Educational Benefits & Eligibility
Delta College has one of the largest veteran student populations in the area and wants you to take advantage of your veteran and military benefits. The college has an extensive history of serving veterans, service members, and their dependents.
Benefits and Eligibility
There are several benefits that you or your dependents may be eligible to take advantage of. Check the information below to make sure you meet all eligibility requirements. Questions? Connect with our Veteran Services team at veterans@delta.edu.
VA Education Benefits and How to Apply
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 www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
To compare Chapter benefits, use the GI Bill® Comparison Tool.
To qualify for Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits, you must have completed at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or be discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. The Post-9/11 GI Bill® became effective for training on or after August 1, 2009.
To apply for the Post 9/11 GI Bill®, complete the application through VONAPP.
If you are currently receiving benefits under Chapter 30 or 1606 and you apply on VONAPP, you are required to make a decision that is irrevocable (cannot be changed) to give up one of the other programs you are eligible for. However, if you completely exhaust your entitlement under your current chapter before the effective date of your Chapter 33 election, you may receive up to 12 additional months of benefits under Chapter 33. Choose your effective date for Chapter 33 carefully. Let the Delta Veteran Services Office know that you submitted an application on VONAPP.
The Veteran Readiness and Employment program assists Veterans with service-connected disabilities to prepare for, find and keep suitable jobs. For Veterans with service-connected disabilities so severe that they cannot immediately consider work, VetSuccess offers services to improve their ability to live as independently as possible. Veterans are eligible if they: 1) Have received, or will receive, a discharge that is other than dishonorable; 2) Have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10%, or a memorandum rating of 20% or more from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA); 3) Apply for Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) VetSuccess services.
Apply for VR&E here.
To qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty, you must have completed at least two years on active duty and contributed $1,200 to your GI Bill® fund and were honorably discharged. You may also be eligible for a GI Bill® Kicker.
Chapter 30 provides a monthly housing allowance only. Students are responsible for attendance costs including books and supplies. Members of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force may also be eliglbe for Federal Tuition Assistance (see below). See State Tuition Assistance for more options.
To apply for Chapter 30, complete an application through VONAPP.
To qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve, you must have a six-year obligation to serve in the Reserves or Guard and be currently in good standing with your unit. You may also be eligible for a GI Bill® Kicker.
Chapter 1606 provides a monthly housing allowance only. Students are responsible for attendance costs including books and supplies. Members of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force may also be eliglbe for Federal Tuition Assistance (see below). See State Tuition Assistance for more options.
To apply for Chapter 1606, complete an application through VONAPP.
Children (18-26 years) or spouse of a veteran determined to be 100% disabled or deceased due to military related injuries may qualify for the Survivors' or Dependents' Educational Benefits.
Chapter 35 - DEA provides a monthly housing allowance only. Students are responsible for attendance costs including books and supplies. See State Tuition Assistance for more options.
To apply for Chapter 35, eligible dependents and spouses must complete VA form 22-5490.
Chilren (18 - 26 years) and spouses of service members who died in the line of duty ono or after September 11, 2001, while serving in the Armed Forces, or who was a member of the Selected Reserve who died from a service-connected disability may qualify for the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship).
The Fry Scholarship provides assistance for tuition and fees, books and supplies, and a monthly housing allowance.
To apply for the Fry Scholarship, eligible children and spouses must complete VA form 22-5490.
Children (18-26) and spouses may qualify for TOE. Benefits must have been transferred while on active duty and the request be approved by the Department of Defense. Visit the VA's website to learn more about how to transfer unused Post 9/11 GI Bill® benefits or to learn if you are eligible to use these benefits.
To apply for TOE, eligible children and spouses must complete VA form 22-1990e.
Federal Tuition Assistance
- U.S. Army: ArmyIgnitED
- U.S. Air Force: AFVEC (Air Force Virtual Education Center)
State Tuition Assistance
- The Michigan National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program (MINGSTAP) provides tuition assistance to members of the National Guard (Army/Air) who are completed programs ranging from certificates to graduate school.
- The Children of Veterans Tuition Grant provides tuition assistance to eligible natural or adopted children (16-26 years) of Michigan veterans. Tuition assistane may be used for undergraduate education only.
Next Steps
Once approved for VA education benefits, the VA will issue a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Please file a copy of the COE with the Veteran Services Office.
In addition to the COE, submit to Delta’s Veteran Services Office a VA Educational Benefits Certification Request form to request VA certification.
GI Bill® Enrollment Verification
The VA now requires student to verify enrollment for the Post 9/11 GI Bill®. Read some FAQs about Monthly Enrollment Verification.
The VA requires students using Chapter 30 or Chapter 1606 to verify enrollment through the W.A.V.E.
Important: If you plan to use your chapter 35 - Dependents Education Assistance (DEA) benefits towards a certification program, the VA requires that you certify your eligibility to receive your monthly housing allowance. Please complete and mail VA form 22-8979 to the VA's Eastern Region Office.
Eastern Region: VA Regional Office
P.O. Box
4616 Buffalo, NY 14240-4616
Transfer students
Request that an official copy of your military transcripts be sent to Delta College. Additionally, check in with Veteran Services in A-008 (veterans@delta.edu), file a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility with Veteran Services, and complete Delta's VA Educational Benefits Certification Request form to request VA certification.
Guest students
If you are attending Delta as a guest student and are requesting VA certification, your home school must submit and send to the Veteran Services Office a parent institution letter stating that the courses you are taking at Delta College will satisfy the degree requirements at your home school.
Additionally, complete the Delta College VA Educational Benefits Certification Request form each semester and submit to Delta’s Veteran Services Office to request VA certification. If you are a Delta College student attending another college, please see the Student Veteran Center (A-008) for a parent letter.
Credit hour equivalence
The VA pays education benefits for enrollment periods less than 15 weeks long based on credit equivalents. Delta Must report to the VA the credits and actual start and end dates of short courses; VA makes the conversion to the equivalent training time.