Veterans Services

Columbia Gorge Community College is committed to providing financial support to assist you with your education. The registrar at CGCC certifies all veteran benefits for certificate and degree seeking students attending both in-person and online programs. You may be qualified for both federal student aid and military or VA benefits. To be considered for federal financial aid, please visit Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA). File for FAFSA as soon as possible, the CGCC FAFSA code is 041519.

In order to receive VA benefits, you must submit a Certificate of Eligibility, obtained through Department of Veteran Affairs GI Bill, which should be sent to the Registrar. Veterans may be able to transfer their benefits to a spouse, one or more children, or a combination of a spouse and child. For faster processing, the VA strongly encourages veterans to apply for benefits online, rather than by mail.

Columbia Gorge Community College does not impose any penalties due to the delayed disbursement of funding from the VA under Chapter 31 or 33. Students with payment delays will not be charged late fees, prevented from enrolling, or denied access to courses, libraries, or other institutional facilities, nor are students required to borrow additional funds due to the delayed disbursement of funding from the VA under Chapter 31 or 33.

Getting Started with CGCC and Your VA Benefits

1. Apply to Columbia Gorge Community College (CGCC):
   • Complete the online application at https://www.cgcc.edu/apply
2. Certify Eligibility with VA
   • If you haven't already, apply for your VA education benefits (e.g., GI Bill®) through the Department of Veterans Affairs website.
   • Once your application is processed, the VA will send you a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). This document proves you're eligible for benefits.
3. Once certified, submit verification to Registrar's Office
   • Send your Certificate of Eligibility to registrar@cgcc.edu or drop off a physical copy at Student Services (Building 3, The Dalles Campus)
4. Explore Financial Aid Options. You may be qualified for both federal student aid and military or VA benefits.
   • To be considered for Federal Financial Aid, go to the official FAFSA website and apply.
     • Use the CGCC school code: 041519
     • Completing the FAFSA will determine your eligibility for federal grants, loans, and work-study programs.
5. Meet with an Academic Advisor
   • Schedule an appointment with a CGCC academic advisor at https://www.cgcc.edu/advising
     • An advisor will help you explore program options, choose the right courses, develop an academic plan, and understand degree requirements.
6. Send official transcripts from all colleges you've attended, including your Joint Services Transcript.
7. Attend New Student Orientation
8. Begin classes
9. Inform the registrar (registrar@cgcc.edu) if you add or drop any courses after the term begins
10. CH30/CH33 only - Verify Your Enrollment with the VA each month
    • To ensure continued receipt of Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and/or kicker payments under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, students must verify their enrollment monthly.
    • Information about enrollment verification can be found at https://www.va.gov/resources/gi-bill-enrollment-verification-faqs

• Cost analysis and benefits calculator
• VA Chapter Comparison Tool
• Tuition Waiver for Dependents of Fallen and Disabled Service Members

Your credits will affect your Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). 

According to the VA website: We’ll pay you a percentage of MHA based on how many credits you’re taking per term or how many clock hours you’re scheduled to attend per week, compared to full-time enrollment. We call this your rate of pursuit. For example, if you’re taking 9 credits in a standard-length term and your school considers 12 credits to be full time, your rate of pursuit is 80% (9 divided by 12, rounded to the nearest tenth). To be eligible for MHA, your rate of pursuit must be more than 50%.

If enrolled in 6 or more credits at CGCC, you must verify your enrollment at the end of every month during the term. CGCC's Fall Term begins in late September, so verification occurs on or after October 1st.

If you fail to verify:

• CH33 - Post-911 GI Bill: Benefits will be paused after 2 consecutive months of not verifying enrollment.
• CH30 - Montgomery GI Bill: Benefits will not be sent if enrollment is not verified.

The VA provides an online tool for checking your enrollment information here.

If you find that your enrollment is incorrect, contact registrar@cgcc.edu to update your information.

According to the VA GI Bill Enrollment Verification FAQ:

CH33 - Post-911 GI Bill benefits are processed on the first day of every month, taking up to 5 days to arrive.

CH30 Montgomery GI Bill benefits are processed after enrollment is verified and take up to 5 days to arrive.

• VA Benefits hotline
  • 800-827-1000 (Monday through Friday, 5am to 6pm PST)
• GI Bill hotline 
  • 888-442-4551 (5am to 4pm PST)
• Main MyVA411 Information Line
  • 800-698-2411 (24/7)
• CGCC Student Services
  • (541) 506-6011, option 2 (Monday - Thursday: 9am to 6pm, Friday: 9am - noon)