Section 1018 of Public Law 116-315, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, adds new requirements for education institutions participating in the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Specifically, education institutions approved by the VA are required to provide covered individuals (those using VA education benefits) with the following information:

Federal Student Aid and Other Sources of Student Financial Assistance
Students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine their eligibility for federal student aid. Students may use VA education benefits and federal student aid at the same time. Students may also be eligible for state and institutional grants or scholarships

Students who have questions about any of these funding options should contact FCC’s Financial Aid Office for assistance.

Estimated total cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, books, supplies, and living expenses
All students can access general Cost of Attendance information and a Net Price Calculator for help determining the cost of attending FCC.

Personalized College Financing Plan
Students who submit the FAFSA can access their personalized College Financing Plan (CFP) in PeopleSoft once their FAFSA has been processed. The CFP includes their estimated total cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, and living expenses, as well as the type and amount of federal student aid they are eligible for.

To view your College Financing Plan (CFP):

1. Log into PeopleSoft
2. Select “Financial Aid” from the tiles
3. Confirm the correct aid year is selected or click “change” to update the year you wish to view
4. Click “College Financing Plan” under “Awards” on the left-hand menu
5. Click the “College Financing Plan” button to open the award notification in a new window (you may need to disable the pop-up blocker)

Note the following:

• The CFP is not a bill
• All FCC cost data is estimated
• The FCC total cost of attendance is based on full time enrollment for two terms
• Cost of attendance includes indirect costs like transportation that you would not pay to the College

Costs Covered by VA Education Benefits
Students are encouraged to use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to compare VA education benefits across schools. Once students have applied for their VA education benefit and provided a Certificate of Eligibility, FCC Veteran and Military Services staff can explain what portion of the cost to attend FCC their particular benefit will cover. 

Chapter 33
Chapter 33 recipients are entitled to a percentage of the following VA Education benefits based on their length of service:

• Cost of tuition and fees (paid to the school and prorated based on the eligibility percentage)
• Monthly housing allowance equal to the basic allowance for housing payable to a military E-5 with dependents, in the same zip code as the school (21702) (paid to the student and prorated based on the eligibility percentage)
• Annual book and supply stipend of up to $1000 per year (paid to the student @ $41.67 per credit and prorated based on the eligibility percentage)

Chapters 30, 35, and 1606
Students eligible for Chapters 30, 35, and 1606 receive benefit payments based on their training time. Students can view payment rates for each chapter here.

Chapter 31
Students eligible for Chapter 31 receive a subsistence allowance or, if also eligible for Chapter 33, Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH).

FCC Graduation Rates
Students can access FCC’s graduation rates here.

Awarding of Transfer Credit
FCC awards credit for coursework completed at accredited colleges and universities as recognized by the U. S. Department of Education and for military education and training. For FCC’s complete policy regarding the awarding of transfer credit, go to the Academic Standards Policy and Procedures.

Program Requirements
Students can view graduation requirements for each credit program in the Academic Catalog. Each program listing includes a Guided Pathway to Success which maps a student’s path to completion.
Students can also view their Degree Plan in PeopleSoft [Student Center – My Academics – View My Degree Plan] to track their progress toward graduation. Their Degree Plan shows their program requirements, including which requirements they’ve satisfied and which requirements they still need to satisfy to graduate.
Students can view any additional requirements, including the training, experience, or examinations required to obtain a license, certification, or approval for their chosen program on the FCC Programs page.

Withdrawal or Absences Due to Military Service
Military personnel, including members of the Reserves and National Guard, who withdraw from their courses or are temporarily unavailable because of a military transfer, active-duty deployment, or military training obligation, will be able to continue their studies at Frederick Community College upon their return.
Guidance for Students Who Need to Withdraw

Point of Contact for individuals using VA education benefits
Veterans and their family members in need of academic counseling, financial counseling, disability counseling, and other information regarding completing a program at FCC may contact FCC Veteran and Military Services Students for assistance. Students will be referred to other FCC offices as needed.

Veteran and Military Services
Veteran and Military Student Center, Annapolis Hall, room A-109
301-624-2836
[email protected]