Getting Started
Related Pages
Mandie Roberts, Director
423.354.2528
AGRoberts@NortheastState.edu
Susan Marshall, Coordinator
423.354.5305
sdmarshall@NortheastState.edu
We are thrilled you have chosen Northeast State as your education partner. If you are planning to use your veteran benefits while attending, we are here to assist you each step of the way.
You are always welcome to visit the Veteran and Military Student Success Center to complete this process. We have a fully equipped computer lab that is open for your use, along with mentors who will assist you with the process.
Our Veterans Speak
Take a moment to listen to our veterans....
United States Air Force veteran Jessie Carter & United States Army veteran Joni Hughes talk about creativity, coming full circle in career paths and navigating the civilian world on "The Sound Bearier". The Sound Bearier is Northeast State's official podcast featuring interviews with staff, faculty, and students - as well as updates about upcoming events, news on campus, and discussions about northeast Tennessee.
This episode won Gold at the TCPRA (Tennessee College Public Relations Association) Podcast category.
There and Back Again - Jesse Carter & Joni Hughes | The Sound Bearier (castos.com)
John Adcox and Jesse Carter discuss the Veteran & Military Student Success Center at Northeast State Community College, and how the center helps Veterans transition from the military to college. Watch their interview on WJHL:
Education Benefit Programs
The Veterans Affairs policy states that you can only use one education benefit for a period of service. You are responsible for choosing the benefit for which you would like to apply. Once you make this choice, you are not able to change this decision and use a different education benefit. Please take your time, review the information below, and choose the benefit that would be best for your situation.
If you would like to speak with someone at the Veteran and Military Success Center, our doors are open Monday through Friday – 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. If you prefer to make an appointment, please email us at veteranbenefits@northeaststate.edu and we will arrange a time convenient for you to come on campus. We have mentors that would be glad to meet with you and review the benefits below. The selection of benefits is your decision; we are simply here to answer any questions you may have.
Applying for and receiving the benefits you have earned is the first step in this process. Whether you are a veteran or a dependent, you will need to complete an application to use VA educational benefits. This is done through the Veterans Affairs website. This application generally takes around 15 minutes to complete.
During the application, you will have the opportunity to enter your bank routing and account number so you can enroll in direct deposit of your benefits. You will not have to upload any documents during your application.
There is a section of the application that requests the school’s name and address. Following is the information for Northeast State:
Northeast State Community College
2425 Highway 75
Blountville, TN 37617
Once you have completed the application, please save or print out the confirmation page and forward a copy to veteransaffairs@northeaststate.edu. The Certificate of Eligibility (COE) will take approximately 14 to 30 days to arrive.
You do not have to wait to receive your COE before applying for admission to Northeast State Community College.
If you would like to complete the process online, please follow the steps below.
Residency Status
Military personnel and their spouses stationed in the State of Tennessee who would be classified out-of-state in accordance with other provisions of these regulations will be classified out-of-state but shall not be required to pay out-of-state tuition. This provision shall not apply to military personnel and their spouses who are stationed in this State primarily for educational purposes. Veterans, active-duty military personnel, reservists, members of the national guard, and ROTC program cadets, regardless of residence and regardless of whether using Veterans Administration benefits, will be classified as in-state when enrolled at a TBR institution.
First Step
To begin the process, please contact us at veteransaffairs@northeaststate.edu stating your intent to use your veteran benefits for the upcoming semester. If you have your certificate of eligibility, please send the certificate with your email.
**Please note - once you indicate that you wish to use your veteran benefits, we will automatically apply your benefits for continuing semesters. If you choose to discontinue use of your benefits, you must notify us at least 30 days before the beginning of any semester.
Let’s begin by choosing the veteran status you for which you would like to apply:
Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Chapter 33)
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) is an educational benefit for individuals with active-duty service on or after September 11, 2001. Post 9/11-GI Bill® benefits can be transferred to dependents while the service member is still on active duty.
The recently passed Forever GI Bill® - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, has removed the 15-year delimiting date for individuals whose last discharge or release from active duty is on or after January 1, 2013.
For more information on the benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) benefits, let’s begin here:
Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) | Veterans Affairs (va.gov)
If you are an active-duty service member who would like to transfer your Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits to your spouse or dependent children, please click HERE Transfer Your Post-9/11 GI Bill® Benefits | Veterans Affairs (va.gov)
Post 9/11 G.I. Bill®-Active Duty on or after 9/11/01
New Students
- VA Form 22-1990 - Application for VA Education Benefits
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Transferring Students
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Post 9/11 Transfer of Entitlement Dependents
New Students
- VA Form 22-1990e - Application for Family Member to Use Transferred Benefits
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Transferring Students
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Montgomery GI Bill®-Prior Active Duty (Chapter 30)
The Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapter 30) assists students who entered active duty for the first time after July 1, 1985, and who agreed to have their pay reduced by $100 for 12 months. Veterans must have received an honorable discharge and active-duty personnel must have served at least two years of active duty to be eligible to use their benefits.
For more information on the benefits of the Montgomery GI Bill® - Active Duty (Chapter 30) benefits, let’s begin here:
Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) | Veterans Affairs (va.gov)
New Students
- VA Form 22-1990 - Application for VA Education Benefits
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Transferring Students
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Selected Reserve/National Guard
New Students
- VA Form 22-1990 - Application for VA Education Benefits
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Transferring Students
- VA Form 22-1995 - Request for Change of Program or Place of Training
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Chapter 35 - Survivor and Dependents Educational Assistance Program
If you are the child or spouse of a Veteran or service member who has died, is captured or missing, or has disabilities, you may be able to get assistance paying for your education or job training through the DEA program.
For more information on the benefits of the Survivor’s and Dependent’s Educational Assistance Program (DEA/Chapter 35) benefits, let’s begin here:
Survivors’ And Dependents’ Educational Assistance | Veterans Affairs (va.gov)
New Students
- VA Form 22-5490 - Application for Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance
- Copy of Rating Decision letter for disabled or deceased veteran
- Copy of marriage license for spouse or birth certificate for child
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Transferring Students
- Form 22-5495 - Request for Change of Program or Place of Training
- Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
If you are a service member or Veteran and have a disability that was caused – or made worse – by your active duty service and that limits your ability to work or prevents you from working, you may be able to get employment support or services to help you live as independently as possible.
For more information on the benefits of the Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31) benefits, let’s begin here:
Veteran Readiness And Employment (Chapter 31) | Veterans Affairs (va.gov)
New Students
- VA Form 28-1900 - Disabled Veterans Application for Veterans Readiness & Employment
- VA Form 21-686C - Declaration of Status of Dependents with copy of marriage license and birth certificates if applicable
Transferring Students
- VA Form 28-1900 - Disabled Veterans Application for Veterans Readiness & Employment
- VA Form 21-686C - Declaration of Status of Dependents with copy of marriage license and birth certificates if applicable
Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship
This is a scholarship for children and spouses of certain Veterans. If your parent or spouse died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2011, while serving in one of the Armed Forces, or was a member of the Selected Reserve who died from a service-connected disability, you may qualify for this benefit.
For more information on the benefits of the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Frye Scholarship, let’s begin here
Fry Scholarships | Veterans Affairs (va.gov)
Tennessee Strong Act & Tuition Assistance
Support Training and Renewing Opportunity for National Guardsmen
The Tennessee STRONG (Support, Training, and Renewing Opportunity for National Guardsmen) Act established a program to provide eligible members of the Tennessee National Guard tuition funding toward a first bachelor’s or first master’s degree or a certificate or diploma from a vocational or technical school through a tuition reimbursement program. This program is used in conjunction with Federal Tuition Assistance to pursue professional and personal self-development goals. The Tennessee STRONG Act provides educational opportunities for those who protect and serve our state and country and supports the Drive to 55 goal of equipping 55 percent of Tennesseans with a degree or certificate by 2025.
The Process
Eligibility:
To qualify for the TN STRONG reimbursement program, you must be:
- Enrolled in an eligible TN public or private institution,
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 (undergraduates) or 3.0 (graduate students) EACH SEMESTER,
- Apply for and use FTA if eligible,
- Be in good standing with and currently in the TN National Guard, and
- Apply for reimbursement within 45 days of the end of course.
Note: You must earn at least a 2.0 (undergraduates) or 3.0 (graduate students) GPA each semester. If less than that, no classes for that term will be reimbursed, even classes that were passed. Repeated classes will also not be reimbursed.
Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA)
If you are a traditional member of the TN Air National Guard or an Army ROTC Cadet on scholarship you can skip this step.
If you are a member of the TN Army National Guard, you must apply for FTA using ArmyIgnitED. This is a lengthy process that takes 1-2 business days for approval, so get started early, especially if you have never used it before (you can request TA up to 90 days before classes start).
In addition to applying via ArmyIgnitED, also, please email veteranaffairs@northeaststate.edu and let us know of your intentions.
Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) Verification
Once you have completed the FTA process and received an email approving your TA request, you will need to complete the verification form (“TA Authorization Form”) which can be found under “Other Links” at ArmyIgnitED. More information on FTA verification can be found here.
If you find that you are ineligible for FTA, make sure to capture a screenshot showing that you are ineligible and why. This screenshot must also show your name. You will attach either the TA Authorization Form or a screenshot showing your ineligibility for FTA in the email with your TN STRONG application.
Complete the TN Strong Application
The office of Military & Veterans Affairs will submit a TN STRONG Act application on your behalf. However, you are responsible for completing the application packet except for the SECTION IV page, which is on page 2 of the packet. That page is to be completed by us. Once you have completed all the other pages, please forward them to us at veteranaffairs@northeaststate.edu. You can also drop off the documents in person at the Military and Veteran Success Center. Once we have these documents, we will add the SECTION IV page to the application and submit it on your behalf to the appropriate TN STRONG Act manager.
Please make sure to sign, initial, and date wherever required (including getting your unit/squadron Commander's signature). Any missing information may result in your application packet being rejected in its entirety.
Please note that applications will be returned if they are illegible.
The application packet can be found here: TN STRONG Act Application June 2022.pdf
Helping Heroes Grant
The Helping Heroes Grant is established and funded from the net proceeds of the state lottery and awarded to US Veterans who were honorably discharged or who are a former or current member of a reserve or TN National Guard Unit. The award amount is $1,000 per semester for a student who enrolls in twelve (12) or more semester hours in an eligible program of study. The student shall receive $500 per semester for enrolling in six (6) to eleven (11) semester hours in an eligible program of study. The student shall not receive an award if enrolled in fewer than six (6) semester hours.
To view the full criteria and apply for this grant, follow this link: Helping Heroes Grant (tn.gov)
GI Bill® Comparison Tool
VA is making it easier to research colleges and employers approved for the GI Bill®. Answer just a few questions about yourself and the school/employer you are considering. You’ll receive an estimate of your GI Bill® benefits and some information about the facility’s value and affordability.
Please allow approximately 4 - 8 weeks for the processing of your claim. To check the status of your claim, call 1.888.442.4551 or go to VA.gov/education and log in to e-mail your question to the VA.
Contact
Local: 423.323.3191
Toll-Free: 800.836.7822
Address
2425 Highway 75
PO Box 246
Blountville, Tennessee
37617-0246
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