Financial Aid Information for the Military

Scholarships & Benefits

Lancaster Bible College | Capital Seminary & Graduate School is very passionate about working with our students who have Military Benefits. If you are active duty military, a veteran or a family member who has been awarded Veteran Benefits, we can help you with the process to have these benefits pay towards your tuition costs to attend LBC | Capital.

LBC | Capital has two dedicated School Certifying Officials working in our Financial Aid Department to assist you with your military benefits.

Direct inquiries to:
A student writing in a notebook.

Benefits for Active Duty Military, Veterans or Their Families

There are a variety of benefits available for our active duty military members, veterans, and their eligible family members.  These benefits depend on the military status and branch of service. These are some of the benefits and instruction to apply.

  • Apply for your veterans benefits by going to gibill.va.gov
  • Submit your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to the LBC VA Certifying Official
  • Complete the LBC Application & Enrollment Checklist for VA Benefits (pdf) and return to the LBC VA Certifying Official.
  • Lancaster Bible College will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to a delayed disbursement funding from VA under Chapter 31 or 33.
VA Training Time for Graduate/Seminary/Doctoral Students

The VA Training Time refers to how the Department of Veterans Affairs views your course load, in order to determine the amount of housing benefit you will be paid. When your GI Bill®* benefit is certified, your school certifying official is required to report the number of credit hours you are taking and your training time for each enrollment period. Please see the paragraph below that reflects how your training time is calculated, based on the length of the enrollment period, level of study (graduate, seminary or doctorate), and the number of credit hours for full-time enrollment. Keep in mind that the VA training times indicated below are for the individual enrollment periods only. Each enrollment term must be considered individually and cannot be combined with other enrollment periods for the assignment of a training time.

VA Training Time at LBC | Capital:

Level of Study Length of Enrollment Period # of Credits for Full-time Enrollment
Doctoral 16-week semester 6 credits
Doctoral 8-week semester 3 credits
Seminary/Graduate 16-week semester 9 credits
Seminary/Graduate 8-week semester 4 credits

Please note that the below training times are designed for Veterans Affairs benefits only, and should not be used to calculate course loads for financial aid or outside scholarships.  For all other purposes (i.e.: confirmation of enrollments for lenders, insurance companies, etc.) enrollment status is determined not by individual enrollment periods, but by the entire semester.  For example, the Registrar’s Office considers students enrolled at the Graduate level full-time if taking a minimum of 9 credits each semester and half-time if taking a minimum of 6 credits each semester.

Post 9/11 (Chapter 33)

Post 9/11 GI Bill graphic. If you have at least 90 days of aggregate active duty service after September 11, 2001, and are still on active duty status, or if you are an honorably discharged Veteran or were discharged with a service connected disability after 30 days you may be eligible for this program.

Depending on your eligibility percentage you may qualify for up to 100% of tuition and fees, a yearly book and supply stipend of up to $1,000 and a monthly living stipend based on the location of the school and paid at an E-5 rank.

There is a cap set by the government that a student attending a private college.  This cap is updated each academic year which begins on August 1 and goes through July 31 of the following year.  View the current rates to check the annual cap.

If you are the spouse or dependent of a Veteran who is eligible for the Post 9/11 program then they may be able to transfer their benefits to you.  The Department of Defense (DoD) determines whether or not you can transfer benefits to your family.  Once the DoD approves the transfer of the benefits, the new beneficiaries apply for them at the VA.

For additional information on the Post 9/11 and how to apply please visit:
benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp

Montgomery GI Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR Chapter 1606)

The MGIB-SR program provides education and training benefits to eligible members of the Selected Reserve. Eligibility for this program is determined by the Selected Reserve and the VA makes the payments directly to the student. The payment amounts may vary.

You will need to verify your enrollment with the VA in order to receive payment of your benefits. LBC will submit to the VA your semester information for the process to begin. Then the student will need to go to benefits.va.gov/gibill click on information for Benefit Recipients, then certify your attendance (WAVE) or call 1-877-823-2378.  Follow the instructions. When the system tells you that you are certified, your verification is complete.

For additional information on this benefit please visit benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp

Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E Chapter 31)

Veterans may be eligible if they meet the following criteria:

  • Have received or will receive a discharge from active duty that is other than dishonorable
  • Have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10% from the VA

To verify your benefits eligibility you may contact the VA at 800-827-1000.  You can also apply by going through the ebenefits.va.gov process and click on the Apply for Veterans Benefits via VONAPP.  From  the drop down box you will choose the Vocational Rehabilitation (Form 28-1900).

Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD Chapter 30)

The MGIB-AD, Chapter 30 provides educational benefits to Veterans who first entered active duty after June 30, 1987 and contributed to an education fund while serving.  Benefits are usually payable for up to 10 years following your release from honorable active duty.

You will need to verify your enrollment with the VA in order to receive payment of your benefits.  LBC will submit to the VA your semester information for the process to begin.  Then the student will need to go to benefits.va.gov/gibill and click Information for Benefit Recipients, then Certify your Attendance (WAVE) or call 1.877.823.2378.  Follow the instructions. When the system tells you that you’re certified, your verification is complete.

To check for eligibility please go to benefits.va.gov/gibill and click on “For Students” then “Education Programs” and then “Montgomery GI Bill”.

Other VA Benefits:

The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship

The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship) is available for children and spouses of Service members who died in the line of active duty after September 10, 2001.

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) – Chapter 35 Program

This program offers educational and training opportunities to eligible dependents of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service related condition or of veterans who died while on duty or as a result of a service related condition.

You may be eligible for more than one of these two programs.  In most situations you will be required to make an irrevocable election between the DEA program and the Fry Scholarship when you apply.  More information on these programs can be found at benefits.va.gov/gibill and click on “For Students” then “Education Programs” and then “Survivors & Dependent Assistance”.

Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA)

Some components of the military offer FTA while being an active member of that service component.  The rates and caps vary.  For example, the Army has FTA capped at $250 per credit up to a $4,500 yearly maximum.  For additional information on this benefit please contact your Education Service Office in a military installation near you.

PA National Guard Education Assistance Program (EAP)

A member of the PA National Guard who is eligible to receive EAP can receive this benefit which can be up to $3,858 per term.  If you believe that you may be eligible for this benefit please go to pheaa.org  or speak with an EAP representative about applying by calling 717.861.8894.  You must apply by June 30 each year.

Yellow Ribbon Program

The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program) is a provision of the Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008.  This program allows U.S. institutions of higher learning (degree-granting institutions) to voluntarily enter into an agreement with the VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate.  If your annual tuition would exceed the annual cap please contact our VA Certifying Official to complete the Yellow Ribbon application.

LBC Military Scholarship

Qualified active duty military students may be eligible to receive a scholarship. Students must submit a copy of their Leave & Earnings Statement (LES) to miltarybenefits@lbc.edu.

  • Undergraduate Adult Education Students:  Students will receive a Military Scholarship to bring their tuition down to $250 per credit hour.
  • Seminary & Graduate Students:  Student will receive a 25% tuition scholarship on master’s courses.

This scholarship is not applicable to students in the traditional undergraduate program or doctoral programs.

yellow ribbon participate

Lancaster Bible College participates in the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program), a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008.

This program allows U.S. institutions of higher learning (degree-granting institutions) to voluntarily enter into an agreement with the VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate. If your annual tuition would exceed the annual cap please contact our VA certifying official to complete the yellow ribbon application.

*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 www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

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