The College Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents benefit waives mandatory system-wide tuition at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus. This program does not cover the expense of books, parking or room and board. It is important to note that this waiver only covers the per unit enrollment cost of attendance, so students are still responsible for other institutional fees and course fees.

The child of a Veteran who has a service-connected disability or had a service-connected disability at the time of death or died of service-related causes is eligible. The child's annual income, which includes the child's adjusted gross income, plus the value of support provided by a parent, may not exceed the annual income limit. The current academic year entitlement is based upon the previous calendar year's annual income. There are no age restrictions on this benefit. Children are the only dependents eligible under this plan. There is no prohibition against receiving concurrent VA Chapter 35 benefits. For more eligibility information and to download the most recent application please visit the CalVet website.

Estimated amount of student loan debt upon completion of 2- year degree or certificate at Cabrillo College can be found at Cabrillo College’s Scorecard.

An overpayment of benefits occurs when there are changes to a student’s schedule that affects their rate of training or the amount of tuition and fees owed to the college.

Student debts are debts to the VA that you are responsible for paying back to the VA. Student debts typically occur when students make changes to their schedules that affect their training time such as dropping a course, being dropped from a course by the instructor or switching from full term to short term courses. Please note that if you drop a course or withdraw from all your courses after the drop period ends and you earn a “W” grade, the VA will reduce benefits effective to the first day of the term. For example, if you are using the Post 9/11 GI bill and the monthly full time BAH rate is $1400 and you enrolled in 12 units but drop a 3-unit course with a “W” grade 2 months into the semester VA will now calculate your BAH at the 3/4th time rate which would be $1050 ($1400x.75=$1050). In this example the VA would have overpaid you by $700 for BAH for those first 2 months of the semester. In addition, since you dropped the course, the VA may request all or some of the book stipend to be returned as well. You would owe this money back to the VA, unless there are mitigating circumstances. Mitigating circumstances are circumstances beyond the student's control that prevent the student from continuing in school or that cause the student to reduce credits.

Examples are:

• An illness or injury afflicting the student during the enrollment period.

• An illness or death in the student’s immediate family.

• An unavoidable change in the student’s conditions of employment.

• An unavoidable geographical transfer resulting from the student’s employment.

• Immediate family or financial obligations beyond the control of the claimant that require him or her to suspend pursuit of the program of education to obtain employment.

• Discontinuance of the course by the school.

• Unanticipated active military service, including active duty for training.

• Unanticipated difficulties with childcare arrangements the student has made for the period during which he or she is attending classes.

If the student has already been paid for the course or courses, VA will create an overpayment from the beginning of the term, quarter, or semester. Students who have a mitigating circumstance should speak with the Veterans Information Center to see if you are eligible for an excused withdrawal prior to dropping your courses.

Please note that dropping courses could also result in a debt to Cabrillo College if the VA requests back the tuition and fees that they paid and it creates an outstanding debt with the college you will be responsible for the debt to Cabrillo College. Debts to the college should be paid in a timely manner to avoid holds that prevent registration and/or the release of student records as well as possible referral to a collections agency. Students who cannot pay their debt in full have the option of setting up a payment plan through their My Cabrillo accounts.

A school debt is created when the VA determines that it has overpaid the college for tuition and fees or when a student drops a course after the drop date, the VA will request a prorated amount of tuition and fees back from the college. Please note that a school debt can also result in a student debt to Cabrillo College.