Veteran Services

HomeStudent Services + SupportVeterans Services

Our Mission
CCC’s Veteran Services team is dedicated to making sure our students can take full advantage of the resources available to them, including GI Bill® benefits, and help in navigating each step of their college experience. 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 https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Our Goals

  • Support student higher education success
  • Promote personal and academic growth
  • Build community
Student Services Center, Room 109

Veterans Coordinator and School Certifying Official

Adam del Castillo
510.215.4866
veterans@contracosta.edu

Mon – Thurs | 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.
Friday (Zoom) | 8:00a.m. to 1:00p.m.

Schedule An Appointment
Email veterans@contracosta.edu
or Call 510.215.4866 to Schedule
an In-Person, Zoom, or Phone Appointment

“I truly love what I do. It’s not just a paycheck. It’s a blessing.”
Carmen Santana

  • Address needs and advocate for our students
  • Assist with receiving military benefits
  • Ease the transition into academic life

Call, send us an email, or just stop by. We’ll start by helping you get oriented and settled into school, while learning about your specific situation, needs, and goals, so that we can better help you on your journey.

From then on, consider us your on-campus one-stop-shop to everything you need to be successful. Check in regularly, and if you have a problem, our doors are open. If we can’t help you with something specific, we can point you in the right direction. And, we’re always here to lend a kind ear.

We're here to help

Sarah Boland

Counselor

Counseling

Dr. Kelley Cadungug

Counselor

Counseling

Alma Cardenas

Admissions and Records Lead

Admissions + Records

Ruth Gorman

Counselor

Disabled Students Program and Services (DSPS)

Joanne Solano

Transcript and Degree Audit Specialist

Admissions + Records

Norma Valdez-Jimenez

Puente Project Counselor

Counseling

Understanding Your GI Bill® and Educational Benefits

Our Veteran Services team will work to assist you each step of the way in order to utilize your educational benefits at Contra Costa College. Check out our Steps to Success Checklist to get started!

Veterans Resource Center (VRC)

Our Veteran Resource Center (VRC) is a designated space for student veterans and veteran dependents to enjoy the use of computers, utilize its mini food pantry and refrigerator, watch movies, play game, and read. You can use this lounge to do homework or study, check out the resources or just relax and hangout!

Where We Can Assist

Veteran Services
  • New/ Returning student intake process
  • Questions about utilizing VA Education Benefits
  • Navigating + accessing resources (internal/ external)
  • Schedule Counseling Appointments to develop an Education Plan
  • Enrollment certification with the VA
  • Process paperwork/ documents
  • Receive + evaluate official transcripts
Academic Counseling
  • Create or update an Educational Plan
  • Transfer assistance
  • Transcript Evaluation Requests
  • Navigating + accessing resources (internal/ external)
Get Involved as a Student
  • Hang out in our Veterans Resource Center, SAB 109
  • VA Work Study Opportunities
  • Join our Veterans Club

Certification Reminders + Request Form

To ensure on-time certification every semester, meet with a VRC representative to review your registration steps.

Certification Submission Deadlines:

Spring 2024Summer 2024Fall 2024
December 18, 2023April 26, 2023July 19, 2023

Requests made after these dates may result in a delay for processing.

All completed requests for VA Certification to A&R will be processed regardless of when they are received. Submitting a completed VA Educational Benefits Certification Request after a semester deadline may result in a delay of your benefits such as housing allowance.  Certification requests will be processed in the order received.

Updated Educational Plan – If you are receiving Chapter 30, 31, 33, 35, or 1606 benefits, you must provide the School Certifying Official with an updated Educational Plan from a Veterans Counselor.

Official Transcripts from all previously attended colleges (including JSTs), must be on file with the Admissions & Records Office and a transcript evaluation request must be submitted with an academic counselor prior to a student’s second semester course certification.

Chapter 31 students – Make sure your VR&E counselor has submitted a current Purchase Order reflecting your approved program of study for each semester you wish to certify benefits.

Veteran Residency Requirements

Member of the U.S. Armed Forces (Cal. Ed. Code § 68075):

Any military members who are stationed in CA and on active duty, not for educational purposes, are granted a waiver of non-resident tuition for as long as student maintains eligibility requirements.

Student needs to fill out the Residency Reclassification Appeal Form and submit electronically.

Child or Spouse of a Member of the U.S. Armed Forces (Cal. Ed. Code § 68074):

Dependents of Member of the U.S. Armed Forces who is stationed in CA and on active duty are granted a waiver of non-resident tuition as long as parent/spouse maintains eligibility requirements. If parent/spouse transfers or retires, dependent shall not lose residence so long as student remains continuously enrolled at CCC.

Student needs to fill out the Residency Reclassification Appeal Form and submit electronically.

Former Member of the U.S. Armed Forces:

Cal. Ed. Code § 68075.5: Any military members who were stationed in CA and were on active duty for more than one year immediately prior to discharge are granted a waiver of non-resident tuition up to the minimum time necessary to become a resident. Exemption must be used within two years of discharge. Disqualification: a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge.

Student needs to fill out the Residency Reclassification Appeal Form and submit electronically.

Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (Veteran’s Choice Act or VACAA) (38 U.S.C. § 3679):

A student who lives in California and uses education benefits under Chapter 30, 31, or 33 is granted a waiver of non-resident tuition regardless of his/her formal State of residence. Under the provision of Isakson and Roe Veteran Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, section 1005, the requirement for covered individuals to enroll in a course at a public institution of higher learning within three years of being discharged to receive in-state tuition is no longer required effective August 1, 2021.

A covered individual is defined as:

  • A veteran, or
  • A spouse or dependent child using transferred benefits, or
  • A spouse or dependent child of a person whose active-duty transferor dies, on or after September. 11, 2001, in the line of duty, or
  • A spouse or dependent child using transferred benefits and the transferor is serving on active duty effective for courses, semesters, or terms beginning after July 1, 2017;
  • Students who initially qualify under the applicable requirements above maintain “covered individual” status as long as they remain continuously enrolled

Student needs to fill out the Residency Reclassification Appeal Form and submit electronically.

Financial Aid

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