Policies + Procedures — Governance + Compliance — Veterans’ Course Scheduling Preference

1.27 Veterans’ Course Scheduling Preference

I. Purpose

This policy ensures course scheduling preference for Veteran Students.

II. Scope

This policy covers all full and part-time Veteran Students and active duty service members as well as dependents and family members receiving education benefits under the appropriate GIBill®.

III. General

Bucks County Community College, in support of those that have served our country, will grant Veteran Students course scheduling preference for credit courses. At Bucks, this means that Veteran Students who have been approved for this preference, have no outstanding obligations, and have met all academic advising obligations, will be allowed to register on a designated day(s) prior to the first day of Registration for the general student population (usually mid-April for Fall registration and m id-November for Spring registration). This opportunity is extended to all full-time and part-time Veteran Students, as well as active-duty service members, whether or not they are receiving education benefits. In addition, dependents and family members receiving education benefits under the appropriate GIBill® are eligible for this program.

A Veteran Student is a student who:

Has served in the United States Armed Services, including a Reserve Component or National Guard unit.
Was discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable.

Course Scheduling Preference is defined as:

A designated day(s) whereby those covered under this policy may register for upcoming courses prior to the time when registration is opened to the general student population and/or other select groups of students that qualify for early registration.

If a Veteran Student is enrolled in one of the college’s selective admission programs, the Veteran Student will receive registration preference provided all other eligibility criteria are equal (for example: GPA, class status, etc.)

Act 46 of 2014 requires public institutions of higher education in Pennsylvania to provide Veteran students, as defined in the Act, with preference in course scheduling. Non-compliance may be reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Education by submitting the Higher Education Complaint form found at www.pa.gov/en/agencies/education.html.

IV. Procedures

Veterans and/or their dependents or family members currently receiving benefits under the GIBill® are automatically eligible to take advantage of priority registration and will receive an email alerting them to the priority registration dates. Additional notices will be posted on the website, in registration materials, and in the college catalog.

Veterans who are not currently receiving benefits under the GIBill® and active duty service members must complete the Identification Form for Priority Registration found at Forms + Records + Transcripts > Forms. In order to exercise this benefit, a copy of this form, along with the Veteran’s DD-214 or other discharge papers, or for active members, a copy of the active duty military ID, must be submitted to the Registrar's Office via one of the following methods:

Postal mail or in-person delivery to: Bucks County Community College, Registrar's Office, Linksz Pavilion, 275 Swamp Road, Newtown, PA 18940
Email from your Bucks student email account to: VAbenefits@bucks.edu

Students will receive confirmation of eligibility via the Bucks student email account. Students will be directed to the Bucks website for a list of Priority Registration dates.

Questions regarding this policy and/or procedures should be directed to the School Certifying Official.