Registration for Student Veterans and Dependents

Once you’ve completed the college's general admissions process, you can register. The Registrar’s office assists you with registration, graduation and requests for transcripts and other student-related records. The Veterans Services office can assist with these actions on a case by case basis.

Registration Process

• If you have a complete admissions file, you may register online or through your advisor on campus.
• A copy of your course schedule must be provided to the Veterans Services office.
• If you have fewer than 24 hours of credit, you must see an advisor before registering for classes.
• Tuition and fee charges must be paid at the time of registration, which is not complete until all payments have been made. The Veterans Services office will work closely with the Business Office and Cashier to ensure that prospective payments from your VA benefits are anticipated. Certain Chapters will require advance payment of tuition and fees as indicated below:
  • Chapter 30 – Student payment by payment deadline is required.
  • Chapter 31 - Veterans Service Office will notify Cashier that VA payment is anticipated.
  • Chapter 33 - Veterans Service Office will notify Cashier that VA payment is anticipated.
  • Chapter 35 – Student payment by payment deadline is required.
  • Chapter 1606 – Student payment by payment deadline is required.
  • Hazlewood – Veteran Services office will notify Cashier that tuition exemption is authorized. Students will be required to pay the student services fee for each semester enrolled while using the Hazlewood Act Exemption. The current rate is $15 per semester.

The VA does not pay certain fees which will be the student’s responsibility and must be paid prior to the payment deadline for the semester registered or the student may be removed from classes for non-payment. Fees that may not be covered by the VA include but are not limited to:

Penalty Fees – Late registration, returned checks, repeated courses and any other fees that are not required of every student.

IMPORTANT NOTE 

Each semester that you have registered for classes you must come to the Veteran Services office to request certification of your enrollment. Your course schedule can be printed at the Veteran Services office. The request for certification form or Hazelwood application will be completed and submitted at this time. If you make any changes to your course schedule after the Veteran Services office has processed your benefits, you must notify the Veteran Services office immediately to avoid any overpayments or debts that may be generated as a result of these changes. It is recommended that you contact the Veteran Services office prior to making any changes to your schedule.

Changes in Registration 

Any time your course schedule changes you must immediately notify the Veteran Services Office. Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 21.4203 requires that all changes in enrollment credit must be reported in a timely manner. Reducing the number of semester hours you are attempting within a given semester may cause a decrease in your VA benefit amount and could generate an overpayment from the VA. If overpayment occurs, you will become indebted to the VA and your future benefit payments could be reduced by the amount of the overpayment.

Six Drop Limit 

If you are a first-time student who entered college in Fall 2007 or after, you cannot drop more than six courses, including any course you have dropped at another college in Texas, according to Senate Bill 1231. There are exceptions to this policy if you can show good cause for dropping a course(s). For further information, contact the Registrar’s Office.

Implications for Financial Aid 

You should be aware that dropping courses may affect your eligibility for financial aid. You should contact Financial Aid Services prior to dropping a course or completely withdrawing from school. If you stop attending class without officially withdrawing from the College, then the grade is an automatic “F.” Students receiving Veterans Benefits for education should contact the Veteran Services Office for specific policies concerning drops and withdrawals. These changes may have a direct effect on your VA benefits.

Standards for Using VA Benefits

Satisfactory 

If you are receiving veteran’s educational benefits, you must make satisfactory academic progress by maintaining a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) each enrollment period.

Unsatisfactory 

The first term you fall below a 2.0 grade point average will result in your being placed on probation. If you fail to meet the minimum standard the next semester of enrollment, you will be placed on suspension and unable to utilize your VA education benefits. Failure to achieve the required GPA will cause the benefits to be terminated until the GPA is satisfactory.  

Regaining Eligibility 

To regain eligibility, you must register for at least half-time enrollment in the next semester that you attend at your own expense and earn at least a 2.0 grade point average.  By earning a 2.0 GPA, you will be removed from suspension and reinstated eligibility to your VA education benefits.

Standards for Using Hazlewood Act Exemption 

In accordance with Texas Administrative Code Title 40 Part 15 Chapter 461 Subchapter A, students using the Hazlewood Act Exemption must meet the GPA requirement of the institution’s satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy in a degree or certificate program as determined by the institution’s financial aid policy, except that they are not required to enroll in a minimum course load.

Students using the Hazlewood Act Exemption are also required to meet the other requirements of Texas Education Code 54.2001 which states the following:

…”as an undergraduate student, has not completed as of the beginning of the semester or term a number of semester credit hours that is considered to be excessive under Section 54.014, unless permitted to complete those hours by the institution on a showing of good cause”…

Students who wish to utilize the Hazlewood Act Exemption but do not meet the SAP requirements as indicated above, are advised to contact the Financial Aid Department to obtain a SAP appeal package.

The above provisions do not apply to a spouse or child of a veteran who has died from a service-related injury or illness or who was classified as missing in action (MIA) or killed in action (KIA).

Residency

Proof of Texas Residency 

In accordance with state law, if you plan to register as a Texas resident, you must prove that you are legally entitled to pay in-state tuition. Documentation proving state residency must be presented at the time of application or readmission. If you have had a break of a year or more in education, you must again show proof of Texas residency upon reapplying for admission. The following documents may be submitted to document your eligibility for Texas Residency:

• Service member’s DD Form 4 for enlisted service members or commissioning document for officers to verify Home of Record was Texas upon entry into active service
• DD-214 (if applicable) to verify Home of Record was Texas upon entry into active service
• Leave and Earnings Statements for 12 months preceding semester of enrollment to verify Texas identified as State of Legal Residence

Important note:  VA Education benefits do not pay out of state/non-resident tuition.  In accordance with Texas Education Code Section 54.241 (k) A person is entitled to pay tuition and fees at an institution of higher education at the rates provided for Texas residents without regard to the length of time the person has resided in this state if the person files with the institution at which he/she intends to register a letter of intent to establish residence in this state and resides in this state while enrolled in the institution and the person is eligible for Post 9/11 VA education benefits or any other federal law authorizing educational benefits for veterans.

Establishing Residency of Military/Military Dependents 

In order to qualify for in-state and in-district tuition, if you are a military service member or dependent who is a resident of another state but assigned in the State of Texas or if you are a Texas Resident assigned outside of the state of Texas, you must submit a letter from the commanding officer or from the individual assigned to handle such duty, verifying Texas as the state of duty station. This verification must be submitted once per year to Del Mar College on or before registration. Forms are available from the Veteran Services Office, the Student Enrollment Center and the Registrar’s Office.