New Student Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs has an excellent step by step road map that you should review to help you determine your benefit eligibility, compare programs, calculate your benefit, collect your paperwork, and apply for VA benefits online.

The Department of Veterans Affairs can take at least 30 days to approve your benefits and often can take longer. Follow detailed steps for your situation below.

• Apply to ELAC: logon to http:www.elac.edu and select “Apply online.” The Admissions office will email a student ID # and instructions about obtaining a registration appointment.
• Request Transcripts: If you have attended college(s) outside the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), the transcripts must be mailed to ELAC Admissions Office. (Hand-delivered are not considered official.) 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park, CA 91754.

NOTE: You will only be certified the first semester without official transcripts. VA Certification requests will not be processed unless you provide an updated Student Educational Plan (SEP) as proof of counselor official transcript evaluation.

To schedule an appointment with a Veterans Counselor click here: Veterans Resource Center Appointment Scheduling Center

• Financial Aid: applying for financial aid is highly recommended as it will not affect VA benefits.

You will need to turn in the following military documents to the ELAC School Certifying Official online by email at vacertifications@elac.edu OR upload online when you certify for your VA Educational Benefits using our new digital VA Certification form: VA Certification Form

• Your Certificate of Eligibility will be mailed to you. (If you have not received it, email a copy of your Application for VA Educational Benefits)
• Your discharge (DD214-Member 4) or Certificate of Eligibility (COE) papers.

You can also submit all of your documents when you first certify for your VA Educational Benefits online. In addition to uploading your DD-214, COE, and copy of your identification, you will also be prompted to complete the Student Intake Form (required of all NEW student veterans and dependents utilizing the services of the Veterans Resource Center) in addition to the Navigating Services Form right after submitting the VA Certification form online.

You can access the VA Certification form using the Single-Sign On system (ELAC Student ID & Password) by clicking here: VA Certification Form

(clicking on the link above will direct you to a new webpage)

Certification is not automatic.To have your certification submitted to the VA, you must register for classes, complete the Certification of Benefits form online before the start of each semester. You can complete the form online by clicking here: VA Certification Form