Eligibility & Discount

Military personnel at any level — including active duty, reserve, and National Guard members across all branches (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, Air Force, Space Force, and their respective reserve components) — receive a 20% discount off the standard per-credit tuition rate for both undergraduate and graduate studies. This 20% discount is a standing institutional policy and applies consistently regardless of any changes to the College's published per-credit tuition rates from year to year. Students should refer to the Office of Student Financial Services page for current tuition rates and fees.

VA/Military students remain subject to all standard institutional fees, and eligibility for institutional scholarships and financial aid is determined in the same manner as for all other students. The VA discount is applied in addition to, and does not replace, any other aid for which a student may separately qualify.
The VA tuition discount may be combined with applicable federal and state financial aid. Combinations with other institutional tuition discounts are subject to College policy.

Declaration Deadline & Timing of Discount

To receive the VA tuition discount for a given term, a student must declare their VA-eligible status no later than the end of the add/drop period for that term.
•     If a student declares VA eligibility on or before the add/drop deadline, the discount will be applied to the active (current) term.
•     If a student does not declare VA eligibility by the add/drop deadline, the discount will not be applied retroactively to the active term. In this case, the discount will take effect beginning with the following term.
This timing requirement applies uniformly and is not limited to veteran students; it reflects standard practice for all discount and coding designations processed through the College's billing system.

Appeals / Exceptions

Students requesting exceptions due to deployment, delayed VA documentation, or extraordinary circumstances may submit a written appeal to Student Financial Services for review.

Declaration Process

Students seeking to declare VA-eligible status must notify the appropriate Admissions office based on their academic level:
•     Undergraduate students: Undergraduate Admissions
•     Graduate students: Graduate Admissions

Verification of Eligibility

Acceptable documentation may include a DD-214, Certificate of Eligibility (COE), military ID, active-duty orders, Joint Services Transcript (JST), or other official VA documentation.

Administrative Review

The Partnerships Officer responsible for veteran and military student populations will maintain a complete and current list of VA-eligible students each term and submit this list to Student Financial Services for review and coding, as needed. Student Financial Services will perform a final review of all VA/Military coding to confirm accuracy and completeness.
Once military eligibility has been verified and coded, students are not required to re-declare unless eligibility changes or additional documentation is requested.
Military documentation shall be maintained in accordance with FERPA and institutional privacy and records-retention policies.

VA Chapter 31 and Chapter 33 – Assessment of Late Fees

In accordance with Title 38 U.S. Code 3679, subsection (e), St. Francis College adopts the following additional provisions for students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Chapter 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA. While payment is pending, St. Francis College will not:
•     Prevent the student's enrollment;
•     Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
•     Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding; or
•     Deny the student access to any resources (classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

To qualify for this provision, students are required to:
•     Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or Form 28-1905 by the Last Day to Add/Drop for the applicable term (per the Academic Calendar);
•     Submit a request to be certified; and
•     Provide any additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment, as described in other institutional policies.

Academic Credit for Military Service

In addition to the tuition discount described above, St. Francis College offers opportunities to apply time spent in service toward a student's credit total. All branches of the military may receive credit for training, including active duty, reserve, and National Guard personnel from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, Air Force, Space Force, and their respective reserve components.
Honorably discharged veterans or active-duty service members who have completed 6 to 18 months of active service in the U.S. Armed Forces or those of another country may be granted five (5) credits toward elective requirements; those who have completed more than 18 months of service may be awarded ten (10) credits of electives. Additionally, ACE equivalency credits may be granted upon submission of an official military transcript (JST, AARTS, SMART, or CGI).

Scholarships

St. Francis College offers several partial scholarships available to eligible military and veteran students, including the Jeffrey Allen Clark Memorial Scholarship, the Henry Family Veterans Scholarship, the George Reaney Veterans Award, and the Tom Brokaw Veterans Scholarship. Students interested in applying should contact the Office of Financial Aid at 718-489-5255.

Related Policies

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA); Transfer Credit; Tuition & Fees; Financial Aid; Academic Catalog; Veterans Services.