Veteran Services
Welcome to the Office of Veteran Services
Cowley has a long history of trying to best serve the veterans and military personnel by encouraging participation in higher education. We have developed a relatively seamless articulation of military courses into Cowley credit and financial help as needed.
VA Benefits
Read Carefully:
You must complete an application (22-1990) for VA Benefits with the VA before you receive any benefits. Students can find this application (22-1990) at www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply on the va.gov site.
You must complete the Request for Certification Form each semester to receive benefits to attend Cowley College.
VA regulations require you to comply with Cowley College's Veterans Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Please read and understand this policy.
Understand that you must forward to Cowley College's Registrar's Office all academic transcripts from other post-secondary schools you have attended. Be sure you have complied with this requirement.
A degree plan and declared degree are required for all students to receive VA benefits. You must have a degree on file with the college. If you have not declared a degree or major, you will be considered as an Associate of Arts degree-seeking student with a Liberal Arts major.
The VA requires the college certifying official to verify your classes’ beginning and end dates. Therefore, if you enroll in a pre-session or courses for less than 16 weeks, you may not be entitled to full-time (12 credit hours) benefits. If you are taking classes that are not full semester, you will need to check with the VA & Military Representative to verify how the VA will consider those classes.
All classes each semester of up to 12 credit hours must be within your degree plan. Courses over 12 credit hours per semester need not fit into your degree plan.
If you are a Chapter 30 (MGIB), 1606, or 1607, you must verify your attendance monthly by either calling 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) or creating a WAVE account.
Post 9/11 (Chapter 33), beneficiaries must confirm attendance on the last day of each month by text message through the VA text message system, email, or by calling 1-888-442-4551. Failure to submit enrollment verification for two consecutive months will result in benefit payment being withheld by the VA until attendance has been verified.
If you already have a bachelor’s or associate’s degree, you might not be eligible for benefits at Cowley College.
You must pay your own tuition and school expenses when due. The VA does not pay them for you (except for Chapter 31 and 33 veterans). You will be allowed to charge your books at the college bookstore. If you are receiving additional aid, Pell, or Loan, you must check with the Financial Aid department about permission to charge textbooks and supplies.
You can only receive benefits for classes that are required for the completion of your degree.
You must immediately notify the VA & Military Representative if you drop or withdraw from class(es) or change your address.
You must repay the VA for classes from which you drop or withdraw or for any benefits you wrongfully receive.
If at any time you have questions regarding your benefits, please contact the VA & Military Representative at 620-441-5339.
Recent News
The student must complete a minimum of 67% of the hours certified each semester and earn the following grade point average (GPA), depending upon the student’s hours attempted:
Hours: 1 - 50, Required Cumulative: 1.75
Hours: 51+, Required Cumulative: 2.00
Veterans who do not complete the minimum hours or earn the required GPA will be placed on probation for the following semester. The veteran must complete a minimum of six hours in one semester with a GPA of 2.00 to be removed from probation.
The suspension will occur if a probationary veteran does not meet the probation requirements for reinstatement. The suspension will also occur if a veteran does not have a semester GPA of 2.00 or greater or if a student does not complete 67% of the hours certified and the required cumulative GPA.
It is the veteran’s responsibility to reapply for benefits and to notify the certifying official that satisfactory progress has been met.
The veteran has the right to appeal according to the terms outlined in Cowley’s Policy Handbook, #432.00.