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VA Education Benefits

Getting Started with your benefits is easy at Pima Community College.

  • Contact us to find your advisor at 520-206-2266 or email at veterans@pima.edu.
  • Download the Veteran Benefits Recipient checklist here

Get Started with Your VA Education Benefits

  1. Apply for Veteran Education Benefits to receive your Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
  2. Bring a copy of your COE to your veteran advisor to verify eligibility and gain your Protected Veteran Benefit Recipient (VBR) Status
  3. Request all official transcripts from other institutions. Pima Community College accepts both digital or physical official transcripts.
    1. Send digital official transcripts to: registrar@pima.edu
    2. Send physical official transcripts to:
      Pima Community College District Office – Admissions and Records 4905 E Broadway Blvd. STE B-220 Tucson, AZ 85709-1120
    3. Order Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcripts
    4. Order Joint Service Transcripts (JST)
    5. Order any other transcripts you may have from other institutions.
  4. Make an appointment with your veteran advisor
  5. Submit a Certification Request

Questions? Give us a call at (520) 206-2266 or email us at veterans@pima.edu.


VA Education Benefits are provided by the VA. The information below is intended to reiterate information from the VA Website. For the best and most updated information please visit www.va.gov

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill® (MGIB)

  • Eligible: Some Veterans based on dates of service and other factors. See VA Website for more information.
  • Pays MGIB housing stipend directly to VBR. VBR pays all expenses out of that stipend. This stipend may be higher than other benefits.

Chapter 31 Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)

  • Eligible: Some veterans based on VA Disability rating. See VA Website for more information.
  • Pays Ch31/Ch33 housing stipend directly to VBR, allows purchasing of approved items via Ch31 Counselor, tuition paid by VR&E program.

Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill®

  • Eligible: Some veterans based on dates of service. Some dependents based on veteran’s service. See VA Website for more information.
  • Pays Ch33 housing stipend directly to VBR (depending on percentage of eligibility noted in Certificate of Eligibility), book stipend prorated on number of enrolled credits per semester, and tuition to school (depending on percentage of eligibility noted in Certificate of Eligibility).

Chapter 35 Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA)

  • Eligible: Some dependents based on 100% VA Disability rating of the veteran. See VA Website for more information.
  • Pays Ch35 housing stipend directly to VBR. VBR pays all expenses out of that stipend. This stipend may be higher than other benefits.

Chapter 1606 Montgomery GI Bill® Select-Reserve (MGIB-SR)

  • Eligible: Drilling Status Reservists/Guardsmen. See VA website/your command for more information.
  • Pays Ch1606 housing stipend directly to VBR. VBR pays all expenses out of that stipend.

Being a VBR, you may qualify for in-state tuition status. In-state tuition status provides lower cost tuition to you. To qualify for in-state residency you must:

  • Complete a Residency Correction Form
  • Gather Documents
    • Have “intent” to become a resident
      • AZ Drivers License OR
      • AZ Vehicle Registration OR
      • AZ Voter ID
    • Certificate of Eligibility
  • Upload the residency correction form, your intent, and your COE to the MyPima, Students > Register and Pay > Registrar File Upload (Select Residency Document/Correction).

To stay in good academic standing, you must maintain a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) and complete 67% of your classes.

VBR Good Standing
Good standing is defined as maintaining a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) and a completion rate of 67%.

VBR Academic Warning
The first semester you fall below good academic standing, you will be placed on VBR(Veteran Benefit Recipient) Academic Warning going into the following semester. The consequences:

  • You are eligible to use VA education benefits.
  • Create a Student Lingo Account. You must select and complete one Student Lingo module.

VBR Academic Probation
If you are on VBR Academic Warning and fall below good academic standing again (for the second consecutive semester), you will be placed on VBR Academic Probation going into the following semester. The consequences:

  • You are eligible to use VA education benefits.
  • You must meet with a Veteran Advisor.

VBR Academic Suspension
If you are on VBR Academic Probation and fall below good academic standing again (for the third consecutive semester), you will be placed on VBR Academic Suspension. Your student account will be placed on hold, preventing you from making changes or registering for classes. This means that you will not be eligible to use your VA education benefit unless an appeal is submitted or you can restore your good standing. If your appeal is denied, you may still take classes but without VA certification. Ask your veteran advisor for more information if you have questions or call our main office at 520 206-2266.

After certification, ask the bookstore how to use this program.

Military and Veteran Services has partnered with the Pima Community College bookstore to provide a program to help you pay for your books while awaiting money from the VA. This is money that is available to let you purchase your books - however it must be repaid once you receive your book stipend from the VA. Failure to do so may result in a registration hold that prevents you from registering for the next semester
Pima Community College recognizes that if you are using Veteran Education Benefits you may be waiting for money from the VA to pay for tuition. Pima Community College will place a protection on your account to prevent you from being dropped due to non-payment during this time. This protection is automatically applied before certification with the VA. Contact us with any questions you may have.
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