Military Service Members, Veterans, and Dependents
Howard Community College welcomes the opportunity to assist service members, veterans, and their families in achieving their academic goals. The college signed the Department of Defense Memorandum of Understanding (DoD MOU), The 8 Keys to Veterans' Success, and adheres to the Principles of Excellence. The college also serves participants in the Veterans’ Educational Assistance program.
The application fee is waived for all service members, honorably discharged veterans, and their dependents. In keeping with the DoD MOU and the Principles of Excellence, in order to provide each student with the full complement of financial aid available, all active duty service members, honorably discharged veterans, and their dependents must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Likewise, all service members, honorably discharged veterans, and their dependents should submit transcripts for all prior learning, including military experience.
In accordance with Maryland state law, all active duty service members, their spouses, and financially dependent children are immediately eligible for in-county tuition if the service member is stationed in, resides in, or is domiciled in Maryland. Spouses and financially dependent children may continue to receive in-county tuition if the active duty service member no longer meets the requirements and the spouse/child remains continuously enrolled. Spouses and dependents of active duty service members or veterans are also immediately eligible for in-state tuition, consistent with the federal Choice Act, if they reside in the State and are using Chapter 33 benefits under the GI Bill®, regardless of the student's formal state of residence . These spouses and dependents may continue to receive in-state tuition if they no longer meet requirements but remain continuously enrolled. Any student using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship who lives in Maryland also qualifies for in-state tuition. See RRVA, as paperwork may be needed for this tuition rate adjustment.
The college offers veterans affairs services through RRVA. Students who are identified as being part of Howard Community College’s military student community are eligible to register for courses during advanced registration. The advanced registration period provides service members, veterans, National Guard, reservists and their dependents the opportunity to obtain courses at the earliest registration date HCC offers per semester. It also has a Veterans Deferred Payment Plan. An honorably discharged veteran is immediately eligible for in-state tuition, consistent with the federal Choice Act, if he or she resides in the State, was discharged in the last three years, and is using Chapters 30, 31 or 33 benefits. Honorably discharged veterans may continue to receive in-state tuition if the veterans no longer meet these requirements but remain continuously enrolled. A veteran qualifies for in-county tuition, regardless of legal residency, if: a) the veteran presents the college with documentation that he or she attended a public or private secondary school in Maryland for three years; and b) the veteran either graduated from a public or private secondary school in Maryland, or received the equivalent of a high school diploma in Maryland; and c) the veteran was honorably discharged within the last four years. See RRVA, as paperwork may be needed for this tuition rate adjustment. More information about veterans benefits is located in the Payment Assistance section.
Members of the Maryland National Guard are entitled to a fifty percent discount if they are legal residents of Howard County. Members of the Maryland National Guard who reside outside the county or the state are entitled to a twenty-five percent discount of their applicable tuition rate; members of the Maryland National Guard may also qualify for the in-county tuition rate in addition to the discount. Eligible students are required to submit the State Tuition Waiver Letter to RRVA each term.
Service members, veterans, and dependents should refer to howardcc.edu/military for more information. The military community should also refer to the Veterans' Affairs information in the Pay for College and the Military Education and Training sections of this catalog.