Since 1973, Columbia College has been helping military personnel, their family members, and Department of Defense civilians earn college degrees while serving their country. Columbia College awards significant transfer credits based on military transcripts; participates in the Troops to Teachers program; and accepts the GI bill benefits for all veterans. For four consecutive years, Columbia College has been recognized as one of the top 20 military friendly colleges in the nation. Columbia College understands the needs of today’s servicemembers, past and present, and supports:
- Adjusting catalog year requirements for active military members and their dependents
- “Withdrawal Excused” (WE) requests for extraordinary circumstances like military deployment, extended periods of temporary duty (TDY), or an unexpected call to active duty, etc.
- Unique scholarship and grant opportunities
- VA and tuition assistance payment deferments
Credit for Military Service
Columbia College awards credit for military training and experience based on American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations in conjunction with SOC DNS guidelines.
Acceptable military transcripts include CCAF and JST (formerly AARTS, SMART, and CGI). Other documents may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
ACE credit recommendations are also awarded for the following:
- College-level Examination Program (CLEP)
- Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES-DSST)
- Proficiency Examination Program (PEP)
- Excelsior (formerly Regents) Exams/ACT PEP
- Advanced Placement (AP) Exams
- Defense Language Institute Exams
- Army Logistics University
- Defense Acquisition University
- Certification Exams
- Learning acquired in military life
In addition to ACE recommended credit, Columbia College awards credit for military experience, professional licensure, and credit for prior learning (CPL).
As a charter member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) and the SOC Degree Network System (DNS) for all branches, Columbia College guarantees transfer credit from other institutions in the SOC DNS.
For more information, please visit the Office of the Registrar website, or e-mail msc@ccis.edu
ROTC
Main campus students at Columbia College participate in ROTC through a cooperative program with the University of Missouri by attending regular classes on the Columbia College campus while completing ROTC coursework at the MU campus, just 10 blocks away. This allows students to take advantage of the small class sizes and personal attention Columbia College offers, while pursuing a commission in our Armed Forces. ROTC scholarship recipients are eligible for 100% of basic room charges. Ten awards are available each year. Submit the ROTC scholarship award letter with the Columbia College Financial Assistance Application to the Enrolment Service Center. Recipients must reapply annually to receive this award.
Colonel Charles McGee Scholarship Fund
This scholarship is given to Veterans and/or their dependents who wish to attend Columbia College. It is a competitive scholarship that is awarded annually. The scholarship will be available to the general population only if there are no veterans and/or dependents who qualify for the award. For more information, visit the following website at http://www.ccis.edu/mcgeescholarship.
George H. Ousley, Jr. & Gayleen Ousley Veterans Service Center Endowment
This scholarship is given to veterans attending Columbia College with first preference given to veterans of the United States Navy. Recipients must be veteran students who have exhausted their federal funding, but have not yet attained their degree. For additional information contact the Columbia College veterans certifying official: (573) 875-7504, or vacert@ccis.edu.
VA Educational Benefits
Columbia College is approved for enrollment certification of students eligible to receive education assistance (GI Bill) from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). Eligibility requirements vary for veterans’ education benefit programs. For more information, contact the Columbia College Veterans Certifying Official: (573) 875-7504, or vacert@ccis.edu.
Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIBAD): Persons who entered active duty after July 1, 1985, and had their military pay reduced by $100 per month for 12 months qualify for this program. This is a non-refundable contribution. These persons also must have served a minimum of two years, earned a high school diploma or its equivalent either prior to or during the qualifying enlistment and must have an honorable discharge.
Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Program: The DVA determines eligibility for this program. This program provides payment of required fees and a monthly allotment.
Chapter 32 (Certified as Chapter 30) Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP): This program provides benefits to persons who initially entered the service after Dec. 31, 1976, and before July 1, 1985. These persons volunteered to contribute money to the Post-Vietnam Era Veteran Educational Assistance Program. Participants receive monthly payments for the number of months they contributed or for 36 months, whichever is less.
Chapter 33, Post 9/11 GI Bill (Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008): This program provides benefits for “individuals who have at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September, 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. The Post-9/11 GI Bill will become effective for training on or after August 1, 2009.” For detailed information on the benefits of this program, please go to www.gibill.va.gov.
Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship: Children of an active duty member of the Armed Forces who has died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001 may be eligible for up to 36 months of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.
Yellow Ribbon: Columbia College participates in the Yellow Ribbon GI Bill Education Enhancement Program which allows the College to fund tuition expenses for qualified individuals.
Transfer of Post-9/11 GI-Bill Benefits to Dependents (TEB): Service members enrolled in the Post-9/11 GI Bill program may transfer unused educational benefits to their spouses or children. An eligible Service member may transfer up to the total months of unused Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, to include the entire 36 months. For more information on this program visit https://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/Post-911_Transferability.pdf.
Chapter 35 Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA): This program provides benefits for dependents and spouses of veterans who died or are 100 percent permanently disabled due to service-connected causes.
Chapter 1606 Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR): This program provides benefits for members of the Reserve/National Guard who enlisted, re-enlisted or extended their enlistment for a period of six years after July 1, 1985.
Chapter 1607 Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP): This program is for members of a reserve component who serve on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, and who serve at least 90 consecutive days or more. National Guard members also may be eligible. Individuals are eligible as soon as they reach the 90-day point whether or not they are currently on active duty. Disabled members who are injured or have an illness or disease incurred or aggravated in the line of duty and are released from active duty before completing 90 consecutive days also are eligible.
Veteran’s Grant
Need-based, non-renewable grant that is only available to Main Campus Day students who are former U.S. military personnel. The award provides $200 for every six months of active service and is worth a maximum of $800. This is a one-time grant and is not renewable.
Military Spouse Opportunities
- Spouse Opportunity Grant: Awarded to spouses of active servicemembers. It provides tuition for the first in-seat course taken at Columbia College.
- The Columbia College Coast Guard Spouse Grant: Offers a 50% tuition grant for all courses, for a lifetime maximum of $4,000, for degree seeking students.
- Military Spouse Tuition Grant: Provides a 20% tuition grant for all inseat courses for degree seeking students.
For additional information on military spouse opportunities, visit the website at http://ccis.edu/military/spouses.asp.
Ousley Family Veterans Service Center
The Ousley Family Veterans Service Center supports the educational needs and processes for the military, veteran, and dependent student. The mission of the Ousley Family Veterans Service Center is to provide a support network to facilitate the transition of veterans, military service members and dependents to Columbia College and to understand and address their unique student support needs while they are attending Columbia College. Main Campus Day and Evening students and Online Campus students planning to use VA Educational Benefits may utilize the center to assist in completing their application and other required Columbia College documents. The Ousley Family Veterans Service Center is located on the second floor of Missouri Hall, Room 226.
Veterans Certifying Official
Main Campus Day, Main Campus Evening and Online Campus students should contact a veterans certifying official at the Ousley Family Veterans Service Center at (573) 875-7504 or vacert@ccis.edu.
Nationwide campus students should contact the veterans certifying official at their campus.
For additional information visit www.ccis.edu/military/veterans.asp.
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