Veteran Affairs Office (VAO)

The Veteran Affairs Office (VAO) on campus is located in building 10 next to the Admissions and Records Office. The VAO is separate from the Veterans Resource Center (VRC) which is located in building 21 room 253. The VAO is staffed by VA work study students and School Certifying Officials (SCOs). They provide information regarding service-connected benefit programs also known as VA Education Benefits.

NOTE: The Cal Vet Fee Waiver is NOT processed in the VAO. Please see link listed under Related Information for more information about processing the Cal Vet Fee Waiver at Grossmont College.

Grossmont College is approved to Certify the following VA Education Benefits:

Certification for VA Education Benefits

To process your certification for VA Education Benefits at Grossmont College (GC) you must first register for classes and then submit the following documents to grossmontva@gcccd.edu:

DD214 member 4 copy (not required if you are a guest student at GC)
Certificate of Eligibility- this document is mailed to you from the VA after you apply for education benefits and it states the benefit you are eligible for, the percentage and how many months of benefits you have. Veterans only, if you have applied for your VA benefits but have not received this document you can submit a copy of the page showing you applied for the benefits (not required to submit this form if you are a guest student at GC).
Grossmont College Intent Form or Grossmont College Guest Student Intent Form (one of these forms must be submitted every semester that you would like to receive benefits).
Cuyamaca Guest Student Form & Grossmont College Parent School Letter (only if you are taking courses at Cuyamaca & your major is at GC)
Statement of Understanding (only new students, not required for continuing students)
Transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities are required for incoming transfer students. Certification process will not begin until all letters of non attendance and or transcripts from previous institutions are submitted and evaluated for Grossmont credit.

RESIDENT CERTIFICATION (FOR FALL 2022-SPRING 2023)

A course will be determined as a RESIDENT course if its course description on Web Advisor/Self-Service contains a meeting date, time and students are required to come to campus. Hybrid courses are considered resident. Example: Section XXXX will meet 08/17/2020-12/14/2020 Tuesday 6:00-8:55PM, Lecture, Bldg 10 100. Course descriptions for RESIDENT courses are worded many different ways, but they will always contain a meeting date, time and location. Regardless of wording, HYFLEX courses DO NOT qualify as RESIDENT courses.

You only need to be registered in one RESIDENT course for the term you want to be considered resident. For example if all of your courses start April 5, 2023 you only need one resident course to be considered resident for the duration of the resident course.

If you are unsure about whether a class is considered “RESIDENT” or “DISTANCE” for VA certification purposes, please contact your Certifying Official for clarification. Your Certifying Officials’ information is listed below.

Full Time Certification

Enrollment in 12.0 units is considered full-time for the full semester.

Enrollment in 6.0 units is considered full-time for each 8-week session.

Enrollment in 4.0 units is considered full-time for each 6-week session.

Enrollment in 3.0 units is considered full-time for each 4-week session.

School Certifying Officials (SCOs)

Kerri Etzel 619.644.7178

The VAO is designed to serve the needs of qualifying active duty service members, veterans and dependents who are eligible for VA education benefits. Student will receive assistance in filing for benefits, updating information on various forms, and in corresponding with the Veterans Administration, which includes advocacy in problem cases and related matters.