Veterans’ Benefits - Gordon Conwell
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Veterans’& Military Benefits

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary is honored to help Veterans, Service Members, and their families pursue graduate seminary education. We participate in the VA’s Principles of Excellence program. To that end, we provide you with the following information and contact links to help you determine whether Gordon-Conwell is right for you.

WHERE TO START

Begin by applying for admission and declaring yourself as a veteran or active duty military personnel.

Veterans’ Benefits

If you’re an active-duty service member or Veteran, a member of the National Guard or Reserves, or a qualified survivor or dependent, you may be eligible for VA education benefits through the GI Bill and other educational assistance programs. Visit the VA’s information webpage on the GI Bill And Other Education Benefit Eligibility.

VA Education Benefit Programs

Chapter 30, 33, 35, and 1606
Upon approval of this benefit, the VA will send you a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE). Please email this to the SCO as soon as possible.

Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness & Employment)
Students must first apply for this benefit and work with a VR&E counselor to approve your educational and occupational goals. Once approved, your VR&E counselor will generate an electronic Authorization email to the SCO confirming your Ch. 31 eligibility and signaling the SCO to certify your enrollment.

Chapter 32 (Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program)
This program is a $2-to-$1 government-match program for educational assistance. If you entered service for the first time between January 1, 1977, and June 30, 1985, and put money into a VEAP account, you may be eligible.

Chapter 36 (VA Educational and Career Counseling)
This program supports transitioning Service members, Veterans and qualified dependents. The program offers personalized career counseling to help achieve goals and ensure the most effective use of VA benefits.

Active Duty Military Benefits

If you are currently serving in the military, you may be eligible for funding offered through the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance program. Tuition Assistance is a benefit paid to eligible members of the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application processes, and restrictions. Check your eligibility status prior to enrolling. If you are the spouse or child of a service member who is serving on active duty Title 10 orders in the paygrades of E1-E5, O1-O2, or W1-W2, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the Department of Defense for education and training. Visit Military.com for more information on how to apply for benefits. Notify your SCO when approved.

Resources

Learn more about Gordon-Conwell, access financial aid resources and tools, and meet your points of contact.

Financial Aid & Tuition

  • Visit the Financial Services webpage to view important information about tuition and fees, and financial aid at Gordon-Conwell.
  • View the Financial Aid videos on the Resources page.
  • Contact the Financial Aid office (978-646-4018) about availability/eligibility of Federal financial aid before packaging or arranging private student loans or alternative financing programs. They can also draft a personalized shopping sheet to estimate the total cost of an education program at GCTS. If your education benefit does not provide 100% coverage, you’ll want to plan for additional funding for your program.
  • USE THE GI-BILL® COMPARISON TOOL to find the costs covered by the VA.
  • If you do not qualify for VA benefits at this time, explore Tuition Assistance options offered through the Department of Defense. Use the Tuition Assistance DECIDE – Department of Defense Comparison Tool.

Catalog, Degree Programs & Course Schedules

  • Visit the Registration Hub in Canvas to view the Academic Catalog, degree requirements for your program of interest, course schedules, academic calendars, and forms.

Advanced Standing & Transfer Credit

  • Advanced Standing: Depending on the degree program you enroll in, you may be eligible for Advance Standing. The seminary may grant students advanced standing credit for specific courses based on proven competence in a particular subject area. Ask Admissions about eligibility or complete the online request form.
  • Transfer Credit: To request transfer credit for courses taken at other graduate institutions, complete the Transfer Credit Evaluation request form.

Points of Contact

  • Beth Isaac is SCO (School Certifying Official) and point of contact for all veterans and military-connected students using military education benefits. The SCO certifies enrollments, provides guidance on using VA and DoD benefits, and can direct you to other personnel for assistance.
  • Your campus registrar is your point of contact for academic advising (degree requirements, schedules, course options, how often courses are offered). Your campus academic advisor and/or faculty advisor can also answer general questions about your program and provide counsel.
  • The Financial Services office (comprising Financial Aid and Student Accounts) is your point of contact for information on financial assistance, tuition, and fees.
      • Financial Aid: 978-646-4018
      • Student Accounts: 978-640-4049
  • Student Life Services is your point of contact for information about disability accommodations (see policy in Academic Catalog).

Graduation Rates

Find information on graduation rates on the Accreditation webpage.

 

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 Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Have Questions?

Someone from our friendly admissions team would be happy to reach out to you.

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, national or ethnic origin, age, handicap or veteran status. A complete statement of compliance with federal laws and regulations can be found in the Gordon-Conwell Student Handbook.