Veteran's Services

Servicemembers Opportunity College (SOC)
Del Mar College has been designated a “Servicemembers Opportunity College” and is committed to serving the educational needs of servicemembers and their dependents. Active duty military personnel and their dependents enrolling through the SOC program must complete the normal College admissions requirements and must complete 15 semester credit hours, in residence, at the College. Credits remaining for completion of a degree program may be earned in the following ways:

• Resident study at Del Mar College,

• Credits earned through other regionally-accredited institutions may be transferred when applicable to a Del Mar College degree or certificate,

• Semester credit hours may be earned through successful completion of CLEP Subject Examinations,

• Courses completed through the United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI) may be accepted following the recommendations of the American Council on Education (ACE) when such courses are applicable to a specific Del Mar College degree or certificate,

• Del Mar College will accept DANTES courses, but the scores must be submitted in the official educational transcript to the Del Mar College Office of Admissions and Registrar for evaluation. DANTES scores are not automatically transferred to Del Mar College.

• Military service schools and Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) credits may be evaluated and credits awarded following ACE recommendations when such credits can be applied to a specific Del Mar College degree or certificate, and

• Successful completion of Del Mar College departmental examinations will result in an award of credit which would normally be given for completion of the course. Such credit does not serve to meet the residence requirement.

Veterans Benefits
Courses at Del Mar College are approved for veterans’ training. The Office of Admissions and Registrar assists veterans with problems relating to their training programs. 

Del Mar College’s programs are approved for those who wish to attend and receive benefits under the Veterans Readjustment Benefits Act of 1966, Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Educational Assistance Program, the Veterans’ Educational Assistance Act of 1984, Chapter 106-Reservists’ Education Bill, Chapter 30, Veterans Administration (VA) Education Bill of 1986 and dependents qualified for VA Educational Benefits.

Students attending with the aid of veteran benefits should inquire about Veterans Services through the Office of Admissions and Registrar, prior to registration, to obtain needed information relative to their enrollment and “certification” of attendance to the Veterans Administration. All new students must furnish the Registrar’s Office an original copy of DD214 or a copy certified by the County Clerk. The veteran must also furnish certified copies of marriage certificates, divorce certificates and dependents’ birth certificates, if applicable.

Students must provide an approved, signed degree plan to Veterans Services prior to certification of their initial semester. Degree plans are available through the Counseling and Advising Center or through departmental advisors. Transfer students should have copies of all previous transcripts for initial counseling sessions. It is the student’s responsibility to inform Veterans Services of any changes in enrollment status. The monthly rates of payment to veterans are provided for by Public Law 94-502.

Veterans should have military credit evaluated at the close of the first semester or upon the successful completion of 12 semester hours and furnish Veterans Services with a copy of the updated degree plan. Also, any transfer credits from prior education need to be evaluated before the close of the first semester and a copy of updated degree plan furnished to Veterans Services.

Students must advise Veterans Services through the Office of Admissions and Registrar each semester of courses in which they are enrolled.

Standards of Progress for Veterans
Students receiving Veteran’s educational benefits must make satisfactory academic progress by maintaining a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) each term they are enrolled. The first term the student falls below a 2.0 grade point average will result in the student being placed on probation. Students failing to meet the minimum standard the next semester they enroll will be placed on suspension. Failure to achieve the required GPA will cause the benefits to be terminated until the GPA is satisfactory. To regain eligibility, students must register for at least six semester hours in the fall or spring semesters or three hours in the summer, at their own expense and earn at least a 2.0 grade point average.

Students that have mitigating circumstances that caused them not to make satisfactory progress may appeal to the Veterans Administration. The form may be obtained from the Veterans Administration Certifying Official at the Admissions Office. Students enrolled in a one-semester certificate program who do not maintain a 2.0 GPA or better will be reported to the Veterans Administration for unsatisfactory progress. They will have only one more opportunity to retake the program and be eligible to receive VA benefits. 

Veterans Semester Hour Classification
The Veterans Administration uses the semester hour classification scale below to determine a veteran’s payment. The number of semester hours enrolled at this college are those reported to the Veterans Administration. This classification scale is used only for the fall and spring semesters. The summer sessions are calculated differently. To ensure classification contact the Veterans Clerk in the Office of Admissions and Registrar, East Campus.