American Flag - RIC salutes our veterans
Rhode Island College stands ready to meet the academic, health, and career needs of our veterans.

Thank You

We are honored to extend our gratitude to you and your family. We recognize and appreciate your sacrifices to protect our freedom and way of life. Thank you for your selfless service to our country. It is an honor to have you as a member of our college community. We are committed to providing you with the support and resources you need to achieve your academic goals.

Our Services

Our college community is committed to supporting you in your academic journey. We understand that transitioning from military service to civilian life can be challenging, and we are here to help. Our staff and faculty are dedicated to providing the services and resources you need to succeed, including academic advising, career counseling, and mental health support.

Our Programs

We also offer a variety of programs specifically designed to support our veteran and military-affiliated students. Our Veteran Services Office is staffed by knowledgeable professionals who can assist you with navigating the benefits and resources available to you as a veteran or military-affiliated student. We also have a Student Veterans Association that provides a supportive community for our veteran students.

Frequently Asked Questions - GI Bill® and Certification Information 

If you have additional information, please contact the Military Resource Center and connect with one of our staff members.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Please visit GI Bill® Application. You can apply online right now. Just answer a few questions, and the VA will help you get started with the education benefits form that's right for you.

The most common reason your deposit may be less than the monthly rate is that it is prorated based on the number of days in the month for which you are enrolled.

Example

Your full time rate is $800.00; however, your semester starts on August 19th and continues through December 14th. Payment for the month of August would include the 19th to the end of the month. (All months are based on 30 days, so months with more or less than 30 days would not affect the rate). Thus your payment for the month of August would be approximately $320.00. Payments for September, October, and November would be $800.00 each month, and payments for December would be approximately $373.36 (prorated from the 1st to the 14th).

If you have questions about your payment or concerns that you may have a debt with the VA, please contact the VetSuccess On Campus Coordinator: Micaela Black 401-612-3470 or micaela.black@va.gov

When to Request Changes to GI Bill® or other VA Education Benefits

You’ll need to request changes to your benefits if you:

  • are transferring to a different school, or
  • are changing your educational, professional, or vocational goal, or
  • left your school or training program due to poor attendance, progress, or conduct, and you’re now reentering the same program, or
  • were receiving VA education benefits as a Veteran, and now you want to receive benefits while on active duty

No. Any veterans’ benefits paid under any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should not be reported as income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). You will not receive a W-2 from the VA.

You will need to complete a VA Benefits Certification Worksheet every semester

Earl H. Bright III
Assistant Administrative Officer / Veteran Certifying Official
401-456-8213, ebright@ric.edu

RIC requires that you submit a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA. You must email or hand deliver the COE to the School Certifying Official (SCO) – Earl Bright in the Records Office, ebright@ric.edu. Remember, if the SCO does not know you are using VA education benefits, you will not be certified. VA certifications are completed after the add/drop period each semester.

Monthly Enrollment Text Verification 

On the last day of each month, you will receive a text message from the VA requesting enrollment verification for that month. ` Reply “YES” to verify your enrollment. Within 24 hours, you will receive a text confirming you have verified your registration. 

If you don’t reply within six days, the conversation will close, and you will need to call the Education Call Center (ECC) at 1-888-GI BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) to verify your enrollment. ` If your enrollment status has changed, reply “NO.” Please contact the RIC School Certifying Official (SCO), Earl Bright (ebright@ric.edu), to ensure your enrollment record with VA has been adjusted. Email: If you opted out of text messages and have enrolled in email verification, you will receive an email requesting enrollment verification for that month on the last day of each month. ` Select “Yes, my enrollment is the same” to verify your enrollment. 

If you don’t select a response within 14 days, the conversation will close, and you will need to call the ECC to verify your enrollment. If your enrollment status has changed, select “No, my enrollment has changed.” Please contact the RIC SCO to ensure your enrollment record with the VA has been adjusted.

I understand you are concerned about your VA payment for your education, and I'm happy to provide information to help you plan accordingly.

Firstly, as you mentioned, VA monthly payments are paid in arrears, meaning you will receive compensation for the previous month instead of the current month. So, if the semester starts on September 6th, you will receive payment for that month in mid-September or by October 1st.

It's also important to note that VA payments are prorated, so your monthly payment will depend on the number of days you are enrolled in classes. For example, if your semester ends on May 15th, your June 1st check will only be for the 15 days of May.

Regarding your book stipend, if you are using Post 911 GI Bill®, you will not receive your book stipend before classes begin. Therefore, it's recommended that you plan accordingly and purchase your required textbooks with alternative funds until you receive your book stipend.

If you have specific questions about your VA payment or you are concerned about payment delays, it's recommended that you contact the RIC VSOC Coordinator for further assistance. They will be able to provide you with more information about your payment and help address any concerns you may have.

I hope this information helps you plan for your education expenses, and if you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask

RIC VSOC Coordinator: Micaela Black at 401-612-3470 or micaela.black@va.gov

If you are using the CH33 Post 911 GI Bill®, the VA will pay tuition and fees based on your % of entitlement. For example, if you are 60% entitled, VA will pay 60% of your tuition and fees, and you will be responsible for the remaining 40%.

If using Chapters 30, 35, or 1606 – you are responsible for paying tuition upfront.

If you are using VA VR&E CH31, your tuition and fees will be paid in full. If there are any payment issues, you will need to contact your VR&E case manager directly.

If using CH30 or CH1606, you must verify your attendance with the VA every month. This can be done by phone at (877) 823-2378 or via the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment. If you do not call to verify your attendance, your payment will not be released.

Please note: Individuals using CH33 (Post 911 GI Bill®) and CH31 (Veterans Readiness and Employment) do not have to verify attendance.

Priority Registration is Available for Military-Affiliated Students 

Schedule an appointment with your academic advisors to avoid any registration holds on your account. 

If there is a universal advising hold on your account, you will need to contact your academic advisor to lift this hold and be able to register for classes.

Contact your assigned advisor directly to set up a remote meeting. To find your advisor’s name, log in to MyRIC, click the “My Academics” link on the left side of the page, and then select “View My Advisors.” If you do not see one listed, please contact the Department Chair for your major. Exploring majors should make advising appointments with their academic advisors using the Starfish feature on MyRIC.

If you have a financial hold on your account or any billing questions, contact the Bursar's office at bursar@ric.edu or 401-456-8130.

For an immunization hold, contact the health services office at healthservices@ric.edu or call 401-456-8055.

**IMPORTANT: All students using VA education benefits must submit a Certification Worksheet at least 30 days prior to the start of the semester. All students can submit their Certification Worksheets on the VA Benefits Certification-Worksheet.

Earl Bright is the RIC Veteran Certifying Official located at the Records Office. Earl Bright's contact information: ebright@ric.edu and 401-456-9770.

If you have any questions, contact the Military Resource Center by email at MRC@ric.edu or call 401-456-8449

When you convert your military experience into civilian college credit, you can sometimes save time and money on your education. The Joint Services Transcript provides documented evidence to RIC of professional military education, training, and occupation experiences achieved by service members and Veterans. 

Academic Credit for Training Completed During Service

The Joint Service Transcript (JST) is a uniform transcript of all military training and experience for service members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Army. The Air Force has its own regionally accredited transcript known as the Community College of the Air Force. This new electronic transcript service includes Officer and Warrant Officer training, joint military training conducted by other services, and DANTES funded test scores.

Requesting Official Military Transcripts

Credit is awarded for Basic Training (4–8 credits for most branches). Additional credit allowance may be granted by the student’s dean in accordance with the recommendations of the American Council on Education (ACE) when appropriate to the student’s curriculum.

Send Transcripts To:

Rhode Island College
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
The Forman Center
600 Mount Pleasant Avenue
Providence, RI 02908-1996

Resources and Services

Vet Centers

The Vet Centers are funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs and there are community-based centers. Vet Centers provide readjustment counseling and outreach services to all veterans who served in any combat zone. Bereavement counseling and counseling for military related sexual abuse or harassment is also available. Family members and/or significant others can be seen at Vet Centers for military related issues. There is no cost to the veteran or family for these services.

Providence Vet Center

2038 Warwick Avenue
Warwick, RI 02889
401-739-0167

New Bedford Vet Center

73 Huttleton Ave., Unit 2
Fairhaven, MA 02719
508-999-6920 or 877-927-8387

Hyannis Vet Center

474 West Main Center
Hyannis, MA 02601
508-778-0124

Veterans Crisis Line-Suicide Helpline

1-800-273-8255

The Veterans Crisis Line is a toll-free, confidential resource that connects Veterans in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring VA responders.

Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, ​or send a text message to 838255 to receive free, confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, even if they are not registered with VA or enrolled in VA health care.

The professionals at the Veterans Crisis Line are specially trained and experienced in helping Veterans of all ages and circumstances—from Veterans coping with mental health issues that were never addressed to recent Veterans struggling with relationships or the transition back to civilian life.

Since its launch in 2007, the Veterans Crisis Line has answered more than 745,000 calls, 83,000 chats, and made more than 26,000 life-saving rescues. In 2009, VA added the anonymous online chat that has since helped more than 65,000 people.

The PTSD Coach app can help you learn about and manage symptoms that commonly occur after trauma. Free PTSD Coach download from iTunes and now also on Android Market. Together with professional medical treatment, PTSD Coach provides you with dependable resources you can trust. If you have or think you might have PTSD, this app is for you. Family and friends can also learn from this app. PTSD Coach was created by the VA’s National Center for PTSD and the DoD’s National Center for Telehealth and Technology.

VetSuccess on Campus

Who Can Receive Services?

Encouraging, promoting, and supporting Veterans to be successful in their educational and career endeavors!

All student Veterans, Active Duty, and Dependents can access the Department of Veterans Affairs through a full-time VA Coordinator.

What Type of Services are Available

  • Guidance and support with your education benefits
  • Coordinating with school faculty/staff to provide Veteran specific services (i.e. VA Certifying Official, Career Center, Student Disabilities Services, Academic Advising)
  • Career exploration and assistance in selecting a suitable career / major
  • Electing your healthcare benefits with Veterans Healthcare Administration
  • Assistance in understanding common readjustment difficulties and how this may impact school
  • Accessing, understanding, and applying for other VA benefits (i.e. Disability Compensation, Life Insurance, Education, Home Loan Guaranty, and VR&E)
  • Referrals for VA healthcare, medical, and mental health services
  • Referrals for readjustment counseling services for eligible Veterans and their families
  • Job placement assistance and coordination with Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVER) and Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP)
  • Locating community and other resources

VetSuccess Coordinator Visiting Locations

Mondays & Wednesdays: 8:30 am–4:00 pm

Rhode Island College Campus
Student Union 410
600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue
Providence, RI 02908

401-612-3470


Tuesdays 
8:30 am–4:00 pm

CCRI Knight Campus
Enrollment Services, Room 0032
400 East Avenue
Warwick, RI 03886

401-612-3470


Thursdays
8:30 am–4:00 pm

CCRI Liston Campus
Room 2215, Second Floor
One Hilton Street
Providence, RI 02905

401-612-3470

Rhode Island College entrance

Contact Us

Military Resource Center

The mission of the Military Resource Center is to serve and support military personnel, veterans, and families with information, transition assistance, education programs, counseling, and advocacy, ensuring they receive the support they need and deserve.