Waukesha County Technical College

Veterans

Proud to Serve Veterans

WCTC is proud to serve veterans from all branches of the military. The College is approved on the state and federal levels to provide training to veterans, active service members, survivors and dependents of deceased or disabled veterans.

Our Armed Forces Student Center is here to help you get the support, resources and education you need for this next phase in your career.

Contact InformationFinancial Aid
Contact Information

Armed Forces Student Center

veterans@wctc.edu

262.691.5431

College Center, Room C-016

WCTC Financial Aid Office

money@wctc.edu

262.691.5578

College Center, Room C-019

 

Veterans Benefits

Veterans and their dependents are eligible for many state and federal benefits, and WCTC’s Armed Forces Student Center is happy to help you navigate the process. You can also contact the local Waukesha County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO).

Getting Started

1

Meet With a WCTC Veterans Specialist

Set up an initial appointment with a WCTC Veterans Specialist to learn more about benefits, enrollment processes and transfer credit. Be sure to review the VA Benefits Checklist.

2

Bring Military Documents

Bring military documents to your initial meeting. Approved documents could include your certificate of eligibility, DD-214s, DD-2384 NOBE, Wisconsin driver’s license with veteran indicator, current orders and letter from the CVSO. Dependents may require other documentation.

3

Enroll at WCTC

To apply for benefits, you must first be fully accepted into a program of study at WCTC. You’ll need to forward official transcripts from all colleges attended and your military transcripts to WCTC’s Admissions office. You can request a Joint Services transcript or an Air Force transcript.

Apply to WCTC >

4

File a FAFSA

File the Free Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA) to see if you qualify for additional state or federal aid.

5

Complete Enrollment Certification

After registering for classes, you must fill out the Enrollment Certification Form.

Military Financial Assistance

If you're an active or retired military member who served in regular service, Selected Reserves or the National Guard, you and your dependents may be eligible for some form of financial assistance through the federal GI Bill®, Wisconsin state-sponsored tuition grants or tuition remission.

Check out the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ comparison chart/payment rate tool to help you determine which benefits are right for you. In addition to federal VA benefits, WCTC veteran students may be eligible for additional federal and state financial aid.

Federal Education Benefits

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® is for those with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2011, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. An honorable discharge is required to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®.

  • TEB – Transfer of Post-9/11 GI Bill® Benefits: The transferability option under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® allows service members to transfer unused benefits to their spouses or dependent children.

Eligibility Requirements

Visit the VA’s Post-9/11 GI Bill® – Chapter 33 webpage for comprehensive details.

To apply for Chapter 33 benefits:

  1. Complete VA Form 22-1990 (Application for Educational Benefits) via ebenefits, or, for those who have previously received VA educational benefits, complete VA Form 22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training Form). Once completed, submit to the school certifying official.
  2. Submit a completed copy of Form DD-214 and Certificate of Eligibility to WCTC's school certifying official.
  3. Complete and submit the WCTC Enrollment Certification form, which is also available in the Armed Forces Student Center and Financial Aid office. This is required for every academic term to have WCTC certify your benefits.

Payment Information

Full tuition and fees are paid directly to the school for all public school in-state students. You may also be directly paid a:

  • Monthly housing allowance (MHA) equal to the basic allowance for housing (BAH) amount payable to an E-5 with dependents in same zip code as your school. This is paid proportionately based on enrollment. Please note: those attending school half time or less, or are on active duty or the spouse of an active duty member receiving transferred benefits, will not receive any MHA.
  • Housing allowance equal to one-half the national average, for those enrolled solely in distance learning.
  • Yearly books and supplies stipend of up to $1,000 paid proportionately based on enrollment.
  • One-time payment of $500 may be payable to certain individuals relocating from highly rural areas.

The MGIB-SR program may be available to those who are members of the Selected Reserve, including Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. This program provides up to 36 months of education benefits.

Eligibility Requirements

Visit the VA's Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) – Chapter 1606 webpage for comprehensive details.

To apply for Chapter 1606 benefits:

  1. Complete VA Form 22-1990 (Application for Educational Benefits) via ebenefits, or, for those who have previously received VA educational benefits, complete VA Form 22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training Form). Once completed, submit to the school certifying official.
  2. Submit a completed copy of Form DD-2384-1 to WCTC's school certifying official.
  3. Complete and submit the WCTC Enrollment Certification form, which is also available in the Armed Forces Student Center and Financial Aid office. This is required for every academic term to have WCTC certify your benefits.

Payment Information

Monthly benefit paid is based on training type; for those attending school, payment is based on training time. The VA will send a benefits award letter once eligibility has been confirmed; to receive funding listed in the letter, participants must certify enrollment each month with the VA:

This program provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans, offering up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

Eligibility Requirements

Visit the VA's Survivors' Dependents' Educational Assistance Program – Chapter 35 webpage for comprehensive details about and eligibility requirements for this benefit.

To apply for Chapter 35 benefits:

  1. Complete VA Form 22-5490 (Application for Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance) available on the VA GI Bill® website; it can also be completed online at the Veterans Online Application website. Or, for those who have previously received VA educational benefits, complete VA Form 22-5495 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training Form).
  2. Submit a copy of veterans' DD-214 to WCTC's school certifying official.
  3. If a dependent of the veteran, submit a birth certificate; if a surviving spouse of a veteran, submit a marriage certificate.
  4. Complete and submit the WCTC Enrollment Certification form, which is also available in the Financial Aid office. This is required for every academic term if you wish to have WCTC certify your benefits.

Payment Information

The monthly benefit is paid based on training type; for those in school, payment is based on training time.

This program provides up to 36 months of education benefits for veterans and service members who have at least two years of active duty. Generally, this benefit applies to those who entered service for the first time after June 30, 1985 and who had military pay reduced by $100/month for the first 12 months. Usually, benefits are payable for 10 years following release from active duty.

Eligibility Requirements

Visit the VA's Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty (MGIB-AD) – Chapter 30 webpage for comprehensive details.

To apply for Chapter 30 benefits:

  1. Complete VA Form 22-1990 (Application for Educational Benefits) or, for those who have previously received VA educational benefits, complete VA Form 22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training Form). Once completed, submit to the school certifying official.
  2. Submit a completed copy of Form DD-214 and Certificate of Eligibility to WCTC's school certifying official.
  3. Complete and submit the WCTC Enrollment Certification form, which is also available in the Armed Forces Student Center and Financial Aid office. This is required for every academic term to have WCTC certify your benefits.

Payment Information

Monthly benefit paid is based on the type of training taken, length of service, category and if the Department of Defense put extra money in your MGIB fund. The VA will send a benefits award letter once eligibility has been confirmed; to receive funding listed in the letter, participants must certify enrollment each month with the VA:

This mission of this program is to provide veterans with service-connected disabilities to prepare for, find and keep suitable jobs. For those with severe disabilities who cannot work, VR&E offers services to improve their ability to live as independently as possible.

The basic eligibility period in which VR&E services may be used is 12 years from the latter of the date of separation from active military service, or the date the veteran was first notified by the VA of a service-connected disability rating. This may be extended if a vocational rehabilitation counselor (VRC) determines the veteran has a serious employment handicap.

Eligibility Requirements

Visit the VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program – Chapter 31 webpage for comprehensive details about and eligibility requirements for about this benefit.

To apply for Chapter 31 benefits:

  1. Complete VA Form 28-1900 (Disabled Veterans Application for Vocational Rehabilitation), which can be obtained from your vocational rehabilitation counselor (VRC). The VRC - not WCTC - coordinates the application process.
  2. Complete and submit the WCTC Enrollment Certification form, which is also available in the Financial Aid office. This is required for every academic term to have WCTC certify your benefits.

Payment Information

VA will pay required costs, such as tuition and books, fees, supplies, equipment and, if needed, special services. While in training, the VA will also pay a monthly benefit – a subsistence allowance – to help with living expenses. The VA will send a benefits award letter once eligibility is confirmed.

The My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Scholarship is a workforce development program that provides up to $4,000 of tuition assistance to eligible military spouses. The program provides for education and training in several programs at WCTC. To be eligible, you must be the spouse of an active duty, activated Guard or Reserve service member.

 

State Education Benefits

The Wisconsin GI Bill® remits full tuition for eligible veterans and their dependents for up to eight full-time semesters or 128 credits at any University of Wisconsin System or Wisconsin Technical College institution. Qualifying veterans receive 100 percent remission. A 100 percent remission is provided to the qualifying un-remarried surviving spouse and children of a veteran who died in the line of duty, and to the spouse and children of a veteran with substantial service-connected disabilities.

  • For qualifying spouses, the benefit must be used within 10 years of the date of death or the initial disability rating of 30 percent or greater.
  • For qualifying children, the benefit is available from ages 18 through 25.

For the Wisconsin GI Bill®, the veteran must have entered service as a Wisconsin resident. The benefit recipient must reside in Wisconsin.

Eligibility Requirements and How to Apply

Visit the State of Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs website for comprehensive details about this benefit.

Recently unemployed or underemployed veterans may receive up to $3,000 per year, for a maximum of two years, if they have a financial need while being retrained for employment. The amount of the grant is determined by the applicant's financial need as calculated by the WDVA.

Eligibility Requirements and How to Apply

Visit the State of Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs website for comprehensive details about this benefit.

The Veterans Education (VetEd) grant program provides a reimbursement grant based on a credit-bank system that is based on length of active duty military service to eligible veterans who have not yet been awarded a bachelor’s degree for the reimbursement of tuition and fees following successful course completion at an eligible UW, technical college or approved private institution of higher learning.

Veterans may concurrently receive federal Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill® (VA) benefits and VetEd for the same semester. However, those eligible for Wisconsin GI Bill® benefits must apply for and use those benefits in order to be eligible for VetEd reimbursement. VetEd reimbursement will be reduced to the extent that tuition and fees have already been paid by other grants, scholarships and remissions provided for the payment of tuition and fees.

Eligibility Requirements and How to Apply

Visit the State of Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs website for comprehensive details about this benefit.

The Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Grant allows an eligible guard member, upon satisfactory completion of a course or courses at a qualifying school, to apply for a tuition reimbursement.

Reimbursement is based on 100 percent of the tuition charged at the student's qualifying school. The grant cannot pay for any fees, books or continuing education credits (CEUs). The grant program reimburses up to eight semesters.  For additional information on this grant, visit the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs website.

Armed Forces Student Center

WCTC's Armed Forces Student Center is a dedicated space designed to assist active military, veterans and family members with the transition from college to career. The center is located in the College Center, room C-016. The center is home to:

  • Veterans specialists who can assist with educational benefits
  • Resource room staffed on a rotating basis by experts in advising, counseling, employment, accessibility and military benefits
  • Lounge and quiet study area
  • Student support services
  • Student Veterans of America (SVA) student organization

More to Know

Registration

Priority Registration for Veterans and Service Members

Assembly Bill 201 gives early registration to veterans and service members attending Wisconsin technical colleges. To be eligible, you must:

  • Be currently active or have an "honorable" or "general under honorable" discharge
  • Reside in Wisconsin

Eligible veterans and service members are allowed to register starting at 8 a.m. one business day prior to general web registration. Early registration does not waive any course or program requirements, such as prerequisites and program restrictions. Courses are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Veteran Student Deployment Policy

WCTC will refund 100 percent of all tuition and fees if you are ordered or inducted into active service in the U.S. armed forces or are requested to work for the federal government during a time of national emergency.

View Military Policies >

Upcoming Information Sessions

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