We are here to serve you as you serve our country. We are dedicated to supporting you, your spouses, and dependents by offering a wide selection of courses, student services, and tuition assistance for eligible areas of study and degrees. Our colleges have been recognized by Military Advantage as “Military Friendly Schools” due to our dedication to providing military service members and veterans with educational opportunities and support.
Each semester, continuing students need to complete the following steps:
- Meet with academic advising
- Enroll in courses and fill out the Veterans Request for Benefits Form
- This form is required each semester. This form informs the VA of your upcoming schedule. This form will be provided by the Veterans Service Office along with a step-by-step instruction sheet. This form is for Chapter 30, 32, 33 (Post 9-11), 35, 1606, 1607 & VRAP.
- Ensure you are being charged at the in-state tuition rate. VA Education Benefits do not cover out-of-state tuition.
- Request deferments (this prevents classes from being dropped before your benefits are received from the VA)
*Note – A student in the Armed Forces or the Arizona National Guard who is called to active duty and assigned to a duty station, verifiable by a copy of the orders, will be allowed to withdraw and receive a 100% refund of tuition, provided courses have not been completed.
Financial Options to Keep in Mind
- Military Tuition Assistance
- Tuition Assistance Top Up
- GI Bill®
- Federal Financial Aid
- Scholarships
- Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA)
Also use the Net Price Calculator to help estimate tuition costs
Policies and Regulations
Keep in mind there are many regulations and policies that apply to veterans and active duty students. For more comprehensive information about these regulations and policies, visit our Consumer Information site.
Resources
The following is a list of resources intended to help active service members and veterans make an educated decision about attending one of the Maricopa Community Colleges. These resources are provided as a means to comply with the Department of Defense’s Memorandum of Understanding and Executive Order 13607 that establish the Principles of Excellence for educational institutions serving service members, veterans, and spouses/dependents using either federal tuition assistance or veterans’ education benefits.
Student Veterans of America
Each of the Maricopa Community Colleges has a SVA Chapter and the District Office regularly sponsors students to attend the annual SVA conferences.
Since SVA’s founding in 2008, over one million veterans have returned home to pursue a postsecondary degree or certificate using VA education benefits. To meet this need, SVA’s presence at the local and national levels has grown to include over 1,300 chapter affiliates, numerous private and nonprofit partners, and most importantly, an expanding list of impactful programs and services for veterans.
The nation’s renewed focus on veteran welfare has ignited change on campuses and in congress. SVA is committed to capitalizing on this momentum to ensure today’s and tomorrow’s veterans are supported in their transition to education and employment.
College Navigator
This website helps students find colleges that have specific programs. It allows students to search by program, state, zip code, and institution type. Each college’s page also provides information regarding enrollment, financial aid, graduation and retention, and other useful college information. This website is created by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Arizona Department of Veterans' Services
Each of the Maricopa Community Colleges have been designated as Veteran Supportive Campuses by the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services.
The purpose of becoming a certified VSC is to better understand the needs of military students and become continually responsive to those needs. A VSC will need to stay current on community resources applicable to the various needs of their military students and their families, as well as complete military sensitivity and awareness trainings offered by the Arizona Coalition for Military Families (ACMF) for both staff and students.
Military/Veteran Resource Network
One of the unique aspects of Arizona’s Military/Veteran Resource Network is the application and vetting process based upon the Guidelines for CARE. These guidelines were created with input from service members, veterans and family members from all branches and components, as well as key stakeholder organizations from the military, government and community.
These guidelines provide a picture of what it means to be equipped to meet the needs of an individual or family with a military background or affiliation. This vetting process provides organizations with the opportunity to illustrate how they go beyond a “military/veteran-friendly” label.
College Scorecard
This U.S. Department of Education website provides information regarding average costs, student demographics, graduation and retention rates, medium salary after attending, and financial aid statistics (percentage of students paying down loans, receiving federal loans & typical total debt).
Paying for College
Created by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau this website provides information to help students make an informed financial aid decision. For example, resources help students compare financial aid offers, and understand loan repayment options.
Tuition Assistance (TA) Decide
This website provides a comparison tool that allows those using tuition assistance to make informed choices about schools and education programs. This site was created in collaboration with Department of Defense, Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Education.
GI Bill® Comparison Tool
This interactive Department of Veteran Affairs website provides information about estimated school cost and estimated veteran education benefit amount for students based on their chapter of benefits service information. Information is also provided on retention, graduation, repayment, and salary rates for veterans versus the full student population.
eBenefits
Veterans are strongly urged to create an eBenefits premium account. This will give them immediate access to information and documents relating to their VA and DoD benefits. For information and to register.
GI Bill® Website
This site features everything you need to know about education benefits including details of each program and current pay rates.
GoArmyEd
This is the Army's official site for educational resources and assistance.
Department of Veterans Affairs
This is the home page for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. It contains information about vocational rehabilitation and employment including information on their services, counseling, independent living; information and resources to help homeless veterans; access to military forms including on-line applications for compensation & pension, education, health care, and vocational rehabilitation and employment services; information on health care, VA jobs, congressional affairs, and more.
AZ Department of Veterans Services
Provides assistance for military veterans, including outreach offices and online resources.
Service Members Opportunities Colleges
Information for military members who may have trouble gaining college credit because of frequent moves.
Military Personnel Records Request System
Veterans can request copies of their military records at this site, including their DD Form 214.
Soldier’s Best Friend
This website assists veterans suffering from both Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) by providing service dogs and therapeutic companion dogs at no cost.
American Service Animal Society
This website empowers disabled veterans by providing a service or companion dog at no cost.
American Healing Arts Foundation
This website provides free art classes for veterans intended to reunite veterans with peers, away from hospitals and the battlefields in a peaceful environment.
Horse Rhythm Foundation
Horse Rhythm Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization created by veterans for veterans and first responders. It provides Equine Assisted Services in an effort to bridge the gap between traditional healing methodologies and true whole-being wellness of the mind, body, and spirit for veterans suffering from war-time afflictions.
Wounded Warriors
The Wounded Warrior Project was established to provide tangible, practical support for the wounded-helping them to heal both physically and mentally.
Arizona VA Vet Centers
Vet Centers serve Veterans and their families by providing a continuum of quality care that adds value for Veterans, families, and communities. Care includes individual and group counseling as well as referrals, outreach and education including Post-Deployment health.
Phoenix VA HealthCare System
The Phoenix VA HealthCare System provides a variety of services at its main medical center and outpatient clinics.
Department of Economic Security (DES)
This website not only provides VA students and their families with job search, but also provides for basic needs, disability resources, child care, and electronic support.
Arizona local Veterans Employment Representative (LVER) and Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP)
This website supports Veterans in obtaining employment and job training in Arizona.
Maricopa Workforce Connection
Maricopa Workforce Connections offer a number of workshops, such as Interviewing Skills, Job Search Skills, and Resume Workshops; computers are also available.
Register in the Arizona state job site: www.azjobconnection.gov.