Barton Community College supports our veterans and veterans' family members in applying for and managing their VA Education Benefits/GI Bill®. (GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at hwww.benefits.va.gov/gibill.)
Information may be obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs website to verify individual eligibility and requirements to apply. The Department of Veterans Affairs requires all applications for benefits to be submitted electronically. To avoid delay in processing, do not mail applications.
The information provided on this website pertains to students at the Great Bend, Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth Campuses and will be required. All documentation must be submitted before certification for courses can occur - NO EXCEPTIONS!
It is required of each student wishing to use their VA benefits to read ALL the information on the Veteran Services website!
To begin the process, please select from the one of the links to the left to access specific information on the Chapter of VA benefits you will be using at Barton Community College.
- It is the student’s responsibility to review all Veteran Services policies and procedures.
- Classes will be certified within the first week of classes.
- Students must either be working with their academic advisor to ensure courses are needed for their degree/certificate or have a Parent School Letter on file.
- Developmental courses taken online are not eligible to be certified to the VA-students must either set up the payment plan, pay in full or have financial aid in place
- Students using CH 30, CH 35 or CH 33 (at less than the 100% rate) will be required to pay their account balance by the end of the course session.
- An Enrollment Certification Request is needed for each term a student enrolls in.
- Enrollment Certification Requests submitted late may require an additional 5-7 business days for processing.
- It is the student’s responsibility to let the SCO know if they are using any other means of payment-scholarships, federal financial aid, tuition assistance, etc. Enrollment requirements may vary between payment types.
- Failure to complete any step in the process may result in a delay in certification or the student being responsible for their account balance.
Enrollment Certification Request
Purpose: Verification of approved/enrolled courses
Students are required to submit the Enrollment Certification Request form each time an enrollment occurs. This form allows your VA Certifying Official to verify with your academic advisor that the courses are needed for your degree program. Courses will begin being certified the first week of classes. It is highly recommended that submission is as early as possible to avoid delays, block on accounts and add/drop time. If there is an issue with the enrolled course(s), you will be contacted by email or phone. Please ensure that you have the most current information listed on the Enrollment Certification Request form and update your PAWS account.
- Ensure that an enrollment has occurred before submitting the Enrollment Certification Request form. Submission of the Enrollment Certification Request form does not constitute enrollment for classes.
- Submit one Enrollment Certification Request form for EACH session/cycle of courses that you are enrolled into. This will help to avoid a certification being overlooked.
- Certification for classes will not occur without an Enrollment Certification Request form - NO EXCEPTIONS!
Course schedules for Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth
Course schedules for Great Bend
Course schedule for BARTonline
Essential Information
ALL students are required to read the Student responsibilities, SCO responsibilities and SCO contact information below. Failure to do so could create delays in certification and payments. For more information about Montgomery GI Bill®, please visit VA website.
Other Helpful Links
Rates of Pay
VA Customer Service - Submit question online
Graduation Requirements
Programs of Study
Benefits
Guest Students
Guest Students
Students visiting Barton to take classes to transfer back to their home school are required to submit the following documentation:
- Parent school letter. This is the responsibility of the student to obtain from the Veteran Services Department or School Certifying Official at their home school. Certification of courses with Barton Community College will not be completed without the Parent School Letter from the home school.
- Students using Chapters (30, 35 & 1606) are responsible for their account balance.
Students must also follow the prerequisite requirements for courses offered at Barton. Submission of an unofficial transcript is required for clearance of prerequisite requirement.
Once courses have been completed, it is the responsibility of the student to request a transcript be sent to their parent school. Transcripts may be requested on the transcript request webpage.
Ch. 30 - Montgomery GI Bill®
Ch. 30 - Montgomery GI Bill®
VA Form 22-1990
Purpose: To activate benefits for the first time
The application MUST be submitted on-line via the VA website. A copy of the confirmation page must be submitted to Barton Community College in order for a file to be created and maintained, an advisor to be assigned, assignment and a degree plan processed. Certification of courses cannot be processed without a copy of the confirmation page. Please provide the following information on the confirmation page before submitting it to the School Certifying Official:
- Full Name
- Full SSN#
- Chapter of benefits applied for
- Colleges previously attended
Transcripts
Students can submit a copy of a DD-214 OR request a military transcript for evaluation of possible college credit. ALL college transcripts are required. Military transcripts will be evaluated once a student has completed at least one Barton course.
VA Form 22-1995 (change of program/place of training)
Purpose: To change schools or degree plan.
The application MUST submitted on-line via the VA website. A copy of the confirmation page must be submitted to Barton Community College in order for a file to be created and maintained, an advisor to be assigned, and a degree plan processed. Certification of courses cannot be processed without a copy of the confirmation page. Please provide the following information on the confirmation page before submitting it to the School Certifying Official:
- Full Name
- Full SSN#
- Chapter of benefits applied for
- Colleges previously attended
Ch. 31 - Vocational Rehabilitation
Ch. 31 - Vocational Rehabilitation
Courses will begin being certified during the first week of class.
VA Form 28-1905
Students wishing to apply for Vocational Rehabilitation benefits are required to visit the VA website to learn of the nearest Vocational Counseling Center. Once approved for this benefit, a copy of the 28-1905 must be submitted to Barton for authorization of tuition/fees and books.
Students can submit a copy of a DD-214 OR request a military transcript for evaluation of possible college credit. ALL college transcripts are required.
CH 31 students wishing to change their degree program at Barton, must contact their Voc Rehab Counselor and their assigned School Certifying Official for authorization.
Books
Book vouchers are only available to students taking courses through BARTonline. Students will need to complete the voucher request form to request a payment voucher. Once the voucher request is approved (if all appropriate documents are received by your VA Certifying Official), you will receive a voucher number that you can use to order the textbook(s). If you have questions regarding textbooks please contact the Bookstore at (800) 748-7594, ext. 229.
Ch. 33 - Post 9/11 GI Bill®
Ch. 33 - Post 9/11 GI Bill®
VA Form 22-1990
Purpose: To activate benefits for the first time or changing benefit from CH 30 Montgomery GI Bill® to Post 9/11
The application MUST be submitted on-line via the VA website. A copy of the confirmation page must be submitted to Barton Community College in order for a file to be created and maintained, an advisor to be assignment, and a degree plan processed. Certification of courses cannot be processed without a copy of the confirmation page. Please provide the following information on the confirmation page before submitting it to the School Certifying Official:
- Full Name
- Full SSN#
- Chapter of benefits applied for
- Colleges previously attended
Transcripts
Students can submit a copy of a DD-214 OR request a military transcript for evaluation of possible college credit. ALL college transcripts are required. Military transcripts will be evaluated once a student has completed at least one Barton course.
VA Form 22-1995 (change of program/place of training)
Purpose: To change schools or degree plan.
The application MUST submitted on-line via the VA website. A copy of the confirmation page must be submitted to Barton Community College in order for a file to be created and maintained, an advisor to be assigned, and a degree plan processed. Certification of courses cannot be processed without a copy of the confirmation page. Please provide the following information on the confirmation page before submitting it to Barton the School Certifying Official:
- Full Name
- Full SSN#
- Chapter of benefits applied for
- Colleges previously attended
Transfer of VA Benefits to Eligible Dependents
VA benefits can be transferred to eligible dependents by submitting the VA Form 22-1990E. The application can be found and submitted through the VA website. A copy of the confirmation page must be submitted to the Barton Community College, or a file to be created, maintained, advisor assignment and degree plan processed. Certification of courses cannot be processed without a copy of the confirmation page.
Certificate of Eligibility
Once the VA has processed the application, students will receive a certificate of eligibility (COE). A copy of the COE must be submitted to Barton Community College.
Ch. 35 - Survivors & Dependents Assistance
Ch. 35 - Survivors & Dependents Assistance
VA Form 22-5490
Purpose: To activate benefits for the first time.
The application MUST be submitted on-line via the VA website. A copy of the confirmation page must be submitted to Barton Community College in order for a file to be created and maintained, an advisor to be assigned, and a degree plan processed. Certification of courses cannot be processed without a copy of the confirmation page. Please provide the following information on the confirmation page before submitting it to the School Certifying Official:
- Full Name
- Full SSN#
- Chapter of benefits applied for
- Colleges previously attended
- Full File#
VA Form 22-5495 (change of program/place of training)
Purpose: To change schools or degree plan.
The application MUST submitted on-line via the VA website. A copy of the confirmation page must be submitted to Barton Community College in order for a file to be created and maintained, an advisor to be assigned, and a degree plan processed. Certification of courses cannot be processed without a copy of the confirmation page. Please provide the following information on the confirmation page before submitting it to the School Certifying Official:
- Full Name
- Full SSN#
- Chapter of benefits applied for
- Colleges previously attended
- Full File#
Student Responsibilities
Student Responsibilities
Barton School Certifying Officials (SCO) needs assistance to ensure the most accurate and timely information is sent to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs-on the student's behalf. The following student responsibilities are required of each VA student using benefits for courses taken at Barton.
Benefit Decision: It is the responsibility of the student to decide on which benefit is most appropriate for him/her based on individual circumstances. Our SCO's cannot make the decision for the student. Please visit the VA website for assistance.
Certificate of Eligibility: Students must submit a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility to their VA School Certifying Official to be certified for courses.
Approved Courses: Students must enroll for courses that are required for the elected degree program. The Dept. of Veterans Affairs only pays benefits for courses that are needed for the degree program, and that have not been previously or successfully completed.
*Remedial/Developmental Courses cannot be certified to the VA if they are taken online or via Zoom. (remedial/developmental courses consist of MATH 1809, MATH 1821, and ENGL 1195)
Federal Financial Aid: If you are using federal aid or have used it previously, please make sure you contact the Financial Aid office for any questions or concerns. Please note that the rate of pursuit may be different for financial aid and VA. For example, 6 hours may be considered full-time for VA purposes, but may only be considered part-time for federal financial aid. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the SCO if they are using financial aid.
Change in Degree: In order to change a degree program, please send an email to your assigned SCO stating which degree you are changing from, and what degree you are now interested in pursuing. This information will be kept in your file.
Enrollment Changes: Federal law requires students to report any change of enrollment status that might affect their education benefits. It is the student's responsibility to notify their assigned certifying official of any change in status-IMMEDIATELY! This includes adding/changing or withdrawing from a course. Changes should be reported promptly to avoid delay in payments or possible over payments.
Third Party: If your third-party sponsor (military, employer, governmental agency, etc.) fails to pay Barton, you assume responsibility for paying the amount the sponsor originally promised to pay on your behalf.
Submission of Transcripts: Students have within the first 6 weeks of application to submit official transcripts from previously attended colleges & universities to Barton. Official high school or GED transcripts are required at the time you apply for graduation.
*Students using federal financial aid have different transcript requirements. Please visit the Barton Financial Aid webpage for more information.
Mailing address for Fort Riley & Fort Leavenworth:
Barton Community College
ATTEN: Advisement Coordinator
PO Box 2463
Fort Riley, KS 66442
Mailing address for Great Bend:
Barton Community College
Office of Enrollment Services
245 NE 30 Rd
Great Bend, KS 67530
Students using CH 31 Vocational Rehabilitation benefits are required to submit a Barton unofficial transcript to their VA counselor at the end of each semester. Unofficial transcripts are available through your PAWS account.
VA Payments: Questions concerning VA payments must be addressed with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. SCO's cannot access payment information, as they are school representatives and not employees of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. Please visit your eBenefits account for assistance.
Record Changes: It is the student's responsibility to submit a change of address in their PAWS account and to also notify the assigned certifying official. All correspondence from Barton is mailed to the address listed in the student's PAWS account.
Enrollment Certification Request Form: Every student wishing to use their benefits to pay for classes are required to submit the Enrollment Certification Request form each time. No Exceptions!
Part Time vs. Full Time Status: The Dept. of Veteran Affairs determines the rate of pursuit by the number of credits and days/weeks of the semester/session/term/cycle. Students can typically be considered a full-time VA student based on the following criteria (subject to change):
Six, eight or nine week session= six credits hours is considered full time for VA purposes.
*Students taking only on-line courses will receive 1/2 of the national BAH rate at the E-5 level.
*Courses offered via Zoom or any other remote delivery method are considered distance courses.
*Students must take at least one on-campus course during the same time frame as the on-line course to receive the BAH rate for the area in which you are assigned to a SCO (Fort Riley or Great Bend).
17 week on-line session= 12 credit hours to be full time
Great Bend Students - 17 week on-campus courses= 12 credit hours to be full time
Disclaimer: Information is subject to change at any time, and without prior notice. For questions, contact your assigned certifying official. See the area Contact Us for contact information of your assigned School Certifying Official.
SCO Responsibilities
SCO Responsibilities
Barton provides two School Certifying Officials (SCO) to assist Barton students with their VA educational benefits. SCO's must abide by the federal laws that dictate the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. Your School Certifying Official is responsible to ensure the following:
Reporting Enrollment Status: Report enrollment, withdrawals, changes in degree program, unsatisfactory progress, academic warning and dismissals, and the monitoring of courses to ensure students are enrolled in courses needed for their current degree program.
Records: Maintain adequate records of certification, degree plans, transcripts, VA applications and certificate of eligibility. Records are kept for three years following the student's last date of attendance.
Veterans Administration payments: Manage payments that are received for a student’s tuition and fees. Assist with issuing refunds to applicable parties.
Payment
Payment
See below for specific payment guidelines per chapter.
Chapter 30
Students using Chapter 30 VA education benefits and are enrolled must complete a monthly verification to the VA verifying that the enrollment status has not changed. Verification can be done by calling (877) 823-2378 or visiting the VA website. Payments are typically dispersed at the end of each month of enrollment or the beginning of the new month. Contact the VA for further information.
- VA does not pay the school directly. It is the student's responsibility to pay balances in full prior to the next enrollment period.
- Students are responsible for their account balance.
- Payments can be made by cash, check, money order, or credit card.
- Contact or visit a Barton office to make payment.
Chapter 31
Chapter 31 students are required to have their Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor send payment authorization prior to the start of a term. Without this authorization, classes cannot be certified to the VA and a book voucher cannot be issued. Any balance that remains on a student’s account will be their responsibility.
Chapter 33
Students that do not receive Chapter 33 (Post 9/11) benefits at the 100% rate will be responsible for tuition not covered by the VA.
- Students are responsible for their account balance.
- Payments can be made by cash, check, money order, or credit card.
- Contact or visit a Barton office to make payment.
Active duty students MUST contact their School Certifying Official if they are using tuition assistance (TA) in addition to their VA education benefits. Only tuition/fees not covered by TA can be certified to the VA.
Chapter 35
VA pays the student directly and does not make payments to Barton. Balances must be paid in full prior to the next enrollment period.
Payments are typically dispersed at the end of each month or at the beginning of the new month. Contact the VA for further information.
Payments can be made by cash, check, money order, or credit card. Contact or visit a Barton office to make a payment.
Title 38 USC 3679(e) Compliance
Title 38 USC 3679(e) Compliance
Barton Community College allows individuals to attend or participate in a program of education if the Chapter 31 or Chapter 33 Beneficiary provides the school with a VA "Certificate of Eligibility" (COE).
Military Articulations
Military Articulations
Credit for prior military training offered by Barton Community College for Veterans and Service members can be found on the Military Articulations list.