or by emailing veterans@panola.edu.

• ALL Dependent students will ONLY need the COE and a copy of the Veteran’s DD-214.
• Certificate of Eligibility (COE) - A screenshot of benefits may be used temporarily; however, the COE will be required to register for future semesters. (Chapters 30, 33, 35 and 1606)
• Tungsten Authorization from your Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) – Chapter 31 students ONLY
  (Veteran Readiness and Employment)
• DD-214 (Member 4 Copy) – IF you do not have one, you may request a new one at https://www.va.gov/records/get-military-service-records/. (A new one is NOT required.)
• Official Military Transcripts – This must be sent electronically to the SCO at Panola College.  
  • Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy (Joint Services Transcript): https://jst.doded.mil/jst/ (If you are having trouble accessing Military Transcripts, please email the jst@doded.mil with first name, last name and the last four digits of SSN so JST can research each issue.)
  • Air Force (CCAF Transcript): https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Registrar/Transcript-Requests/
     

This form is for your Panola College VA File and only needs to be completed ONCE.

Students must complete this form EACH semester to have their classes certified with the VA. This office DOES NOT automatically do certifications.

• ALL students using VA Education Benefits (Chapters 30, 33, 35 and 1606) are REQUIRED to verify their enrollment with the VA on the LAST business day of EACH month.  While the preferred method is by Text Message you may also be able to verify by email, phone or through AskVA.  
• By Text Message: The VA should send you a text when you start your program and ask if you want to verify your enrollment by text. If you respond “yes,” the VA will send you a text every month asking you to verify your enrollment.
• By Phone: Call 1-888-442-4551 to verify your enrollment, to update your phone number, to change your method of enrollment verification or for any applicable questions. The Education Call Center office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET.
• Visit https://www.va.gov/education/verify-school-enrollment/ for more information on additional ways to verify your enrollment monthly.  

All students are responsible for payment of tuition, fees and books at the beginning of each semester. Chapter 33 students, whose VA Education Benefits are NOT covered at 100%, are responsible for the balance and payment of tuition and fees.

Previous Credit

• Transfer hours from ALL colleges and universities must be reported to the Admissions/Records Office to be evaluated for college credit. ALL Official Transcripts should be sent electronically or by mail to Panola College, Admissions/Records Office, 1109 W. Panola St., Carthage, Texas 75633.

VA Registration Hold

• All students using VA Education Benefits will have a VA Registration Hold, which only blocks registration and requires the student to register for classes with the VA School Certifying Official (SCO), so that all VA regulations are followed.

• All students using VA Education Benefits must follow a degree plan as the VA will only pay for classes which are required for your degree. Please refer to the Panola College Catalog for details at https://pccatalog.panola.edu/types-of-federal-assistance.

Courses/Certifications

• Students MUST see the SCO to register for classes and MUST complete a VA Certification Request EACH SEMESTER to have their classes certified with the VA. This office DOES NOT automatically do certifications.

• All certifications are submitted to the VA by the Friday preceding the beginning of each semester.

• Developmental classes must be documented with supporting evidence through the TSI Assessment scores. The VA WILL NOT pay for developmental classes taken ONLINE.

Withdrawals

• It is the student’s responsibility to notify this office immediately of any changes to their course load.

• Students contemplating withdrawing from a class should contact the VA Education Call Center at 1-888-442-4551 to determine how their benefits will be affected as withdrawing from one or more courses could lower or halt benefits and create a debt, requiring students to owe money to the VA or to Panola College.

• After speaking with the VA, please contact the SCO for withdrawal instructions.

• The VA will be notified of all schedule changes or withdrawals and may require the student to provide documentation stating why classes were dropped.

Repeat Courses

• VA WILL NOT pay for repeated courses unless the Panola College General Catalog specifically states that a certain grade is required for the course. (A grade of “F” can be repeated.) If a student repeats a course, both grades will remain on the transcript but highest grade is used to determine the total credit and overall GPA. It is the student’s responsibility to notify this office of repeated courses for certification purposes.

• Once the VA pays for a repeated course, the grade must improve. If not, it is considered a non-punitive grade and will result in a request for repayment of benefits.

Satisfactory Progress

• Students must maintain satisfactory attendance, conduct and progress.

• The school will notify the VA of unsatisfactory progress, thereby halting benefits.

• Benefits may resume with re-entry to the program. The student must bring documentation to this office as to how they were reinstated to the program for the following semester. Documentation to continue for summer is not necessary.

Address/Name Changes

• Students must notify the VA Regional Office, the U.S. Post Office, the Admissions/Records Office and this office of address or name changes. Contact the VA Education Call Center at 1-888-442-4551 to report your address or name change to the VA.

Financial Aid

• All students may apply for federal aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/. For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office, located in the Martha Miller Administration Building at 903-693-2035 or fao@panola.edu.

• All students may apply for scholarships by visiting https://www.panola.edu/scholarships.

• Veterans whose education benefits have been exhausted and were Texas residents before entering active duty may be eligible for The Hazlewood Act. Contact the Director of Financial Aid for more information at 903-693-1121 or dwelch@panola.edu.

• The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 requires educational institutions to make certain disclosures to students using federal military and/or VA education benefits. Students may access their personalized College Financing Plan by logging into their 2025-2026 Financial Aid Portal through CampusConnect and their Panola College student email.

Monthly Enrollment Verification

• ALL students using VA Education Benefits (Chapters 30, 33, 35 and 1606) are REQUIRED to verify their enrollment with the VA on the LAST business day of EACH month. While the preferred method is by Text Message you may also be able to verify by email, phone or through AskVA.

• By Text Message: The VA should send you a text when you start your program and ask if you want to verify your enrollment by text. If you respond “yes,” the VA will send you a text every month asking you to verify your enrollment.

• By Phone: Call 1-888-442-4551 to verify your enrollment, to update your phone number, to change your method of enrollment verification or for any applicable questions. The Education Call Center office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET.

• Visit https://www.va.gov/education/verify-school-enrollment/ for more information on additional ways to verify your enrollment monthly.

Ch. 30 - Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty

Ch. 33 - Post 9/11 GI Bill®

Ch. 35 – Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance

Ch. 1606 - Montgomery GI Bill® Reserves

Ch. 31 - Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E)

• The Hazlewood Act is a State of Texas benefit that provides qualified Veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition exemption, including most fee charges (excluding living expenses, books and supply fees) at public institutions of higher education in Texas.
• Contact the Director of Financial Aid at 903-693-1121 or dwelch@panola.edu for more information and documentation needed.

• eBenefits – Gateway to Benefit Information
  https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Education and Training 
  https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/index.asp
• GI Bill® Comparison Tool
  https://www.va.gov/education/gi-bill-comparison-tool/
• College Credit for Heroes
  https://www.twc.texas.gov/programs/veterans/college-credit-heroes
• Shreveport Vet Center – Readjustment Counseling Services; (318) 861-1776
  https://www.va.gov/shreveport-vet-center/

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.

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.