JCCC has Dedicated Resources and People to Assist Veterans and Military Students
JCCC Veteran Services is based on a peer-to-peer concept of “veterans serving veterans.” Our mission is to empower veterans and military-affiliated students to succeed in their educational and vocational goals by assisting them through the transition from military to civilian and college life.
Academic advantages to help you succeed
Benefits for a veteran or on active military duty.
All JCCC students who are seeking a certificate or AAS degree qualify for pre-enrollment.
In honor of your service to our country, JCCC also grants pre-enrollment privileges to veteran and military students who are seeking an AA or AS degree. You can pre-enroll during pre-registration periods by calling the Registration phone line at 913-469-3803 and identifying yourself as a veteran or military student.
JCCC accepts military training and experience for prior learning credit at no cost to the student.
To have your prior military credit evaluated, you must be an accepted student at JCCC. Credit for prior military training and experience is posted to the student academic transcript once the student responds to the evaluation results. Any credit awarded for prior learning experience will not be transferable directly from your JCCC transcript to other colleges and universities.
To have your prior military training evaluated, request to have your Joint Services Transcript online sent to Johnson County Community College. Requests received without a JCCC application on file will not be accepted.
Once we receive your JST transcript, it will be sent to the appropriate academic departments for evaluation. When all departments have returned the evaluations, we will email you at your JCCC stumail address to let you know that the evaluation is complete and the next steps in having the credit placed on your academic record.
JCCC has some military occupation specialties already evaluated and available on the Kansas Board of Regents military credit site. Click on a specialty below to see the credit that will be granted.
JCCC does allow for excused absences for active duty military service if the student follows the required procedures for authorized absences stated in the attendance policy.
Students who are called up are advised to work with their professors and the Counseling Center regarding whether they will be able to complete the class, or whether they should take an incomplete or withdraw.
Students called to active military duty will be allowed readmission to continue their program of study after their service is complete. Students in selective admission programs will be readmitted in accordance with each program’s specific readmission requirements, which are available in the program office. In addition to the above requirement to notify faculty for each course during which such absence will occur, students must also provide written notification and documentation of the call to active military duty to any program chair. When reapplying to the program, students should inform the program chair that they are returning from active military service.
If a student withdraws from classes for being called to active duty training and is using VA education benefits, that information can be reported to the VA if the student completes the Notice of Schedule Change Form (PDF) and provides a copy of the active duty order paperwork.
Additionally, a student who withdraws from classes for active duty can request a tuition refund by completing the tuition refund appeal process. A copy of the active duty orders paperwork will be required with the tuition refund appeal.
JCCC has four different per credit hour tuition and fee rates based on residency status. Veterans, active duty and active drilling students and dependents students may qualify for a residency waiver based on their status.
If a veteran or dependent of a veteran student has established residency in Kansas but hasn’t met the six-month residency requirement for in-county or in-state rates, they can apply to have the residency time requirement waived by completing the Residency Waiver online form and providing documentation of their veteran or dependent status. The student must have a current Kansas address on their student record. Address updates can be submitted using the Name or Address Update online form.
An active duty or active drilling servicemember or a dependent of an active duty or active drilling service member can request a waiver of out-of-state or metro-rate tuition rates regardless of their residency status by completing the Residency Waiver online form and providing supporting documentation of their status.
If you are a dependent of a veteran or active-duty service member and need to have your enrollment verified for CHAMPVA or TRICARE, you will need to follow the directions to request a verification of credit enrollment from the JCCC Records office.
Paying for College with VA Education Benefits
To use your Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits, you must enroll in classes that are required for your degree or certificate and then be certified by the JCCC Veteran Services office. Enrollment certification requests must be made each time you enroll in a new semester.
See VA approved degrees and certificates
It can take the VA several weeks to process your initial application and anywhere from six to 10 weeks to process enrollment certifications. Take advantage of the pre-registration enrollment period and get your forms in early to ensure prompt payment from the VA.
When you use veteran education benefits, the VA will determine your payment rate based on the type of benefit for which you are eligible and how many hours in which you are enrolled. VA education benefit payments are made at the end of each month you attend school. For example, if classes start in August and your claim has been completely processed by the VA, the payment for that month will normally be received in the first 10 days of September.
The basic payment rates are listed on the VA website for Post-9/11 GI Bill®, MGIB Chpt. 30, MGIB 1606 and DEA Chpt. 35.
Important payment information: Short-term and late start classes can only be certified for the period in which they meet. This can affect the enrollment status the VA uses to calculate monthly stipend and housing payments. You need to take this into consideration when choosing which classes to enroll in.
Post-9/11 GI Bill®
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays tuition directly to the school. If you are using the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, a hold will be placed on your student account to keep you from being dropped for non-payment on the payment deadline. Students using any other benefit will be required to make payment arrangements or use Financial Aid to avoid being dropped for non-payment on the payment deadline day. See Statement of Financial Responsibility.
Important information for students using the Post-9/11 GI Bill®:
JCCC has implemented the Dual Certification process. What this means for you is that we will initially report zero tuition and fees to the VA and then, after the 100% refund date of the semester, tuition and fees and ALL schedule changes will be reported. The VA hold on your student account will keep you from being dropped for non-payment; however, you will see a balance due on your account until the VA payment is received. If you are going to use Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) and want to keep your tuition from being deducted from any refund you may receive, you must upload a current VA Certificate of Eligibility for your Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits each semester when you submit your Enrollment Certification Request form.
Once you are enrolled in classes, complete the JCCC Certification Request and Compliance Agreement. You will be required to upload a copy of your current JCCC DegreeCheck with this form.
Spring 2025 Enrollment Certification Request and Compliance Agreement
When you submit paperwork to our office, you will receive an email confirmation of receipt of your forms from the JCCC Veteran Services office.
Your course schedule will be reviewed by the JCCC Veteran Services School Certifying Officials.
- If there are no issues, your enrollment will be certified to the VA and you will receive an email confirmation of receipt from Veterans Affairs.
- If there are additional requirements needed, you will receive an email from veteranservices@jccc.edu.
All email notifications will go to your JCCC stumail address. It is your responsibility to check this account regularly.
If you are a guest student from another college, you must:
- Request that a parent school letter from your current institution's Veterans Certifying Official be sent to veteranservices@jccc.edu.
- Once you are enrolled in classes, complete the JCCC Certification Request and Compliance Agreement.
Spring 2025 Enrollment Certification Request and Compliance Agreement
Once the JCCC Veterans Services office has received both of these documents and you are enrolled in approved classes at JCCC, the Veterans Services office will certify your enrollment to the VA.
When you submit paperwork to our office, you will receive an email confirmation of receipt of your forms from the JCCC Veteran Services office.
When your enrollment is certified to the VA, you will receive an email confirmation of receipt from Veterans Affairs.
All email notifications will go to your JCCC stumail address. It is your responsibility to check this account regularly.
The Financial Aid College Financing Plan is a consumer tool that participating institutions use to notify students about their financial aid package. It is a standardized form that is designed to simplify the information that prospective students receive about costs and financial aid. The following instructions will help you review your personalized list.
- Log into MyJCCC.
- Find Financial Aid & Scholarships card.
- Select the My Financial Aid link.
- Find the College Financing Plan.
Other Financial Resources
Discover more ways to help cover the cost of attendance at JCCC.
JCCC Scholarships through Financial Aid
JCCC has many scholarships for veteran and military-affiliated students awarded through the Financial Aid Office.
To search for scholarships:
- Visit the Scholarship Search
- Enter "veteran" (without quotes) in the search box
To apply for JCCC scholarships, visit the Financial Aid Scholarship page.
Scholarship through Veteran and Military Student Resource Center
JCCC Returning Hero Book Scholarship
This scholarship is designed to assist veterans who are re-entering the workforce or higher education after being discharged from active duty or deployment.
Funding is available to veterans who have been discharged within six months of the first day of classes of the semester they plan to enroll at JCCC. The scholarship is to pay for books and supplies purchased in the JCCC Bookstore. Any remaining funds will go back to the scholarship fund with no excess cash to the student. You must complete a JCCC scholarship application.
Email veteranservices@jccc.edu for more information.
Veteran and Military-affiliated Scholarships Outside of JCCC
AMVETS Scholarships for Veterans and Dependents
Annually awards scholarships to veterans/active military, their children or grandchildren. A son, daughter or grandchild of a deceased veteran is also eligible.
CollegeScholarships.org
Provides links to numerous scholarship opportunities based on military service or dependent status.
Folds of Honor Higher Education Scholarship
This post-secondary scholarship assistance empowers the spouses and dependents of our nation’s service members to pursue a degree and create a brighter future.
Jewish War Veterans of the USA
Annually awards three educational grants at its annual national convention in August to high school seniors who are direct descendants (children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren) of members in good standing.
Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation
Provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships for higher education to children of Marines and former Marines.
Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship
Children of an active duty member of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001, are eligible for this benefit. A child may be married or over 23 and still be eligible.
Scholarships for Military Children
Children of active duty and reserve/guard service members, retired military personnel or of a deceased member who have a military dependent I.D. card can apply.
State of Kansas Military Service Scholarship
This renewable scholarship is administered by the Kansas Board of Regents. Applicant must be a resident of the state of Kansas and have served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Noble Eagle, and complete the FAFSA to apply. Priority deadline is May 1.
State of Kansas Tuition Waiver for Dependents and Spouses of Deceased Military Personnel (PDF)
Students seeking tuition/fee assistance as dependents or spouses of certain military personnel must complete and return this form. Assistance will be provided if a student meets eligibility criteria and the Kansas Legislature has made appropriations available for this purpose.
The Veterans United Foundation Scholarship
This scholarship is for a surviving spouse or a surviving child of a deceased service member from a service-related death OR a veteran with a 100% service-connected disability.
VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero Scholarship
The VFW's "Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship" provides service members and veterans with the financial assistance they need to complete their educational goals without incurring excessive student loan debt. It’s just another way for us to say “thank you” to those who fought for our freedoms.
Signed into law on April 24, 2021, the Kansas Promise Scholarship Act provides no-cost financial assistance to eligible students enrolled in select two-year associate degree or career and technical education programs.
Service members using military tuition assistance (TA) should contact their Education Services Office prior to enrolling in classes. Each branch of the service has its own rules and methods of applying for TA, so you will need to contact your unit for application assistance.
If you will be using tuition assistance through the military, you will need to submit an approved TA Authorization to the JCCC Third-Party Billing office on or before the payment deadline of each semester.
The military tuition assistance program only pays for tuition, not fees. Please be aware that JCCC has a $16 per credit hour student fee bundled into its tuition rates. Service members using tuition assistance will be responsible for paying this fee. If your TA administration requires a billing statement that does not include the student fees, please email Courtney Price at cprice35@jccc.edu.
If your TA administrator requests a signed program plan of study, contact a JCCC counselor to review and sign your JCCC DegreeCheck® program plan. You can make an appointment by calling 913-469-3809 or send an email request to advise@jccc.edu.
If you will be using My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) for military spouses, email JCCC counselor Alice Baty at abaty@jccc.edu for your approved program plan of study.
If you need assistance obtaining required documents or have questions about using tuition assistance at JCCC, please email the Veteran and Military Student Resource Center.
Armed Forces Education Links
Plug Yourself In
JC Student Veterans of America is a recognized JCCC student organization, one of many vibrant clubs and organizations at the College.
PAVE is a peer support program that connects incoming student veterans with student veterans already on campus in order to help them navigate college life and identify challenges they face. PAVE partnerships help new students find appropriate resources on or off campus, and provide ongoing support toward their academic and personal goals. JCCC has been a PAVE partner school with the University of Michigan since 2016.
The main goals of the program are to:
- Ease the transition from the military to the university
- Improve student veterans’ sense of connectedness to the university
- Create a network of informed student veterans and source of support both academically and professionally
- Identify issues and concerns in a timely fashion and connect student veterans with appropriate resources
- Improve student veteran academic performance
- Increase student veteran retention rates
Connect with other Student Veterans in our PAVE Virtual Student Lounge
VetSuccess on Campus is a program through the Department of Veterans Affairs that places an experienced vocational counselor at a local college to provide assistance and support to veteran students and their eligible family members.
Through the VSOC program, VA vocational counselors can assist the growing number of service members, veterans and dependents attending school under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and other VA educational programs.
These VSOC counselors have been trained to provide academic and vocational guidance to veterans and help connect them to other VA benefits, including healthcare and mental health services. The VSOC counselors maintain close relationships with local VA vet centers and VA medical facilities, referring service members, veterans and dependents as needed and providing assistance applying for VA medical and nonmedical benefits.
VSOC services are available to service members, veterans and their dependents who are eligible for any of VA’s educational programs.
VA’s Education and Career Counseling Program offers a great opportunity for transitioning service members and veterans to get personalized counseling and support to guide their career paths, ensure most effective use of their VA benefits, and help them achieve their goals.
Apply for VA Education and Career Counseling
VSOC at JCCC:
Jonathan Grant
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
VetSuccess on Campus, COM 302
913-469-8500 ext. 2626
Email Jonathan Grant
Community Resources for Veteran and Military Students
- Academic counseling and personal counseling - JCCC counselors are available to assist with personal and academic issues and help you to find solutions.
- American Corporate Partners (ACP) - helps veterans achieve career goals through a free national mentorship program and is a proud partner of the Student Veterans of America (SVA). Hundreds of student veterans have already taken advantage of these opportunities with great success — check out some of their stories on ACP’s website.
- The Battle Within - was founded by over 100 veterans, first responders, community leaders and supporters who believe that every warrior deserves the same opportunity to heal from the traumas they have endured in their service to others. They have come together to build a community for warriors nationwide to attend, for free, a five-day program built by warriors using holistic techniques steeped in ancient warrior culture and backed by modern evidence-based methods.
- Coaching into Care - a free and confidential coaching service to help callers discover new ways to talk with a veteran in their life about their concerns and about treatment options.
- SVA Veterati Mentor program - Veterati is a free mentorship platform for service members, veterans and military spouses to access unlimited mentors. Our mentors are successful professionals volunteering to serve those who have served our country. Our mission is to transform the job search from a painful experience into an inspiring journey through the power of mentorship!
- Vet Centers - Vet Centers guide veterans and their families through many of the major adjustments in lifestyle that often occur after a veteran returns from combat. Services for a veteran may include individual and group counseling in areas such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol and drug assessment, and suicide prevention referrals. All services are free of cost and are strictly confidential.
- KanVet provides direct access to State of Kansas veteran-specific resources and benefits without having to navigate multiple state agency websites.
- Military OneSource is your central hub and go-to place for the military community.
- National Resource Directory connects wounded warriors, service members, veterans, their families and caregivers with those who support them.
- Legal Connection: Military Matters, a program of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation, strives to fill the gap in legal services available to veterans and active duty military personnel living in the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area.
- Make the Connection connects veterans, their family members and friends, and other advocates with mental health information, local resources and inspiring stories of recovery. Visitors can find reliable information on how to cope with challenges such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma and transitioning from service. The site is free and accessible to everyone.
Army ROTC
Military Science Building, 2nd Floor
1520 Summerfield Hall Dr
Lawrence, KS 66045
KUArmyROTC@ku.edu
785-864-1113
Air Force ROTC
Military Science Building
1520 Summerfield Hall Dr
Lawrence, KS 66045
afrotc@ku.edu
785-864-4676
Navy ROTC
Military Science Building
1520 Summerfield Hall Drive
Lawrence, KS 66045
nrotc@ku.edu
785-864-3161
The Veterans Crisis Line connects veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text.
