Veterans' Benefits

Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service is pleased to participate in Veterans’ Affairs Educational Benefit Programs.

Application Fee Waiver

At Pierce Mortuary Colleges, Inc., we honor the service of our U.S. military members and veterans. To support your educational journey, the admission application fee is waived for the following individuals:

Active-Duty U.S. Military personnel
Members of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR)
U.S. Military Veterans who have been honorably discharged from Active Duty or IRR

To receive the waiver, applicants must submit appropriate documentation, such as a DD Form 214, DD Form 256, DD Form 257, a signed statement from a unit commander, or a current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES).

Our Admissions and Financial Aid staff are ready to assist active-duty members, veterans, IRR participants, and military family members.

For more information or to begin the waiver process, please contact the Admissions Office at [email protected]

Department of Education 34 CFR Section 668

Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service does not provide any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based in any part, directly or indirectly, upon success in securing enrollments or the award of financial aid, to any person or entity who is engaged in any student recruitment or admission activity, or in making decisions regarding the award of Title IV, Higher Education Act (HEA) program funds.

What benefit am I eligible for?

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill

If you are an eligible active duty member of the military, an eligible dependent, or a veteran of the U.S. military, you may be eligible for Veteran Affairs (VA) Educational Benefits. VA Educational Benefits include, but are not limited to:

If you are unsure of what you may be eligible for, or unsure what benefit is right for you, try the GI Bill® Comparison Tool.

VA Educational Benefits do not include state sponsored VA grants or scholarships.

How do I apply for my benefits?

To apply for your VA Educational Benefit, you will complete the application through VONAPP. Once completed, the VA will send you a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for the benefit you have applied for.

Please submit a copy of your COE to the College Financial Aid Office.

Does Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program?

Yes, Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service is a proud participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program. Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service will pay 50% (percent) of the remaining tuition and fees that Chapter 33: Post-9/11 GI Bill® does not cover for a maximum of 100 eligible students. The amount each Yellow Ribbon recipient will receive will vary by tuition cost of degree enrolled in, and any scholarships or grants they may be awarded during their program. Yellow Ribbon will not exceed the tuition charged per term.

For information on the Yellow Ribbon Program:
http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/yellow_ribbon.asp

Does Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service participate in other military programs?

Yes, we participate in “8 Keys for Veterans’ Success” and “The Principles of Success.”

8 Keys for Veterans’ Success

By affirming support for the 8 Keys to Veterans’ Success, Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service is expressing its commitment to implement the promising practices outlined in the 8 Keys for Veterans’ Success, as follows:

Create a culture of trust and connectedness across the campus community to promote well-being and success for veterans.
Ensure consistent and sustained support from campus leadership.
Implement an early alert system to ensure all veterans receive academic, career, and financial advice before challenges become overwhelming.
Coordinate and centralize campus efforts for all veterans, together with the creation of a designated space for them (even if limited in size).
Collaborate with local communities and organizations, including government agencies, to align and coordinate various services for veterans.
Utilize a uniform set of data tools to collect and track information on veterans, including demographics, retention, and degree completion.
Provide comprehensive professional development for faculty and staff on issues and challenges unique to veterans.
Develop systems that ensure sustainability of effective practices for veterans.

The Principles of Success

By affirming support for The Principles of Success, Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service is expressing its commitment to implement the promising practices outlined in The Principles of Success:

Provide students with a personalized form covering the total cost of an education program.
Provide educational plans for all military and Veteran education beneficiaries.
End fraudulent and aggressive recruiting techniques and misrepresentations.
Accommodate Service members and Reservists absent due to service requirements.
Designate a point of contact to provide academic and financial advice.
Ensure accreditation of all new programs prior to enrolling students.
Align institutional refund policies with those under Title IV, which governs the administration of federal student financial aid programs.

Tution Assistance

What is Tuition Assistance?

Tuition Assistance (TA) is a Department of Defense funding program
This program is not administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
TA rules, policies, and procedures vary by branch of service and even vary between different units within the same branch depending on whether the unit is active, reserve, or National Guard
TA will be applied to tuition only. It will not apply to any fees associated with enrollment

What is the process to use my TA?

Once you are enrolled in classes, you will complete the paperwork required by your branch of service in order to secure your tuition assistance for each quarter. Failure to follow you’re your branch of service’s processes may lead you to ineligibility for each quarters tuition assistance.
Provide a receipt of your TA approval to the College
Any balance remaining will need to be covered by the student through financial aid, a tuition installment plan, etc.
For questions on when TA is paid to the college, contact your branch of the military
Once you pass your classes, you will move on to your next quarter
A few weeks prior to the start of your classes, submit your TA documentation through your branch of the military, this needs to occur each quarter of enrollment