Benefit Types Available at OTC

The Montgomery GI Bill® – Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) (Chapter 1606) provides up to 36 months of education benefits to members of the Selected Reserve, including Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Reserves. It also includes Army National Guard and the Air National Guard.

You must be an Active Reservist to use this benefit.

 

What you Need to Know:

• You will be required to verify attendance monthly by calling 1-877-VA-ECERT (1-877-823-2378) or using the WAVE online system.
• You only receive your full benefit amount if you had 36 months of service and are enrolled full time in school.
• The MGBI pays you and you pay the school.

You qualify for the MGBI Select Reserves Bill if:

1. After June 30, 1985, you signed a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve
2. You completed your Initial Active Duty for Training (IADT)
3. You got your high school diploma or GED before you completed your IADT
4. You are in good standing in a drilling Selected Reserve unit

 

See the Monthly Educational Assistance Allowance effective October 1, 2022.

The Montgomery GI Bill® (MGIB) (Chapter 30) provides up to 36 months of education benefits to eligible Service members and Veterans for programs such as: college, business, technical, or vocational school; apprenticeship / on-the-job training; correspondence courses; remedial, deficiency, and refresher training (in some cases). You usually have 10 years to use your MGIB benefits, but the time limit can be fewer or more years depending on the situation.

 

What you Need to Know:

• You will be required to verify attendance monthly by calling 1-877-VA-ECERT (1-877-823-2378) or using the WAVE online system.
• You only receive your full benefit amount if you had 36 months of service and are enrolled full time in school.
• The MGBI pays you and you pay the school.

You qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill® if:

1. You contribute $100 a month for the first 12 months you are active duty, or qualify under VEAP conversion.
2. You completed High School or equivalency certificate before applying for benefits.
3. You served at least 2 years on active duty.
4. You received an Honorable discharge.

 

See Monthly Educational Assistance Allowance effective October 1, 2022.

The Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program, sometimes referred to as Chapter 31 or Vocational Rehabilitation (Voc Rehab), helps veterans with service-connected disabilities and employment handicaps prepare for, find, and keep suitable jobs.

For veterans with service-connected disabilities so severe that they cannot immediately consider work, VR&E offers services to improve their ability to live as independently as possible. Depending on your situation, VR&E may pay for educational expenses, including books or additional materials needed for class.

Contact a Veteran Readiness Counselor in Missouri at (314)253-4100.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill®  (Chapter 33) can help you pay for education or job training if you served on active duty after September 10, 2001 and qualify for benefit. You will have 15 years to use your Post-9/11 benefits if your discharge date was before January 1, 2013. Those discharged after January, 1, 2013 have no expiration of benefits.

 

What you Need to Know:

• You only receive your full benefit amount if you had 36 months of service and are enrolled full time in school.
• You receive a Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) based on your location. *You must be in one seated class to get the location rate.
• You can receive up to a $1000 yearly book stipend, which is roughly $41.67 per credit hour.
• You must be enrolled more than 50% (more than 6 hours in fall or spring) to receive your BAH.
• The Post 9/11 GI Bill® pays the school for eligible tuition & fees.
• If you choose to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) instead of the Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty (MGIB-AD or Chapter 30), you cannot switch at some later date to use MGIB-AD. If you decide to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, the VA will refund part or all payments you made into MGIB-AD. Learn more about Montgomery GI Bill® refunds

You qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill® if:

1. Served at least 90 days active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service) on or after September 11, 2001, or
2. Received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service, or
3. Served for at least 30 continuous days (without a break in service) on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability, or
4. Are a dependent child using benefits transferred by a qualifying Veteran

 

See Payment Rates effective August 1, 2022.

VA Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) program provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents and survivors of certain Veterans.

 

Basic Eligibility:

You may be eligible for VA education benefits (Chapter 35 benefits) if you’re the child or spouse of a service member and one of these descriptions listed is true of the service member.

One of these must be true:

• The service member died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001, or
• The service member is missing in action or was captured in the line of duty by a hostile force, or
• The service member was detained (held) by force while in the line of duty by a foreign government or power, or
• The service member is in the hospital or getting outpatient treatment for a service-connected permanent and total disability, and is likely to be discharged for that disability. A service-connected permanent and total disability is a disability resulting from your service that doesn’t go away.

You may be eligible for VA education benefits (Chapter 35 benefits) if you’re the child or spouse of a Veteran and one of these descriptions listed is true of the Veteran.

One of these must be true:

• The Veteran is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability, or
• The Veteran died while on active duty or as a result of a service-connected disability

If you’re a dependent who doesn’t meet the above criteria, you may still qualify for VA education benefits if the Veteran or service member transferred some or all of their Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement to you while they were on active duty.
Learn about transferred benefits

 

It’s simple to apply. Just follow these steps:

• Log in to your www.va.gov account at Education Benefits Application
• Go to the Forms drop down box
• Select and Apply for “VA Form 22-5490, Dependents Application for VA Education Benefits”

If you do not have online access, you may:

• Open and Print VA Form 22-5490, Dependents Application for VA Education Benefits
• Complete and mail the form to your nearest VA Regional Processing Office, which has jurisdiction over the State where you’ll advance your education and training

 

See Monthly Educational Benefit amounts effective October 1, 2022.

Tuition Assistance: If you intend to use Tuition Assistance, you must secure approval from your Education Services Office (ESO) BEFORE your class(es) start. For Army IgnitED 2.0, you must request approval no less than 8 days before classes begin. Student Accounts Services requires an authorization for payment before an award can be listed as anticipated aid toward your bill.   

 

1. OTC offers an Active Military Tuition Rate for active servicemembers using TA. Request the AM Tuition Rate by emailing Veterans@otc.edu.
2. Apply for Army Tuition Assistance at  Army IgnitED 2.0.
3. When TA is approved in Army IgnitED 2.0, submit your confirmation the Veteran and Military Services Office for anticipated aid to be added to your financial aid profile.

 

• Service members must consult with their Educational Services Office (ESO) or Service Education Counselor PRIOR to enrolling in classes.
• All Army members MUST apply for and exhaust Federal TA before State TA is awarded.
• Soldiers must remain in an active military status for the semester/session for which they are receiving educational assistance. Failure to maintain active status will result in the recoupment of unearned funds.
• Student is required to be a member prior to the start date of class and remain a member until the end date of class.
• Enrollment requests must be submitted through ArmyIgnitED 2.0 prior to the course start date. Drops/withdrawals must be reported to ArmyIgnitED 2.0.
• Soldiers who do not successfully complete a class will be required to repay the TA.
• Soldiers who are unable to successfully complete a class due to military reasons must request a Withdrawal for Military Reasons.

Tuition Assistance: If you intend to use Tuition Assistance, you must secure approval from your Education Services Office (ESO) BEFORE the semester begins. OTC offers an Active Military Tuition Rate for active servicemembers using TA. Request the AM Tuition Rate by emailing Veterans@otc.edu.

Select the appropriate Service Tuition Assistance (TA) link to create a user account:

• Navy & Marines
• Air Force & Space Command
• Army National Guard
• Missouri National Guard

MyCAA is a workforce development program that provides up to $4,000 of financial assistance to eligible military spouses pursuing a license, certificate, or Associate degree in a portable career field and occupation. If you have already been approved for MyCAA, please email Veterans@otc.edu to request your Education & Training Plan (ETP). 

How To Apply For MyCAA

Eligible spouses can establish a free MyCAA Account by visiting the MyCAA website. Eligible spouses will be allowed to create their Career and Training Plan and request FA when they are within 30 days of course start dates. Additionally, spouses are responsible for applying to their selected school or program and enrolling in each course included in their approved MyCAA Career and Training Plan.

Military spouses interested in the program should begin by:

• Visiting www.careeronestop.org to explore Portable Career Fields and find schools that have programs of study leading to licenses, certificates and degrees.
• Finding a school in the MyCAA website.
• Establishing and managing their MyCAA Account on the MyCAA website, use MyCAA resources to create a Career and Training Plan, and apply for FA.

Military OneSource Career and Education Consultants (800-342-9647) can help spouses:

• Explore career interests, evaluate school options, and compare programs of study.
• Develop and implement their Career and Training Plans successfully.

 

MyCAA Fact Sheet

More Information

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be submitted to apply for federal financial aid such as Pell Grants and/or Direct Student Loans.

All students, including veterans, are strongly encouraged to submit the FAFSA before February 1 each year. If you miss the February ‘priority deadline’, you can still fill it out!

The FAFSA asks for prior-prior year income information, so If you have had a drastic change of income, speak with a Financial Aid Advisor to see if you qualify for a change in circumstance review.

To complete a FAFSA:

There are over 100 scholarships at OTC – most are awarded based on academic merit or financial need.

OTC has one universal scholarship application for all available funds, which include scholarships for every program across the college’s three academic divisions: Technical Education, Health Sciences, and General Education.

To apply for a scholarship, first complete the FAFSA. Then, fill out our OTC Scholarship Application, which includes an essay explaining how an award would help you succeed. Check Important Dates to make sure you apply during the correct application cycle. Over 1,000 students are awarded scholarships each year.