Veterans Benefits

SOWELA is honored to serve a large veteran and military service member student population.

SOWELA has a Veterans Success Center which is located in the Charleston building. The center is designed with an environment conducive to student success in order to provide a seamless transition from the military to college. The center provides a community atmosphere for student veterans at the college and is a great place to relax or get some needed study time in a quiet setting with computers available. Veterans Center staff can help students navigate veterans benefits, SOWELA resources, and guide veterans through the enrollment process.

Each semester a "Veterans only" new student orientation is offered for new students enrolling at SOWELA. In addition, the college offers a Veterans priority registration that opens prior to the regular student registration. If you are a new student and need more information regarding the dates and times of these events, please check in with Ms. Rebecca Amy, SOWELA Veterans School Certifying Official. Ms. Amy can be reached by email at rebecca.amy@sowela.edu.

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Questions and Answers about Veterans Benefits

  • How do I apply for my Educational Veterans Benefits?
  • What type of information do I need to apply for Veterans Benefits?
    • You will need your DD-214 and banking information in order to set up direct deposit.
  • How do I contact VA if I have any questions?
    • Contact the VA at (888) 442-4551.
  • What are the different types of benefits that I can apply for?
    • The different types of benefits that you could qualify for are Chapter 30, Chapter 33, and Chapter 1606. You can learn more about the different types of benefits at www.gibill.va.gov (opens new window) or come by the Enrollment Services One Stop Center.
  • Do I need to bring anything to SOWELA after I apply for my benefit?
    • Yes, you will need to bring in your Certificate of Eligibility once you receive it from VA, which could take up to six weeks to receive it after you apply for benefits.
  • How do I receive my monthly benefits?
    • Monthly benefits will be direct deposited into your banking account that you listed on your application.
  • Are all programs offered at SOWELA eligible for VA Benefits?
    • All credit-bearing programs are eligible for VA benefits at this time. Programs offered through Workforce Solutions are ineligible for VA benefits.
  • When will enrollment be sent to VA for processing?
    • Enrollment will be certified once the school certifying official receives the SOWELA Enrollment Verification form. A new form must be submitted for each semester the veteran enrolls.
  • How long will it take to start receiving my benefits after my enrollment has been sent to VA?
    • It could take up to six weeks to process enrollment at the beginning of the semester since VA is generally overwhelmed with enrollment certification.
  • Do I have to call and verify my enrollment at the end of the month?
  • What does National Guard Tuition Exemption cover?
    • It will only exempt tuition not the fees that a student is charged.
  • Are all the programs offered at SOWELA eligible for National Guard Tuition Exemption?
    • All credit-bearing programs are eligible for VA benefits at this time. Programs offered through Workforce Solutions are ineligible for VA benefits.
  • Can I take online classes and receive my VA benefit?
    • Yes, you can take online classes and receive your VA benefit. If you are using Chapter 33 and take online classes then your housing allowance will be prorated. Please come by the Enrollment Services One Stop Center, and we can discuss this with you.
  • Can I receive any other financial aid while receiving my VA benefit?
    • Yes, you could receive other financial aid. SOWELA participates in the federal pell grant that you could apply for by filling out FAFSA (opens new window). SOWELA does not participate in the federal student loan program.
  • If you have any other questions, please come by the Enrollment Services One Stop Center for assistance.