Student Veterans

Military FriendlyⓇ SchoolWelcome to Edgecombe Community College. We are delighted that you are interested in our college and look forward to helping you achieve your educational goals. We are proud and confident of the relationship we are building with the men and women in uniform who bravely serve this country, those who have served, and their families. Our goal is to enhance the education experience of veterans and eligible family members by providing access to educational benefits within a supportive environment.

For the third year in a row, ECC was recognized nationally in 2022 as a school that helps military veterans succeed. The college was designated a 2022-2023 Military Friendly® School. ECC received a Silver Award in the Small Community College category. We fully understand the unique needs of our veteran student population. Our diverse range of courses, programs, and support services will help you be successful.

Role of the Office of Veterans Affairs

The Office of Veterans Affairs serves to help assimilate veterans into the campus community and its environment. The office provides a myriad of services all designed to assist veterans in the pursuit of their educational objectives.

Satisfactory Progress for Veterans

The Veterans Administration regulations require that veterans must maintain “satisfactory progress” in order to remain eligible for their VA educational benefits. The following is a detailed description of the school’s policy concerning “satisfactory progress”:

  1. All students are required to maintain an overall cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 for graduation.
  2. When a veteran fails to maintain an overall cumulative 2.0 grade point average, the veteran will be placed on academic probation for the following semester of enrollment.
  3. At the end of a two-semester probationary period, veterans who do not have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (counting all subjects undertaken from the original enrollment or who have withdrawn during their probationary period) will have their benefits terminated for unsatisfactory progress.
  4. Veterans who have their benefits terminated for unsatisfactory progress must raise their average to the minimum required for graduation before being recertified for educational benefits.

Veterans Educational Assistance

Beginning August 1, 2021, Chapter 33 students must verify their enrollment status each month to continue to receive their monthly housing allowance and/or kicker payments. Students are asked to verify their enrollment status relative to what the SCO has reported on their behalf.

Students can verify their enrollment status in one of two ways:

  • Text Messaging – Students who choose VA’s opt-in feature will receive a text message each month prompting them to verify their enrollment status
  • Telephone – Students may call the Education Call Center at (888) 442-4551 to verify their enrollment.

If a student fails to verify 2 months in a row, their Housing payments will be held.

  1. Post-9/11 GI Bill® (38 U.S.C. Chapter 33) Provides educational assistance to service members who served at least 90 days of aggregate active duty after September 10, 2001, and are still on active duty, or honorably discharged or discharged with a service-related disability after 30 days of service.

Notice: The VA is required to calculate the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) based on the location of the campus where the individual physically attends the majority of their classes. MHA will no longer be based on the “Institution” location of the school where the individual is enrolled. This applies to all new terms beginning on or after August 1, 2018. Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33), VA will calculate MHA based on the location of the campus where the individual physically attends the majority of their classes. Changing enrollment during a semester can impact the amount of MHA the student receives.

>> G.I. Bill® letter to Chapter 33 Student Veterans who reduced enrollment (Opens PDF in new tab)

  1. Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35 of Title 38) entitles dependents of a veteran who died of a service-connected disability or who has a total disability arising from a service-connected disability to receive benefits from the Veterans Administration.
  2. Chapter 30, also known as the Montgomery G.I. Bill®, covers those persons who entered active duty after June 30, 1985. GED preparation will not be covered under Chapter 30.
  3. Montgomery GI Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR), Chapter 1606, provides assistance to eligible members of the Selected Reserves. Eligibility for this program is determined by the Selected Reserve components.
  4. The Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP), Chapter 1607, provides assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency declared by the President or Congress.

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Comparison Tool

The Department of Veterans Affairs has launched an innovative new GI Bill® Comparison Tool designed to make it easier for veterans to calculate their Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits and learn more about colleges, universities and other education and training programs across the country. The GI Bill® Comparison Tool is designed to enable student veterans and their families to compare education options and make informed choices that will help reach their educational goals and find a good job.