NEW Applicant Instructions

Online Application: Complete the Yavapai College Admissions Application

Processing Time: Same day.

Processing Office: Yavapai College Answer Center

Notification: You will receive a username and a temporary password.

Actions to take:

Username and Password - Follow the directions to set up your new permanent password. Your username and password are required to log onto the website where you will find all your college information.

Student ID Number - Log onto the website, go to My Applications and Services, Students, then My Transcripts and grades. Your Y number will be located in the top right corner by your name. You will need it when requesting information through Student Services.

YC Email Communication - Log onto the website, go to My Applications and Services, then My Email and Calendar.

Remember, all email communication from Yavapai College Veteran Services will be sent to your YC email address. Please remember to check this at least once a week during and between semesters. For instructions about forwarding your YC email to a different address, go to the Help page, see toggle #11

The Department of Veterans Affairs requires you to submit official transcripts from your military education and every postsecondary institution you have attended to Yavapai College for evaluation of transfer credits. This is true regardless of how long ago you attended that college or the applicability of those courses to your current program. An official transcript is one that is sent directly from your prior college to Yavapai College. Military service prior to 1980 is excluded from this requirement.

If you change your program of study or add a second program of study, your transcripts must be re-evaluated for the new program. Failure to comply with this requirement promptly will interrupt or stop your benefits.

There is no charge to request your military transcripts. However, colleges charge a nominal fee for official transcripts. If you owe money to your former college, it is your responsibility to pay the debt in order to receive official transcripts. Failure to do so will interrupt your veterans’ education benefits.

Transfer courses may apply if you earned a minimum of C grade from your prior college and Yavapai College offers an equivalent course.

What does not transfer:

• The actual grades from your prior college
• Your grade point average (GPA) from your prior college

Remember, each school evaluates your transcripts differently. If you plan to transfer to another college or university they will do their own evaluation and you may receive more or less transfer credit than you received through Yavapai College.

It pays to get those transcripts in before the end of your first semester because your Veterans Education Benefits do not pay you to take a course you would have received in transfer. If we certify your enrollment in a course and you later receive transfer credit that satisfies the same requirement, you will owe money to the VA.

Your transcripts are also used to determine whether you need assessment testing and to advise you on what courses are required for your program of study. To expedite your enrollment process, please bring unofficial copies of all your prior transcripts to Testing Services and Academic and Career Advising.

Request your transcripts online:

Order official Military transcripts by branch of service:

• Air Force
• Army, Navy/Marine, Coast Guard

Order official College and University Transcripts:

• Use getmytranscript.com or contact your prior colleges or universities directly.

Mail transcripts to:
Yavapai College
Office of the Registrar
1100 E. Sheldon Street
Prescott, AZ 86301

Processing Time: Receipt of transcripts - two to four weeks, transcript Evaluation - three to four weeks additional.

Processing Office: Yavapai College Answer Center

Notification: Log onto the college website, go to My Grades and Transcripts.

Evaluated transcript information appears below your program of study and above your Yavapai College transcript. Select the Degree Works icon to see if any of the transfer credits satisfy requirements in your Yavapai College program of study.

Actions to take: Schedule an appointment Yavapai College Testing Services to determine what assessment tests you need, if any.

Understanding your current level of skill in reading, writing, and mathematics is critical to your college success. Review the online information about assessment testing. Call Testing Services for more information if you are not sure what you need.

Information Online: English and Math Skills Assessment

Processing Time: Same day.

Processing Office: Testing Services

Notification: The assessment test is taken online and scored electronically. At the conclusion of the testing a Yavapai College representative will explain your results.

Actions to take: Now it’s time to schedule a meeting with an Academic Advisor. Your Academic Advisor uses your assessment information to assist you in selecting appropriate classes for your education and career goals.

It is important to meet with an Academic Advisor before submitting your New Student Checklist to Yavapai College Veteran Services. Your Academic Advisor helps you select a program of study that meets your educational goals and enters that program of study in Degree Works.

You must declare a program of study approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans’ education benefits. Only classes required for that program of study or pre-requisites to required courses are eligible for benefits.

Information Online: Academic and Career Advising

Processing Time: Call (929) 776-2106 to schedule a phone or in-person appointment

Actions to take: Each semester, after you register for classes, check your Degree Works, particularly the section labeled “Not Applicable to Current Degree Plan.” Any class that is not required to complete your current program of study at Yavapai College is not eligible for veterans’ education benefits.

Many veterans are now eligible for multiple education benefits that may provide a combined total of 48 months of full time education. To take full advantage of what you earned, you must understand how to sequence these benefits. Some decisions are irrevocable and cannot be changed once the Department of Veterans Affairs receives your application. Making the wrong decision for your situation can cost you thousands of dollars in lost benefits.

Use the Department of Veterans Affairs Summary of VA Education Benefits to compare different education benefit programs. Then visit the VA's Education Benefits website, and learn about each benefit option and select the benefit(s) that best suits your needs and educational goals.

• Post 9/11 – Chapter 33
• Montgomery GI Bill® (MGIB) - Chapter 30
• VA Vocational Rehab Program – Chapter 31
• Northern Arizona VA Vocational Rehabilitation case manager is George Stidham.
• Montgomery GI Bill® for Selected Reservists (MGIB-SR) – Chapter 1606
• Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) – Chapter 1607
• Survivors and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program – Chapter 35
• Transfer Post 9/11 benefit to a dependent spouse or child
• Tuition Assistance: In addition to these federal benefits, state benefits, such as for Arizona Army National Guard and Arizona Air National Guard may be available to you.

Online Application: VONAPP

Processing Time: 3-8 weeks depending on VA backlog.

Processing Office: Department of Veterans Affairs

• Western Regional Processing Office
  PO Box 8888
  Muskogee, OK 74402-8888
• PHONE: 1-888-442-4551; FAX: 1-918-781-7863

Notification: A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or benefits denial is mailed from the Department of Veterans Affairs directly to the student.

Actions to take: The college does not receive notification of your status. Please submit a copy of your COE to the college with your New Student Checklist.

Post 9/11 Applicants:

Active Duty Service Persons are not eligible for the Monthly Housing Allowance.

If your Certificate of Eligibility has no delimiting date because you are receiving active duty benefits, you must fax or mail a copy of your DD-214 Member-4 to the Department of Veterans Affairs at the address or number listed above to update your status to honorably discharged.

Track the status of your Post 9/11 benefits by signing up for eBenefits Premium Account. See Step 6 below.

VA Vocational Rehabilitation Applicants

Your VA Case Manager establishes eligibility for VA Vocational Rehabilitation Chapter 31 benefits. Yavapai College must receive your VA form 28-1905 Authorization and Certification of Entrance or Reentrance into Rehabilitation and Certification of Status from your VA Case Manager in order to set up your record as an eligible veteran in our system and bill your tuition and fees to Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation.

VA form 28-1905 may be issued for one or more semesters depending on your situation. Please be sure to check the expiration date with your VA Case Manager. Your classes will be dropped automatically if this form is not current each semester.

National Guard Applicants

Members of the National Guard applying for Chapter 1606 must obtain a Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) from the Education Service Officer of their unit prior to contacting Yavapai College Veteran Services. Your Education Service Officer is the only person who can establish eligibility for this benefit.

If you have ever tried to call the VA Western Regional processing Center for information you know the wait times can be thirty minutes or more. Why not use eBenefits to answer the questions yourself. Listen to what other veterans are saying about eBenefits on YouTube.

With an eBenefits premium account you can:

• see when the Department of Veterans Affairs processes your enrollment certification from the college
• review your VA payment history
• check how many months of Post 9/11 eligibility you have left
• check your last date to use the post 9/11 benefit
• be sure your months of eligibility are reinstated after satisfying an overpayment

Online Application: eBenefits

Processing Time: same day

Processing Office: Department of Veterans Affairs:

• VA Regional Office
  3333 North Central Avenue
  Phoenix, AZ 85012
• Phone: 1-800-827-1000

Notification: Go to the eBenefits portal

Enter your username and password to access your eBenefits, select View My Status, then select Post 9/11

Actions to take: Take an eBenefits site tour and find out what the site offers.

Complete the New Student Checklist for Veterans Education Benefits to establish your Veterans Education Benefits at Yavapai College.

Online Checklist: Veterans Service Start-Up Form

Processing Time: up to 1 week

Processing Office: Yavapai College Veteran Services

Notification: The Department of Veterans Affairs does not notify the college of your status. Please submit the Yavapai College New Student Checklist with all the required documents to be established as a benefits-eligible veteran at Yavapai College.

This allows you to complete a Veterans Payment Plan each semester to hold your classes and defer your tuition and fees. You may also charge the cost of textbooks and school supplies purchased in the Yavapai College Bookstore to your Veterans Payment Plan.

See the Semester MUST DO List for details.

All veterans’ education benefits, except Post 9/11, pay a standard monthly benefit based on enrollment status. The Post 9/11 Chapter 33 benefit pays in-state tuition and mandatory fees at public colleges. In either case, if you are charged Western Undergraduate (WUE) tuition or out of state tuition, that additional cost comes out of your pocket. But honorably discharged veterans can take steps to make Arizona their permanent state of residence and avoid these charges.

Application: Residency Reclassification

Processing Time: up to 3 business days

Processing Office: Yavapai College Answer Center

Notification: Log onto the website, go to My Applications and Services, Students, then My Bills and Payments. Look for the Out of State line to read zero.

Some veterans prefer not to use federal financial aid because their veterans’ education benefits cover all their costs; however, veterans' education benefits are always paid in arrears. You will not receive any monthly benefits until the second month of classes at the earliest and no veterans’ education benefits are paid during breaks between semesters. Federal financial aid can improve your cash flow and help you budget your funds more effectively.

Many veterans are also eligible for Federal Financial Aid like the Pell Grant or student loans. A grant is money you do not have to pay back as long as you complete your classes and remain in good academic standing with the college. Student loans must be paid back.

Applying for the Pell Grant does not cost anything and you don’t have to accept the awards if you change your mind. Eligibility for federal financial aid is based on your financial status. Your veterans education benefits are not part of that calculation.

Financial Situations

In some cases, your financial aid administrator may adjust your cost of attendance or the information used to calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to take into account circumstances that might affect the amount you and your family are expected to contribute toward your education.

These circumstances could include:

• unusually high medical or dental expenses, not covered by insurance
• if you, your spouse, or either of your parents (if a dependent student) have been recently unemployed, including recently discharged service persons

If conditions such as these apply to you or your family, contact the Yavapai College Financial Aid Office (928-776-2152) to obtain information on how to submit an Income Reduction Appeal.

Online Application: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Processing Time: four to six weeks depending on 2016-17 Calendar

Processing Office: Yavapai College Financial Aid

Notification: Log onto the Yavapai College website, go to My Applications and Services, Students, My Financial Aid, Eligibility, and the appropriate academic year. If your application has been received, a list of student requirements will display.

Action: Submit the required documents directly to the Financial Aid office. If you have any questions about the requirements, please contact the Yavapai College Financial Aid office.

For more information

Disability Resources provides accommodations for students with disabilities, at no charge. The list includes limited mobility, hearing or vision impairment, and learning. A service-connected disability, such as spine injury, hearing loss, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Post Traumatic Stress, also qualify. Disability Resources ensures that qualified students have equal access and reasonable accommodations in all Yavapai College academic programs and activities. Their office supports community awareness and promotes a welcoming environment.

If you have a disability, register with their office when you start college. As with all your records at Yavapai College, this information is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). You may never need their services; however, if you do, accommodation can be put in place faster if you are already registered.

Do you want to help other student veterans? Familiarize yourself with Disability Resources and help your fellow veterans understand what is available to them. Sometimes asking for help is the hardest step.

Application: by appointment. Call (928) 776-2085.

Processing Time: varies

Processing Office: Yavapai College Disability Resources

Application: Any Yavapai College One Card Station

Processing Time: they are available the same day on the Prescott or Verde campus. For all other Yavapai College sites, they are available for pick up in 3 business days.

Processing Office: Yavapai College OneCard

Action: A Student ID Card can be issued after you are registered for classes your first semester. Please bring your student identification number and a printout of your class schedule.

The first ID is free, but there is a fee for any replacement card.

The Yavapai College website and the Department of Veterans Affairs system are separate entities and do not share information. If there is a change to your information, you need to make that change on our website and on the VA WAVE system.

Yavapai College

Information Change Online: Log onto the website, go to My Services, Students, My Personal Information, and select the item to be changed.

Processing Time: 24 hours

Processing Office: Yavapai College Answer Center

Department of Veterans Affairs

Information Change Online: Go to the eBenefits portal

Enter your username and password to access your eBenefits and WAVE to change any of the following:

• Mailing address
• Initiate or change your direct deposit information
• View your enrollment period and monthly benefit amount
• View your remaining entitlement
• Sign up for a monthly e-mail reminder

Processing Time: two to four weeks

Processing Office: Department of Veterans Affairs

Western Regional Processing Office
PO Box 8888
Muskogee, OK 74402-8888
Phone: 1-888-442-4551
Fax: 1-918-781-7863