Veterans FAQs

To apply for State VA benefits, contact the Veterans Service Office in the county where you live. Contact information is available via an interactive map.  To apply for Federal VA benefits, go to va.gov to apply. For additional help contact the VA SCO.

Ms. Michelle Webb is the VA SCO for Coastal Alabama.  You can reach her at 251-580-2292 or by email at veterans@coastalalabama.edu.

You must apply for your VA education benefits online at www.va.gov. After submitting the application, it can takes the VA 4-6 weeks to process your request and send you a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to your mailing address. Once you receive your COE you must provide a copy to the Financial Aid Office on your campus and it will be sent to the VA School Certifying Official in the Financial Aid Office on the Bay Minette Campus. You must also submit a copy of the Request for Certification of Enrollment form (.pdf) so that your enrollment can be processed for payment with the VA.  IF you have any questions concerning your VA education benefits you can email the veteran affairs office at veterans@coastalalabama.edu or call 251-580-2292. 

Visit the va.gov and refer to the Chapter 33 Transfer of Eligibility or the Chapter 35 Survivor's and Dependent Education Assistance Program.

Contact the Veteran Service Office located in the county that you live and make an appointment with the Veteran Service Officer to have the application completed. To locate the office in your county, utilize the interactive map. It may possibly take 30 to 45 days for your Certificate of Entitlement to be received. 

Yes, you may apply for financial aid by completing the FAFSA at www.studentaid.gov. The FAFSA opens every year on October 1 and all students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. Financial aid eligibility and award amounts will vary from student to student. State VA recipients are required to complete a FAFSA. There may also be other financial aid options available to you. Please visit the Coastal Alabama Financial Aid web page for additional information.

Students utilizing federal VA education benefits must maintain 12 credit hours of enrollment during any semester, fall, spring, and/or summer to be classified as a full-time student. 

Yes, you may.  Please provide the veteran affairs office with a completed ANGEAP application for the current academic year. This benefit pays tuition and is based on financial need. You must have a FAFSA on file. Funds are limited and not all applicants are awarded. 

For veterans of the Air Force, go to airuniversity.af.mil/Academic-Affairs/Registrar to request a copy of your Community College of the Air Force transcript. For veterans from all other branches of service, you can request a copy of your military transcript at jst.doded.mil/official.html.

CDR stands for Cohort Default Rate which refers to the default rate on federal student loans. Students can search the Official Cohort Default Rates by visiting Federal Student Aid and entering the OPEID – 001060. The CDR is reported annually to the National Center for Education Statistics. The current 2018 CDR is 12.6% in comparison to the 7.3% national average. 

Students utilizing VA Education Benefits are allowed to register on the first day of registration, regardless of freshman/sophomore status, if they have submitted all required paperwork and documentation to the VA School Certifying Official and the College. 

Students utilizing federal VA education benefits will have a hold on their account to prevent them from adding or withdrawing from any classes during the semester, once their hours have been certified for payment with the VA. Students who withdraw from classes may owe a portion of their financial aid back to the school.  In addition, VA students may owe money back to the VA. For this reason, VA students with certified schedules have a hold. 

Yes, for this reason, all transcripts from your military service must be on file in Admissions. Visit the Veterans Resource page for links to order your Joint Services Transcript. In addition, transcripts from any other college or university you have attended, must also be on file in Admissions.