STATE OF ALABAMA BENEFITS

 1. Alabama GI Dependents’ Scholarship:

The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs offers financial assistance to eligible dependents of disabled veterans (living or deceased), who were permanent civilian residents of Alabama prior to entry into military service. The veteran must be rated 40% or more due to a service-connected disability or have held the qualifying rating at the time of death. Veterans with a disability rating of 20-30% may qualify if the effective date of their disability rating is on or before July 31, 2017. This provision will expire on July 31, 2023. Special consideration is given to dependents of permanently and totally disabled veterans who are bonafide residents or were prior to their death. Under the Alabama GI Dependent Scholarship program, a dependent is defined as a child, stepchild, spouse, or unmarried widow(er)

The veteran must have honorably served at least 90 days of continuous active federal military service or been honorably discharged by reason of service-connected disability after serving less than 90 days of continuous active federal military service.

For more information on the qualifications and requirements, please visit AL G.I. DEPENDENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM – AL Dept. of Veterans Affairs or your local Veterans Affairs office to apply. You can find your local office by visiting Find VA Locations | Veterans Affairs.

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS:

You must follow all of the following guidelines:

• Be a current resident of the State of Alabama and maintain that residency while receiving benefits under this program.
• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for each year you seek benefits under the scholarship.
• Complete a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) release form for each educational institution that you attend to authorize the release of personally identifiable information required to determine continued eligibility and as required for any necessary reporting.
• Comply with the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as required for Title IV benefits.
• Contact the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs immediately concerning any change in dependency status to include but not limited to a divorce from the qualifying veteran in the case of a spouse or stepchild.
• Contact the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs immediately concerning any change in contact information including but not limited to name, telephone number, mailing address and email address.

ENTITLEMENT:

Children and stepchildren of qualified veterans AND spouses or un-remarried widow(er)s of a veteran rated as 100% permanently and totally disabled: Five standard academic years (10 semesters) at any Alabama qualifying school for undergraduate courses of study. Must use the 10 semesters within 8 years from the date the application is received at the AL Dept. of Veteran Affairs headquarters office. Benefits cannot be granted retroactively.

Spouses or un-remarried widow(er)s of a veteran rated 40-90% disabled: Three standard academic years (6 semesters) at any Alabama qualifying school for undergraduate courses of study. Must use the 6 semesters within 6 years from the date the application is received at the AL Dept. of Veteran Affairs headquarters office. Benefits cannot be granted retroactively.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT AL GI DEPENDENT SCHOLARSHIP:

• The scholarship is the payer of last resort. All other scholarships and grants must be applied to required education expenses first.
• If a student is Pell Grant eligible and it covers all the tuition, fees, and books, the scholarship cannot be used.
• AL GI does NOT cover institutional fees. Please consult the cost of tuition to see the amount of fees you will be responsible for each term. You can find directions to pay these fees online here.
• AL GI Dependent Scholarship does NOT cover non credit, remedial, continuing education, pre-technical courses, placement testing (including nursing testing fees), GED preparation, or state board examinations.
• For book purchases:
  • The books must be required textbooks for the courses in which you are officially enrolled. Additional books such as reference manuals, access codes, suggested reading material, study guides or workbooks, clothing items, and specialty kits are NOT covered under the scholarship.
  • Replacement of books that are lost or stolen will be the financial responsibility of the student.
  • The new ALL-IN Textbook Rental Program, which started Fall 2022, is covered under the AL GI Dependent Scholarship with books. If you stay opted in for this program, The ALL-IN program fee is $25 per credit hour. All classes will be included in the new program, except Aviation Maintenance Technology, Avionics, Mechatronics, and specific academic classes that do not require a book. All required course material will be covered in the ALL-IN fee, except specialty kits.
    • If a student is included in the ALL-IN textbook rental program, the student will only be allowed to use their AL GI scholarship for those books; no other additional textbooks or items will be purchased as the rental program includes the required textbooks
    • If the student opts out of the ALL-IN textbook program, the student can purchase the required textbooks only under AL GI Dependent Scholarship. The student cannot do both the textbook rental program and purchase the textbooks under the scholarship; it is either one or the other. To opt-out of the ALL-IN Textbook rental program, please contact va@escc.edu.

2. Alabama National Guard Education Assistance Program (ANGEAP):

The Alabama National Guard Educational Assistance Program is a state student assistance program established by the legislature of the State of Alabama and is designed to provide financial assistance towards tuition and educational fees to Alabama National Guard members who are residents of the State of Alabama and are enrolled in degree programs at accredited postsecondary institutions of higher learning located within the State of Alabama.

STUDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for ANGEAP award the student must be:

• 17 years of age or over
• Active member in good standing with the Alabama National Guard
• Have completed basic training
• Pursuing the first undergraduate degree or postgraduate degree program
• Can only receive assistance with one degree
• Enrolled in a certificate or degree program at an accredited community college or technical college within the State of Alabama
• Enrolled in a degree program at an accredited college or university within the State of Alabama
• Maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA Undergraduate at the end of each semester
• Must have the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file (If selected for the verification process with the Department of Education, this will have to be completed in order for your ANGEAP application to be sent to the State for processing.)
• Must demonstrate a financial need of at least $100
• Assistance will cover no more than a total of 120 academic hours

Access the 2024-2025 ANGEAP application here.

The student will complete Section I of the form, sign and date it, and send it to the ESCC VA Office. You can also submit it via email at va@escc.edu. The VA Counselor will complete Section II of the form and send the form to the State National Guard ANGEAP office for completion.

ANGEAP is a payer of last resort. Grants, tuition-based scholarships, Post 9/11 GI Bill® Chapter 33 benefits, and Federal Military Tuition Assistance will first have to be deducted from the tuition eligibility. If your tuition and educational fees are covered by any of the items listed in the previous sentence or you have less than $100 financial need, ANGEAP cannot be used.

ESCC does not treat ANGEAP as a promise to pay. If a student has a tuition and fee balance not covered by grants, scholarships or other VA benefits that makes them eligible for the ANGEAP program, they will need to cover the balance up front and will be reimbursed by ANGEAP at the end of the semester. Withdrawing from a course could also make a student ineligible to receive ANGEAP reimbursement for that course.

State of Alabama Deadlines for ANGEAP applications to be processed for the 2024/25 academic year: 

• Fall 2024 semester: October 25, 2024 (Must submit application to ESCC by October 18, 2024 to allow time for application to be processed and submitted to the State)
• Spring 2025 semester: March 7, 2025 (Must submit application to ESCC by February 28, 2025 to allow time for application to be processed and submitted to the State)
• Summer 2025 semester: June 27, 2025 (Must submit application to ESCC by June 20, 2025 to allow time for application to be processed and submitted to the State)

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

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Marusich

Financial Aid & Veterans Affairs Coordinator

Phone: (334) 347-2623 #2313
Email: va@escc.edu/smarusich@escc.edu