Veterans Benefits

Veterans and their family members may be entitled to receive benefits from the Veterans Administration to help pay for college costs. In order to receive benefits at NSCC, a veteran must:

1. Be accepted into a credit degree or certificate program.

2. You need to provide proof of VA Education benefits, with a Certificate of Eligibility or a printout of your Statement of benefits from va.gov. If you have not yet applied for your benefits you can apply at https://www.va.gov/

3. Provide NSCC Veterans Services with a copy of your member 4 (long form) DD214.

4. If you are in the Massachusetts National Guard, provide Veterans Services with a State Tuition & Fee waiver prior to the start of each semester. Apply for the waiver at https://www.massnationalguard.org/index.php/resources/education.html  (Listed on the right side under State)

5. For active duty members, provide Veterans Services with Tuition Assistance paperwork.

The Massachusetts Veterans Waiver is applied against State Tuition charges and can only be used for Day or Evening credit courses. In order to use this waiver, you must provide your member 4 (long form) DD214. Discharge conditions must not be dishonorable.6. Once approved for benefits, students must complete the Certification Request Form on the NSCC Veterans page each semester after registering for classes.

Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act
The Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (codified at 38 U.S.C. 3679) has been amended by Public Law 117-68, the Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act of 2021, which modifies 38 U.S.C. 3679(c).

The amendment requires that for all courses, semesters, or terms beginning after August 1, 2022, public institutions of higher education must charge qualifying Veterans, dependents, and eligible individuals the in-state resident rate for tuition and fees.

In summary, Public Law 117-68 adds Chapter 35 recipients to individuals required to receive the in-state resident tuition rate effective August 1, 2022. As amended, 38 U.S.C. 3679(c) requires that the following individuals be charged the in-state resident rate: 

1. A Veteran using educational assistance under either Chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill® – Active Duty Program), Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness & Employment) or Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® ), of 38 U.S.C. who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of their formal state of residence).

2. Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who live in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of their formal state of residence).

3. Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311(b)(9)) who live in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of their formal state of residence).

4. Anyone using Chapter 35 (Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program) benefits who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of their formal state of residence).

5. Anyone described above while they remain continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same institution. The person so described must be using educational benefits under Chapter 30, Chapter 31, Chapter 33, or Chapter 35 of 38 U.S.C.

Federal law permits public institutions of higher education to require eligible Veterans, dependents, or individuals to demonstrate their intent to establish residency in the state by means other than satisfying a physical presence requirement. For example, institutions can request documentation such as a driver’s license, car registration or voter registration, signed lease, or rent receipt to help establish an applicant’s intent to establish residency in Massachusetts. 

Please note that the federal law does not include a durational residency requirement, nor does it include a requirement that the eligible Veteran, dependent, or individual demonstrate intend to remain in Massachusetts indefinitely. Finally, please note that the federal law does not bar institutions from requiring the eligible Veteran, dependent, or individual to meet other requirements, unrelated to residency, in order to be eligible for the in-state tuition rate. 

Public institutions of higher education are required to make this instate tuition applicability to covered individuals publicly available in their academic catalogs and on their websites. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) will make publicly available on its website a database explaining any public institution’s requirements for beneficiaries to be charged in-state tuition. 

Any institution found not to be in compliance with the requirements of Public Law 117-68 by August 1, 2022, will be disapproved by VA for the Chapter 33 Post-9/11 G.I. Bill®, Chapter 30 Montgomery G.I. Bill® Active Duty Program, Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program and Chapter 31 Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E).

Harry W. Colmery Educational Assistance Act of 2017
NSCC adheres to the Harry W. Colmery Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (Forever GI Bill®) Section 107. 

Veterans Benefits and Transition Act 2018

For Veterans using Chapter 31 and Chapter 33 VA benefits, North Shore Community College adheres to S2248 PL 115-407 Section 103. For Chapter 33 to be considered a “covered individual” under the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act 2018, the Veteran, or other eligible beneficiary, must provide a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or statement of benefit from the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the first day of classes.

The Veteran, or other eligible beneficiary, must complete a North Shore Community College Certification Request Form to have their VA educational benefits certified for the semester. The Veteran, or other eligible beneficiary, may be required to provide additional information necessary to properly certify their enrollment by the educational institution. 

For Chapter 31, the School Certifying Official must receive an authorization from the Department of Veterans Affairs. North Shore Community College will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to delayed disbursement funding from VA under Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 except for the amounts not covered by the COE, statement of benefit, or the authorization, refer to the North Shore Community College payment policy.

Title 38 United States Code Section 3679(e) School Compliance Form Adopted 9/24/19 by NSCC Board of Trustees

North Shore Community College (NSCC) is designated as a “Veteran Friendly” institution.  Student Veterans and their dependents, who submit a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33 (a “certificate of eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) website, or a VAF 28-1905 form for Chapter 31 authorization purposes) and ending on the earlier of the following dates:

1. The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution.

2. 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility.

The College will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the College due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under Chapter 31 or 33. 

The College may request or require Chapter 31 and Chapter 33 students to take the following actions:

1. Submit a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance no later than the first day of a course of education.

2. Submit a written request to use such entitlement.

3. Provide additional information necessary to the proper certification of enrollment by the College.

4.  Additional payment may be required or a fee may be imposed for the amount that is the difference between the amount of the student’s financial obligation and the amount of the VA education benefit disbursement. 

NSCC allows all “covered individuals” to enroll, attend classes and have full access to all institutional resources.  While all financial aid recipients may be entitled to borrow Direct Loans, NSCC does not and will not require a student or in particular a “covered individual” to borrow a student loan to cover their tuition and fee obligations.  NSCC identifies “covered individuals”, receiving their Chapter 31 or 33, and ensures that they are not charged late fees due to any delays in their disbursement funding from the Veterans Administration (VA).

VALOR Act Academic Credit Evaluation Policy
On June 18, 2013, the Board of Higher Education voted unanimously to approve the VALOR Act Academic Credit Evaluation Policy. The policy requires each public institution of higher education to develop a set of policies and procedures governing the evaluation of a student’s military occupation(s), military training, coursework, and experience, in order to determine whether academic credit shall be awarded for such experience, training, and coursework. Furthermore, the policy requires institutions to designate a single point of contact for student veterans to contact about the policy and who will also make determinations concerning the award of academic credit for prior military occupation(s), military training, coursework, and experience. The policy shall to the greatest extent possible provide for consistent application by all Massachusetts public higher education institutions.

North Shore Community College proudly supports its comprehensive VALOR Act Academic Credit Evaluation Policy for our veteran and active-duty military students. We recognize the value of the many foundational training and leadership learning experiences provided by the United States Army, Air Force, Space Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Veteran and active-duty students may be eligible to receive academic credit for these experiences through the Center for Alternative Studies and Educational Testing.

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 U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.