The Los Angeles Film School’s Military Benefits Department supports veterans and active-duty service members who want to pursue their education in the field of entertainment and media arts. We offer:

  • Military advisors who understand the culture and lingo
  • Yellow Ribbon tuition contributions with no maximum cap
  • Help navigating the application process for GI Bill® benefits
  • Credit for applicable military training and education

Additional information regarding specific policies and procedures as well as special services and events for military and veteran students is available on our website at lafilm.edu/military or by contacting the team at military@lafilm.edu.

EDUCATION BENEFIT PROGRAMS

In some cases, military educational benefits will not cover the entire cost of tuition. All military students with a gap in tuition will need to secure their enrollment in congruence with school policies prior to starting class. Veteran students applying for military benefits are encouraged to speak with a military benefits advisor at The Los Angeles Film School prior to enrolling for any benefit. To do so, please call or send an email to military@lafilm.edu.

MILITARY TUITION ASSISTANCE

Eligibility and the amount of active-duty or reserve tuition assistance is determined by the branch of service. Students must independently apply for tuition assistance through their command/on base. Tuition assistance is paid directly to the institution.

CHAPTER 30, THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL® – ACTIVE DUTY

Veterans who entered active duty beginning July 1, 1985, and who participated in the 12-month pay reduction program while on active duty. Also includes Chapter 32 active-duty persons with eligibility as of October 1, 1996, who elected to participate in the Montgomery GI Bill®. Eligibility is decided by the VA. Benefits are paid directly to the student.

CHAPTER 31, VETERAN READINESS AND EMPLOYMENT (VR&E)

This program was formerly known as Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment. Veterans with a service-connected disability, or who are rated 10 percent or more disabled according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Eligibility is decided by a VA caseworker. Tuition is paid directly to the School; other benefits may be paid to the student.

CHAPTER 33, THE POST-9/11 GI BILL®

Veterans who accumulated at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, with an honorable discharge, or those who received a service-connected disability after 30 days of service may be eligible for Chapter 33, as determined by the VA. Tuition and fees are paid directly to the School, with MHA and book stipends paid directly to the student. All payments are proportionate to Chapter 33 eligibility rating, with MHA payments based on DoD calculator (use school zip code for an E-5 with dependents). This benefit is frequently revised. Please refer to the VA for comprehensive changes to this benefit.

CHAPTER 33/TEB, THE POST-9/11 GI BILL® TRANSFER

This option is for Chapter 33-eligible service members to transfer unused benefits wholly or in increments to spouses and/or children.

THE YELLOW RIBBON PROGRAM,
A COMPONENT OF CHAPTER 33, THE POST-9/11 GI BILL®

The School is a proud participant in this joint tuition grant-matching program with the VA for students who are entitled to the 100% eligibility rate. Yellow Ribbon amounts are applied solely and directly to tuition.

CHAPTER 35, SURVIVORS AND DEPENDENTS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

For spouses or children of veterans who died on active duty, whose death was caused by a service-connected disability, or who are rated by the VA as 100% permanently disabled.

CHAPTER 1606, THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL® – SELECTED RESERVE

Benefits are paid directly to eligible individuals who have committed to the required length of enlistment in the Selected Reserve. 

BENEFIT RECIPIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Veterans receiving VA funding for any portion of their program are responsible to directly notify the campus certifying official or military benefits advisor of any change of status in their program to include:

  • Transferring credits to program from another institution
  • Testing out of a class
  • Receipt of a failing grade for an entire class
  • Modifications to the original program sequence as outlined in the catalog
  • Benefit eligibility changes, Active Duty separation
  • Course Withdrawal, Interruption of Training (IOT)
  • Change of program
  • Exiting the program

Students are expected to contact the military benefits advisor by visiting in person, speaking with them over the telephone, or emailing: military@lafilm.edu. Failure to communicate program changes may cause overpayment or underpayment of tuition and/or fees, which may result in a balance due to the school and a debt with the VA for ineligible MHA (Monthly Housing Allowance).

VA REFUND POLICY

The school complies with the Department of Veteran Affairs standards. Refer to the institutional refund policy (outlined in the Cancellation, Withdrawal & Refund Policies section). Tuition and fee payments found to be ineligible or an overpayment by the VA due to student academic/program changes, withdrawal/IOT, or benefit eligibility changes will be considered a school debt with the VA. The school would be required to return any funds considered as a debt by the VA. If the return of such funds creates a balance on the student’s account, the student will be responsible for covering the balance. Students may also have a debt with the VA for MHA payments received that the VA determines to be ineligible and or an overpayment.

VA STUDENT ACADEMIC UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESS DEBT ACCRUAL

In situations in which a class is not satisfactorily completed due to attendance, the VA reserves the right to debt the student for MHA and debt the school for tuition and fee payments received. If the school is required to return funds received for tuition and fees and it creates a balance on the student’s account, the student will be responsible for covering the balance. Students may retake a course one time without paying additional tuition or retake fees. Although students will not be charged additional tuition for the first retake of a course, the retake will be counted as days attended for purposes of calculating the percentage of tuition owed if students withdraw prior to graduation. Students who fail the first retake of a course will be charged the full tuition rate for each attempt thereafter. Such retake fees will not be covered by VA educational benefits and the student will be responsible for the cost

CHANGE OF STATUS

Students who neglect to inform the military benefits advisor of a change of status in program and or benefit eligibility may experience delays in receiving their MHA or a balance with the school. In order to assist students in this situation, we highly suggest students immediately notify the military benefits department of any academic/program changes and share any paper correspondence from the VA that may detail benefit changes with the campus certifying official/military benefits advisor. 

VA SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS

The school complies with the Department of Veteran Affairs standards. Refer to the institution’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy (outlined in the Academic Policies and Procedures section).

BREAK PAY

The VA does not pay MHA during school breaks such as days outside of scheduled term start and end dates. 

MILITARY LEAVE POLICY

The school may grant more than one interruption of training (IOT) in the event that unforeseen circumstances arise, such as military service requirements, provided that any combined leaves of absence do not exceed 90 days within a 12-month period. However, students who are issued military orders should communicate their obligation and activation dates as soon as possible to both the Student Services and Military Benefits Departments.

The period of the leave may not begin until the student has acknowledged the following:

  • An IOT may not exceed 90 days within any 12-month period and the school has approved a written and signed request.
  • A military-service-related interruption of training (IOT) request that extends beyond 90 days must be accompanied with orders.
  • All school equipment loaned out to the student taking leave will need to be returned to the Equipment Room (ER) before the IOT is granted.
  • Re-entry into the program of study requires that students check back into school through the Student Services Department to coordinate scheduling and be directed to the appropriate departments to include the Military Benefits Department to reinstate program funding.

Upon submitting travel vouchers within the 90-day time frame and one month within the date on the approved travel voucher, military students will not be required to pay re-take fees for classes dropped due to the call to service using grants, VA monies, or cash.

Further, military students will not be charged tuition for classes not yet taken. Official orders are required for consideration for an extended IOT beyond 90 days but not to exceed 180 days within a 12-month period. Failure to return to school within the 90-day time frame that is a result of extended military service leave will require approved military travel orders with no longer than one month between the military approval date and the reinstatement date.

Every consideration to use existing credits will be exercised; however, extended absences may result in retakes or new classes that are part of a revised curriculum and will subject students to review by the Program Director.

PENDING VA PAYMENT COMPLIANCE

In accordance with Title 38 U.S. Code § 3679 subsection (e), while payment is pending from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Ch. 33) or Veteran Readiness and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, the school will not:

  • Prevent the student’s enrollment
  • Assess a late penalty fee to the student
  • Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding
  • Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution

To qualify for this provision, students will be required to:

  • Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class
  • Provide a written request to be certified
  • Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies