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Veteran & Military  Students 

Honoring Military Service with a Mission to Educate For Service

At Elizabethtown College, we recognize the sacrifices that current and former military service members make on behalf of our country and seek to offer an education which aligns with that selflessness through our Educate for Service mission. Etown, in conjunction with the Veterans/Military Education State Approving Agency, manages veterans education benefits for eligible students. Etown offers 136 majors and minors through the traditional College along with accelerated online associate, bachelor's and graduate degrees through our School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS).   

Explore traditional programs 

Explore online SGPS Programs

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Academic Support Resources for Veterans

  • A dedicated VA Certifying Official on campus who will assist with applying for the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) educational benefits
  • Each student is assigned a primary advisor as well as advisors for each major/minor declaration. In addition, the School Dean of every discipline associated with the degree-seeking programs are available to the student. Every student is required to meet with their academic advisor prior to course registration each semester. View more academic support information.
  • A dedicated study space on campus located in our Baugher Student Center
  • Counseling Services provides counseling and mental health support offered by licensed mental health professionals
  • Reserved parking spaces on campus

Veterans Admissions Process

Certifying Officials at Elizabethtown College

Kelly Boutsikaris


Kelly Boutsikaris is the certifying official for the traditional College.  She is located in the Registration and Records Office, Zug Memorial Hall, room 210.

Katharine Daniels


Katharine Daniels is the certifying official for the College’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies. She is located in the Registration and Records Office, Zug Memorial Hall, room 210.

Veteran students using education benefits must maintain good academic standing to continue using their benefits. Click here to review further information. Contact your School Certifying Official if you have any questions. Students electing S/NS grades will continue to receive benefits as previously determined. Read more about the S/NS grading options here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find Financial Resources?

Financial Resources for all enrolled students can be found on the Business Office Website.

If you need more information, please contact a member of our Financial Aid Office (717-361-1404) or the Business Office (717-361-1417).

What academic support resources and services are available?

Every enrolled student is assigned a team of professionals to help them achieve their academic goals. Each student is assigned a primary advisor as well as advisors for each major/minor declaration. In addition, the School Dean of every discipline associated with the degree-seeking programs are available to the student. Every student is required to meet with their academic advisor prior to course registration each semester. Students who fail to satisfy this requirement will be prohibited from registering for classes. SGPS Students are assigned an Academic Advisor upon application.

  • The Degree Planner is a static document that spells out course requirements, their credit values, and a space for the student to document the semester each course was taken and the earned grade as they advance through a particular program. Degree Planners for majors, minors, and cooperative programs are located in the Online College Catalog.
  • Service members should contact their Educational Services Officer (ES) or counselor prior to registration to confirm the availability of tuition assistance funds.
  • The Grad Report is an online 24/7 exact replica of all Catalog requirements for graduation based on the students enrollment year. It is a student’s road map to academic success!  The Grad Report is designed to assist students with academic planning, monitoring academic progress, and a mechanism for staying on track in order to avoid preliminary-graduation surprises.
  • All academic policies relating to graduation are outlined in the Academic Policies section of the online Catalog.
  • Students with accommodations should work directly with Disability Services when seeking Priority Registration.
  • The Office or Registration and Records provides Junior and Senior Reviews to all enrolled students and their academic advising team.

Academic Support Services through the Center for Student Success include:

Most Veterans will qualify for academic accommodations such as priority registration and additional time for testing. For more information please visit Disability Services website or call (717) 361 - 1227.

 

Additional services include:

How do I order a military transcript?

Students can use the Joint Services Transcript (JST) website to request a transcript.  The Joint Services Transcript (JST) is a function of the Department of Defense and it is not associated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Air Force transcripts requests are through CCAF transcripts.

What is a Covered Individual?

A covered individual is any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under Chapter 31(Veteran Readiness and Employment) or Chapter 33 (Post 9/11) GI Bill® benefits.

Elizabethtown College does 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 the VA under Chapter 31 or 33. 

Covered individuals are permitted to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the College a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33. A certificate of eligibility can also include a Statement of Benefits obtained frm the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website - va.gov or VAF 28-1905 form for Chapter31. The aforementioned ends on the earlier of the following dates: 1) the date on which payment from VA is made to the institution 2) 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility. 

What discounts do you offer to members of the PA Army National Guard?

Elizabethtown College's School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS) is proud to offer a 15% discount on tuition to members of the PA Army National Guard, as well as their spouses and dependents. View our PA Army National Guard webpage for more details.

What if I am temporarily unable to attend class or called to Active Duty?

Class attendance policy is determined individually by faculty members. Students are responsible for knowing the attendance policy for each course and consulting with professors in the case of absences due to illness or other personal problems. Students should email the faculty member directly to discuss how to make up missed work. 

Traditional College classes: After 15 consecutive class days of absence from all classes, a student is considered to have withdrawn from the College.  While the Veterans Administration and the American Council on Education have not mandated policies for colleges/universities whose students are called to active duty, the American Council on Education has provided guidelines:

  • 100% tuition refund through the 8th week of the semester.
  • Pro rated refund for room/board charges.
  • No notations made on the permanent record card.
  • After the eighth week, grades of “I” (incompletes) or “W” (withdrawals) are given – based upon the students’ preferences.
  • Tuition refund is given for only courses with grades of “W”.
  • If the withdrawal is during the last two full weeks of the term (last week of classes and finals week), full course credit is to be awarded and grades earned by the time of activation shall be posted.
  • A copy of the activation paper is filed in the student’s folder

Student that need to exercise a withdrawal from the College need to contact the Center for Student Success (717-361-1415) to process a college withdrawal.

SGPS accelerated classes: While the Veterans Administration and the American Council on Education have not mandated policies for colleges/universities whose students are called to active duty, the American Council on Education has provided guidelines for these situations:

  • 100% tuition refund through the 3rd week of the session.
  • No notations made on the permanent record card.
  • After the 3rd week, grades of "I" (incompletes) or "W" (withdrawals) are given – based upon the students' preferences.
  • Tuition refund is given for only courses with grades of "W."
  • If the withdrawal is during the last two full weeks of the session, full course credit is to be awarded and grades earned by the time of activation shall be posted. 
  • A copy of the activation paper is filed in the SCO's file and the Advising folder.

How do I apply for Readmission to the College?

Students who leave the College in good academic standing (minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average) gain readmission by written request to the Office of Registration and Records.

  • Students who leave the College in academic difficulty (below 2.00 cumulative grade point average) must petition the Academic Standing Committee for readmission.
  • A student who is readmitted to the College after an absence of five successive years may petition to have previous grades of F removed from his/her cumulative grade point average. In order to be eligible to petition for this, students must have completed 16 consecutive credits at Elizabethtown and earned a grade of C or better in each class. If the petition is approved, the old F grades remain on the transcript but are removed from the student’s overall grade point average.

For further information, students should consult with the Office of Registration and Records.
To review readmission deadlines and to submit the online readmission application, please visit the Registration and Records webpage dedicated to readmission requests.

What other resources are available to veterans?

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  https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Elizabethtown College