Veterans and Servicemembers

For information or assistance, contact the Office of Financial Aid and Veteran Services:

• Phone: 217/351-2228
• Email: veterans@parkland.edu
• Website: https://parkland.edu/veterans
• Office: U286

Financial Assistance

Federal Assistance Programs

Parkland College is approved for GI Bill® and State Veterans benefits. Veterans, servicemembers, and reservists/guardsmen should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Veteran Services for information concerning the financial assistance and/or benefits available to them.

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 official U.S. government website, https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/.

• Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapter 30): Parkland is approved for Montgomery GI Bill® benefits. Veterans and servicemembers should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Veteran Services for information concerning the financial assistance and/or benefits available to them.
• Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31): This benefit is a comprehensive educational program administered by the VA, open to veterans with a compensable, service-connected disability. A monthly stipend is awarded along with all tuition and fees, as well as necessary tools or supplies. Contact the Veterans Administration for more information.
• Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33): Service members who have at least 90 days of aggregate active duty service after September 10, 2001 and are still on active duty, or are an honorable discharged veteran or were discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days, may be eligible for this VA-administered program.
• Survivor/Dependents Assistance (Chapter 35): Eligible to spouses and children of veterans who were either killed in action, missing in action, a prisoner of war, or were 100 percent disabled due to a service-connected cause should contact the Office of Financial Aid and Veteran Services for information concerning the financial assistance/benefits available to them.
• Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606): Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) provides education and training benefits to eligible members of the Selected Reserve, including the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard. Eligibility is determined by the Selected Reserve components, while the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers benefit payments.

State Assistance Programs

• Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG): A veteran who entered the armed forces while a resident of Illinois may be entitled to an IVG, which covers tuition and mandatory fees for college/vocational skills credit and audited college credit classes. Applications for the IVG may be obtained from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission at www.isac.org.
• Illinois National Guard Grant (ING): Enlisted persons who have served at least one year in the Illinois National Guard or Naval Militia may apply for the ING. The ING covers tuition and some fees for college/vocational skills credit and audited college credit classes. Persons are eligible for the ING only during the period they are enlisted in the guard or militia. Applications for the ING may be obtained from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission at www.isac.org.
• Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW Scholarship: The spouse or child of an Illinois Veteran who was either killed in action, missing in action, a prisoner of war, or was 100 percent disabled due to a service-connected cause may be entitled to the Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW scholarship, which covers in-district tuition and mandatory fees. Applications for the Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW scholarship may be obtained from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission at www.isac.org.

Evaluation of Prior Education and Military Training

Students using VA education benefits must have their previous education and military training evaluated for potential transfer credit. This process begins with the transcript evaluation upon the student’s first request for benefit certification, and all required transcripts must be submitted by the end of the first semester. Failure to meet this requirement will result in a hold on future benefit certifications until all documents are received and evaluated.

The Admissions and Records Office assesses transfer credits, including military training, and provides the results to the VA Certifying Official. Students are responsible for submitting transcripts and completing a Prior Credit Evaluation form to ensure applicable credits are applied toward their degree program.

Credit for Military Training

Parkland College accepts certain forms of military training as equivalent to college-level learning and awards proficiency credit accordingly.

Procedure:

1. Student submits documentation of military training (Joint Services Transcript (JST) or transcript from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) to Admissions and Records for evaluation.
2. Admissions and Records evaluates military course work as general elective (not General Education Core Curriculum) credit or occupational elective credit per American Council of Education recommendation.
3. The student interested in direct course equivalency should follow the procedure for proficiency credit. The department chair may require a proficiency exam. The proficiency exam fee is waived for military personnel.

A maximum of 75 percent of graduation requirements may be completed at other colleges and/or through non-traditional means. The remaining 25 percent must be completed in courses offered by Parkland, but need not be earned in consecutive terms.

Non-traditional means of earning credits include:

• Parkland College proficiency tests
• College Level Examination Program (general and subject tests)
• Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES) tests
• Credit based on the completion of service school courses that have been evaluated by the Commission on Accreditation of Service Experiences (CASE) of the American Council on Education

Servicemembers, veterans, and their dependents are encouraged to consult with their Base Education Services Office or with Parkland’s Office of Admissions and Records concerning the possible award of credit earned through nontraditional means.

Military Transfer Agreements

Parkland is a participant in the CONAP System of the United States Army.  CONAP (Concurrent Application) allows recruits to the Army to be admitted into Parkland at the time of entry into the Army. 

Under CONAP, students will be committed to the graduation criteria of the catalog of the year in which they are admitted, regardless of date of enrollment.  Students will also have the option to graduate under the requirements of any subsequent catalog.

Further information about CONAP may be obtained from Academic Advising.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements

Students who are receiving educational benefits through the VA must continue to make satisfactory progress in their academic major. Satisfactory progress will be measured in terms of a student’s college (cumulative) grade point average (GPA).

Students receiving benefits are expected to maintain a college GPA that does not subject them to academic probation. If a student maintains a probationary GPA for two consecutive terms, or is academically suspended or dismissed from Parkland College, the student’s future enrollment certification will be suspended and the VA will be notified of the student’s unsatisfactory progress.

Students using the state Veteran’s benefits are required to meet the minimum cumulative college GPA requirement:

Students who do not meet the cumulative GPA requirement will be placed on warning. Students on warning will be allowed the following semester of enrollment to achieve the required cumulative GPA requirement.

If at the end of that semester the student has not met the minimum GPA requirement, the student will be placed on suspension and will be ineligible to use the benefit. There are two ways a student’s eligibility can be reinstated from suspension status:

1. meet minimum cumulative college GPA requirement standard(s) as set forth in this policy; or
2. submit an appeal that is approved by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee placing the student on probation. While on probation, students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher for their semester college GPA. Failure to do so will result in suspension.

A student receiving benefits is expected to complete all of the credit hours they are certified for each semester. In some situations, a student who does not achieve this course completion schedule may be charged with overpayment.

Students may only enroll in classes that apply to their declared major if they expect to receive G.I. benefits.  Servicemembers, veterans, and reservists who lack adequate preparation for college-level study may enroll in remedial courses.

Military Withdraw/Incomplete Grades

Active or reserve military or National Guard personnel who are currently enrolled may qualify for a grade of military withdrawal (MW) or military incomplete (IM) if they are called to active duty. The following procedures apply:

• Prior to any action, the student should consult with their instructors. Each faculty member may choose to award a quality grade or credit/no grade if the student has satisfied the primary objectives of the course.
• If the student has completed 80 percent or more of the material, but does not qualify for a quality grade, a grade of IM may be given, and the faculty member should complete an Incomplete Grade Contract. In the event that the IM grade is not completed during the prescribed time limit, such grade will automatically be changed to MW.
• If the student has not completed 80 percent of the course material, the student may request from Admissions a grade of MW.
• A grade of MW will entitle the student to a complete refund of tuition and fees. Students with concerns during this process should contact the department chair.

Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Registration

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has three ROTC detachments (Air Force, Army, and Navy).

Parkland College students who are interested in enrolling for ROTC classes at the university may do so through the concurrent enrollment agreement between Parkland College and the University of Illinois. The Concurrent Enrollment: UIUC ROTC form can be found in the Forms Library on the Parkland website.

Students who have enrolled in first- and second-year ROTC classes while attending Parkland College, intend to transfer to an Illinois college or university, and plan to commit to a third- and fourth-year Air Force, Army, and Naval ROTC program may be eligible for scholarships.

For additional information, inquire at the ROTC office on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus.

Veteran Residency Status Policy

Parkland College is committed to supporting veterans and their families by ensuring access to affordable education. In compliance with 38 U.S.C. § 3679(c) (Veterans Choice Act) and Illinois Public Act 97-0092 (Veterans Education Benefits Act), Parkland College offers in-district tuition rates to all “covered individuals” using VA education benefits, regardless of their official state residency.

This means that veterans and eligible dependents using Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill®), Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness & Employment), Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®), Chapter 35 (Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance), or Chapter 1606 (Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve) will be charged no more than the in-district tuition rate, ensuring they receive the lowest possible tuition costs.

Veterans Priority Registration

Parkland College complies with Illinois Public Act 098-0316 (110 ILCS 805/3-29.10) by offering priority enrollment to all eligible service members and veterans. This ensures they receive the earliest possible registration opportunity available at the college, allowing them to enroll in courses each semester before any other student group.

Students must verify their eligibility through the Office of Financial Aid and Veteran Services before receiving priority registration.