Veterans

If you are interested in using Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA), MING-STAP, GI Bill or any other VA educational benefits you may be entitled to, please make sure to speak with your Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor within your Military Service before enrolling at Lake Michigan College.

To use your Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits at LMC, complete the following steps:

1. Submit your LMC admission application.
2. Submit your high school and any previous college transcripts to the Records Office. Official transcripts must be received directly from the sending institution by mail (2755 E Napier Ave, Benton Harbor, MI 49022) or email to records@lakemichigancollege.edu.  Questions?  Call or text 269-927-8107 or email records@lakemichigancollege.edu.
3. Apply for your benefits.

The Department of Veterans Affairs requires that, if you are receiving educational benefits, you immediately report any change by email to bfrench@lakemichigancollege.edu in credit hour load, dependency status, address, or program of study to the Veterans Affairs Specialist.

The Michigan State Approving Agency and the Department of Veterans Affairs require Lake Michigan College to establish academic progress standards for veterans and other eligible persons in order to receive Veterans Affairs educational benefits. Satisfactory academic progress is of primary concern. As an educational benefit recipient, you are considered to be making satisfactory progress if your cumulative grade point average (GPA) is 2.00 or above.

If, as a Veterans Affairs educational benefit recipient, your Lake Michigan College GPA drops below 2.00, you will be placed on academic notice. During the notice period, you may continue to receive educational benefits; however, notice status may not exceed two terms. At the end of the notice period, if your cumulative GPA still does not meet the minimum graduation requirement of 2.00 or better, a report of unsatisfactory progress will be sent to the Department of Veterans Affairs and you will stop receiving benefits. Certification for further educational benefits will not be submitted until your cumulative GPA reaches 2.00.

If you want your certification for educational benefits reinstated, you are required to submit a written statement to the Veterans Affairs Specialist, which will be forwarded to the Department of Veterans Affairs. This statement must include an explanation of how the cause of your unsatisfactory progress has been corrected.

Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, adds new requirements for educational institutions participating in the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). These new provisions became effective June 15, 2021 and apply to Institutions of Higher Learning and Non-College Degree institutions beginning August 1, 2021. Many of the requirements are consistent with the requirements of the Principles of Excellence, currently in Executive Order 13607; however, there are requirements in addition to those embodied in the Principles of Excellence that schools must also satisfy to maintain approval for GI Bill® participation.

Schools must provide a covered individual (a student using benefits under chapter 30, 31, 32, 33, or 35 of title 38, U.S.C., or chapter 1606 of title 10, U.S.C.) with a personalized shopping sheet that contains the following - links to LMC's resources follow each item.

• Estimated total cost of the course that includes tuition, fees, books, supplies and any other additional costs.
  • Cost of Attendance at Lake Michigan College
• Other types of Federal financial aid, not administered by VA that is offered by the institution, that the individual may be qualified to receive.
  • Office of Financial Aid 
• Estimated amount of student loan debt the individual would have upon graduation.
  • College Navigator  
• Information regarding graduation rates.
  • LMC Graduation Rates
• Information regarding job-placement rates for graduates, if available.
  • College Navigator
• Information regarding the acceptance of transfer credits, including military credits.
  • Transfer Credit Policies
• Any additional requirements including training, experience, or examinations that are required to obtain a license, certification or approval for which the course of education prepares the individual.
  • Academics:  Please select your area of interest to view detailed information by program. 
• Designated Employees at Lake Michigan College that serve as a primary contact point for covered individuals and family members seeking assistance.
  • Lake Michigan College Veterans Affairs 
• Other information to facilitate comparison by the individual about aid packages offered by different educational institutions.
  • The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's ‘Paying for College’ Webpage
  • This site can be used by students to compare information for up to three schools. Just enter the names of the schools and receive detailed financial information on each one.
  • The US Department of Education's College Scorecard
    A consumer planning tool and resource to assist prospective students and their families as they evaluate options in selecting a school. 
  • The College Navigator
    A Department of Education tool, the College Navigator provides important information like tuition and fees, retention and graduation rates, use of financial aid, and student loan default rates.
  • GI Bill® Comparison Tool
    A helpful tool to explore your potential benefits and research approved education programs.