Description of Military Benefits

Programs for veterans include the Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG), Illinois National Guard Scholarship (ING), Illinois MIA/POW Scholarship, and the Montgomery GI Bill®.

Programs

Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG)

Veterans of the Armed forces of the United States, reserve component of the Armed forces, or the Illinois National Guard who have served at least one year of Federal or active-duty services may be eligible. Recipients may use IVG up to 120 units while eligible. IVG covers mandatory tuition and fees at Illinois public colleges and universities, but applicants are responsible for other miscellaneous fees. This may include digital access or laboratory fees at Oakton, as examples. Please review your account summary each term to review your charges.

Please visit studentportal.isac.org to complete the online interactive application

GPA requirements: Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA before the start of the term in order to have the grant applied.

Deadline: Students must submit their military benefits request form no later than the last scheduled day of classes for the term in which the grant is being requested.

Illinois National Guard Scholarship (ING)

Members of the Illinois National Guard who are in active status in the Illinois Army or Air National Guard and have served for at least one year or served for at least 5 consecutive years with service interrupted due to being called to active duty may be eligible.  Recipients may use ING up to 120 units while eligible. ING covers mandatory tuition and fees at Illinois public colleges and universities, but applicants are responsible for other miscellaneous fees. This may include digital access or laboratory fees at Oakton, as examples. Please review your account summary each term to review your charges. Eligibility is school specific and must be renewed each academic year.

Please visit studentportal.isac.org to complete the online interactive application.

GPA requirements: Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA before the start of the term in order to have the grant applied.

Deadline: Students must submit their military benefits request form no later than the last scheduled day of classes for the term in which the grant is being requested.

Illinois MIA/POW Scholarship

The state of Illinois provides a scholarship for eligible dependents under the MIA POW scholarship program. Eligible scholarship recipients can include dependents of veterans who are either missing in action, a prisoner of war, rated at 100% disability due to service-connected disabilities, or deceased as a result of service-connected disabilities. Scholarship recipients are entitled to receive an applicable scholarship equal to their tuition and mandatory fees at Illinois public colleges and universities, but applicants are responsible for other miscellaneous fees. This may include digital access or laboratory fees at Oakton, as examples. Please review your account summary each term to review your charges. Scholarship recipients can utilize the scholarship up to 120 points (120 points is the equivalent of 120 credits).

Please visit studentportal.isac.org to complete the online interactive application.

GPA requirements: Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA before the start of the term in order to have the scholarship applied.

Deadline: Scholarship recipients must submit their military benefits request form each term within two months after the add/drop date in which the scholarship is being requested. Scholarship recipients who are approved for the MIA POW scholarship after the deadline and less than 2 months prior to the end of the term may submit their benefits request form until 2 months after the completion of the term.

Additional Information Needed for GI Bill®

CH 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill®

• This is an educational assistance program for individuals who served on active duty after September 11, 2001.
• The program became effective on August 1, 2009.
• If you are a reservist or a national guard officer you may be eligible for the benefits if you served at least 90 aggregate days on active duty after September 1, 2001.
• The benefits depend on your length of service, the type of service, the type of discharge and several other factors.
• Please contact the Department of Veterans at: www.gibill.va.gov about the specifics regarding your individual situation.

CH 30 Montgomery GI Bill® - Active duty after 7-1-85

• Official transcript from any previous college and/or military training sent directly to the Enrollment Center and evaluated by the authorized credential analyst by the end of the second semester of your enrollment at Oakton.
• A copy of your Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) should be attached to your military benefits request form if benefits have not been used before at Oakton College.

CH 1606 Montgomery GI Bill® for Reservists

• A copy of your Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE) should be attached to your military benefits request form if benefits have not been used before at Oakton College.
• Official transcripts from any previous college and/or military training sent directly to the Enrollment Center to be evaluated by the second semester of your enrollment at Oakton.

CH 32 VEAP Active duty from 1-1-77 until 6-30-85

• Official transcripts from any previous college and/or military training sent directly to the Enrollment Center to be evaluated by the second semester of student's enrollment at Oakton.
• A copy of your Chapter 1606 GI Bill® Reservists benefits eligibility should be attached to your military benefits request form if you have not used your benefits before at Oakton College.

CH 35 Dependent spouse/surviving spouse, son or daughter

• The dependent eligible for Chapter 35 benefits must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility by completing the online application through VA.gov.
• A copy of the certificate must be submitted along with the military benefits request form at the beginning of the student's enrollment at Oakton College.

CH 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Program

• Veterans must contact the Vocational Rehabilitation Program Counselor at the Department of Veterans Affairs/VRE Division to get authorization to use this program. The Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor will submit electronic authorization for payments to Oakton College.
• If you are expecting to use book vouchers at Oakton to purchase required books and supplies, verify that authorization has been received before the beginning of the semester for which you will be using your benefits.
  
  

Military/Army Tuition Assistance (TA)

Military Tuition Assistance is a benefit paid to eligible service members. Please contact your Educational Liaison Officer to obtain a new authorization for every semester. For more information on the process for each branch, follow the links below:

• Army TA
• Army National Guard TA
• Marine Corps Tuition Assistance (TA)
• Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center
• Air Force TA
• Coast Guard TA

Next, submit a Military Benefits Request form each semester you would like to apply your education benefits and submit the authorization for tuition benefits from the applicable branch of service. The authorized funds will be applied to your student account first based on the amount of tuition and/or fees indicated on your SF-182 or TA authorization letter. Non-refundable fees and fees that are not linked to individual course enrollments are not covered by TA. 

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.