Veterans Assistance Return Policy

Background

Military Tuition Assistance is a U.S. Department of Defense program. Military Tuition Assistance is a benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Congress has given each service the ability to pay up to 100% for the tuition expenses of its members. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process, and restrictions. This money is usually paid directly to the institution by the individual services. Tuition assistance rules vary by branch of service and even vary between different units within the same branch depending on whether the unit is active, reserve, or National Guard. Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded. To comply with the U.S. Department of Defense policy, Dutchess Community College will return any unearned TA funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60% portion of the period for which the funds were provided. 

Policy

Return of Tuition Assistance In accordance with regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Defense, return of tuition assistance is a calculation that Dutchess Community College is required to perform to return any unearned TA funds through the 60 percent portion of the period these funds were distributed to the military service member. TA funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period,with unearned funds returned based on the students last date of attendance. In cases when a Military Servicemember stops attending due to a Military Service obligation, Dutchess Community College will work with the Military Service member to work in good faith to identify payment solutions that will not result in student debt for the returned portion. If a Military Service member (officially or unofficially) withdraws from an academic term and he or she did not complete more than 60% of the term, the Military Service member may not be eligible for the total amount initially awarded through TA. An official withdrawal is when the student actually withdraws from courses either by completing an add/drop form or by sending an email to the Registrar’s Office from their myDCC email address. An unofficial withdrawal is when a student either never attends or stops attending courses for the term. After final grades are posted for a term, Dutchess Community College will identify students as unofficial withdrawals. If a student is on “Temporary Duty Assignment” or is deployed, Dutchess Community College will provide a 100 percent tuition refund for the term affected. If TA was received, it will be returned to the U.S. Department of Defense or the specific military branch at 100 percent return. Dutchess Community College instituted this policy in fall 2017.

Official Withdrawals

We will use the calculation worksheet that is used for Federal Return to Title IV (Example: 16 week semester)

• Before or during weeks 1 & 2, 100% of T/A is returned to the Department of Defense:
• Before or during weeks 3 & 4, 75% of T/A is returned to the Department of Defense
• Before or during weeks 5 - 8, 50% of T/A is returned to the Department of Defense
• Before or during weeks 9 & 10, 40% T/A is returned to the Department of Defense (60% of course completion)
• Before during or after week 11- 16, 0% T/A is returned to the Department of Defense

Unofficial Withdrawals

After final grades are posted for a term, DCC will identify students as unofficial withdrawals. If a student has all failing grades, incompletes, withdrawals or a combination they are considered unofficial withdrawals. Since DCC doesn’t officially take attendance, the College will return 50% of tuition assistance to the Department of Defense as the college will not know the actual last date of attendance.