Veterans

Bellingham Technical College is honored to have veterans as part of our community and is committed to ensuring that all veterans, active duty personnel, reservists, and their families have access to the educational benefits and resources entitled to them.

The reintegration from military to civilian life and the transition to college is often challenging. We are prepared to support you and your family in your journey from boots to books.

We are here to help connect you to resources, provide a safe and comfortable place for you to meet other veteran students, assist you in navigating through the processes required to start school, and assist you in accessing your educational benefits.

We invite you to visit our Veterans Support Center. Stop in to use our computers to check email or do your homework, participate in the Veteran Students Association, meet other student veterans, or find a quiet place to read or study. This is your resource center, and we look forward to meeting you.

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Apply

Before you apply

BTC offers a variety of exciting educational programs which are eligible for the GI Bill® Education Benefits*. We encourage you to explore your options on the Programs & Degrees page.

*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.

In order to have your credits certified with VA for benefits, you must declare a BTC program on your application. It is also important to understand that every class you take at BTC must apply to your declared program in order to receive funding, with the exception of general education classes which may be taken any quarter while you are waiting for your program entry.

If you are unsure about which program you want to pursue, you may schedule an appointment with an College Navigator to participate in a Career Exploration meeting. To schedule an appointment, please call Admissions at 360.752.8345 or email Admissions@btc.edu.

Please visit the Tuition & Fees page to view tuition rates and residency information.

Apply to Bellingham Technical College 

Once you have decided on a program of study, submit an Online Admissions Application.

Applying online takes approximately 5-10 minutes. It is very important to indicate your desired program on this application so we can certify your credits. You will be assigned a ctcLink ID number within 10-14 business days after applying.

For further information regarding admission into to special programs or applying online, contact Admissions at: 360.752.8345 or email: Admissions@btc.edu with questions. Apply to BTC now!

Apply for VA Education Benefits 

To learn about VA education benefits, please review the Department of Veterans Affairs website. Next, you can complete the Veterans Online Application through the VA website. It typically takes 6-8 weeks to receive your Certificate of Eligibility, so it is important to plan ahead.

If you have questions or need assistance with your application please call 1-888-GIBILL1 (888.442.4551) to speak with an Education Case Manager. 

Apply for Additional Funding

You may be eligible for additional funding through Financial Aid and/or Workforce Funding. To find out more visit their webpages and talk with our Certifying Official.

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Assess

Transcripts 

The Department of Veterans Affairs requires that any other college transcripts and military training transcript be evaluated for transfer-in credit. This is not an optional step – all transcripts must be evaluated prior to admission.

You will need to have official copies of your transcripts from previous colleges and your Joint Services Transcript (JST SMART Transcript) delivered to BTC. Once you have ordered your official transcript to be sent to BTC, transcripts typically arrive to BTC’s campus within three days to three weeks. Once your official transcript(s) has arrived to BTC, processing takes approximately 2-4 weeks.  Processing may take longer during peak registration periods, please plan ahead. You will receive transcript evaluation results to your email that you provided in the BTC application. 

Veteran students using educational benefits are not permitted to opt out of prior credit evaluation. For more information regarding transcript evaluation and access to the Transcript Evaluation Policy please visit the Veterans Support page.

College Transcripts

All college transcripts must be official copies in sealed, unopened envelopes. It is your responsibility to contact the previous college and request your transcripts. You can hand-deliver, mail in, or have the previous college directly send us these transcripts. Please note there is typically a small fee associated with ordering official transcripts that you will be responsible for.

Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, National Guard & Navy Transcripts

To order your Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps or Navy transcripts, you will need to go to https://jst.doded.mil/ (you may receive a certificate error for this website; however, this site is safe, so you can continue). This website will walk you through the steps to order your official military transcripts.

Army and National Guard transcripts can only be ordered and delivered online. All other services, there are two types of delivery methods:

  • Online Delivery
    You can order as many transcript as needed for on-line delivery. Transcripts ordered by 11:59 p.m. central time will be delivered via the web on the next business day after ordered.
  • U.S. Postal Service Delivery
    Only 2 transcripts within 30 days can be ordered due to production and postage costs. Hard copies will be mailed on the next business day after the transcripts are ordered.

Air Force Transcripts

To order your Air Force transcripts you will need to go to the Air Force Virtual Education Center (you may receive a certificate error for this website; however, this site is safe, so you can continue). This website will walk you through the steps to order your official military transcripts.

Guided Self Placement

Before a new student meets with a College Navigator for a mandatory GET Started advising appointment to enroll in classes, they need to have achieved placement. To enroll in degree programs at BTC, both an English and math placement are required. There are multiple methods for a new student to assess their starting point at BTC. They may use one or more of the following:

  • Submit official Washington State High School transcripts from within the last three (3) years for evaluation
    • We cannot accept out-of-state High School Transcripts for placement.
  • Submit official transcripts from other colleges or universities for evaluation
    • Must be from a regionally accredited institution.
  • Submit other test scores for evaluation (ACCUPLACER, Compass, Asset, Smarter Balance, SAT, ACT etc.)
  • Complete Bellingham Technical College Guided Self-Placement Assessments

Guided Self-Placement (GSP) consists of online English and Math assessments. They define and demonstrate requirements that are specific to the different courses in which a student can place. Guided self-placement is intended to support students to be successful in their coursework. It is designed to help them make an informed choice about which level of classes are most appropriate to start. The assessments are free, and can be accessed online at any time.

Guided Self-Placement English and math Assessments:

www.btc.edu/GuidedPlacement

Official transcripts/scores must be sent directly from the institution to BTC: Electronically via Transcripts@btc.edu or by mail to BTC Admissions & Advising, 3028 Lindbergh Ave, Bellingham WA 98225                                                                                                 *You must have an application to BTC on file for your transcript to be evaluated


 

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Advising

Welcome Meeting

We would like to take the opportunity to welcome you to Bellingham Technical College! Our Veterans Coordinator will meet with you, so you can learn about on-campus resources and opportunities provided specifically for veteran students.

You can bring the following documentation to your welcome meeting to get your educational benefits started:

  • VA Certificate of Eligibility
  • DD-214 Report of Separation

Advising & Registration

Students must attend a mandatory GET Started appointment. Meet with Admissions & Advising staff as they help you navigate your Goals, create an Education Plan, and become Tech Ready.

Making a GET Started Appointment

Please fill out the GET Started form and an Admissions & Advising staff member will call you to schedule a time that will work best for you.

Important Notes:

The Guided Self Placement or Transcript Evaluation must be completed prior to attending the appointment.

If you are receiving L&I benefits, need an accommodation, or you cannot attend a GET Started appointment before the quarter begins, please contact the Admissions & Advising at 360.752.8345.

If you have questions about the GET Started appointment please contact Admissions & Advising at 360.752.8345 or Admissions@btc.edu.

Individual Advising

You will need to make an appointment to create a program plan with your advisor. The program plan is required to be eligible for VA educational benefits and will need to be submitted to our Certifying Official.

To schedule your appointment please call the Admissions & Advising at 360.752.8345.

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Certifying

Our school certifying official will collect all required paperwork and documentation. Documents can be emailed to Veterans@btc.edu. Please review the required paperwork and documentation per chapter:

Applications under Chapter 30 & Chapter 33:
  1. VA Form 22 – 1990 (New applications only)
  2. VA Form 22-1995 (Transfer applications only)
  3. DD-214 Report of Separation
  4. Letter of Eligibility from VA
  5. Official academic and military transcripts (or verification they have been submitted and evaluated)
  6. Program Plan created with BTC Advisor
Applications under Chapter 31:
  1. DD-214 Report of Separation
  2. Official academic and military transcripts (or verification they have been submitted and evaluated)
  3. Program Plan created with BTC Advisor
  4. Certifying Official must submit VA Form 28-1905
Applications under Chapter 35:
  1. VA Form 22 – 5490 (New applications only)
  2. VA Form 22-5495 (Transfer applications only)
  3. Parent or spouse’s DD-214 Report of Separation
  4. Letter of Eligibility from VA
  5. Official academic and military transcripts (or verification they have been submitted and evaluated)
  6. Program Plan created with BTC Advisor
  7. Marriage or birth certificate 
Applications under Chapter 1606:
  1. VA Form 22 – 1990 (New applications only)
  2. VA Form 22-1995 (Transfer applications only)
  3. DD-2384 Notice of Basic Eligibility (NOBE)
  4. Official academic and military transcripts (or verification they have been submitted and evaluated)
  5. Program Plan created with BTC Advisor

Payment

The first payment should arrive about 8-10 weeks after the first day of classes or later if the veteran applies for certification after classes begin.

Information about qualifying pay rates and payment dates for Chapter 30, 35, and 1606 is available only through direct contact with the Department of Veterans Affairs at www.gibill.va.gov or by phone at 888.442.4551.

For more information regarding payment, disbursements, and Veterans Standards of Progress, please visit the Veterans Support page.

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Attend

 

Veterans Club

For information regarding BTC's Veteran's Club, please visit the Veterans Support page.

Student ID Card

A photo ID or student ID card is required for some registration transactions.

Student ID cards are available, at no cost, in the Student Center - CC 300 (3rd floor, Campus Center building). Please bring photo ID during normal business hours.

Your Student ID qualifies you for discounts on Whatcom Transit Authority (WTA) bus passes and at many local vendors, plus access to the Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College libraries.

Textbooks 

Find textbook lists online or in person from the Campus Store, located in the Campus Center (CC) building. Tip: We do NOT recommend purchasing texts for any other quarter than the current one in which you are registered.

eLearning

If you are taking any online or hybrid classes, be sure to setup and check your BTC email for instructions on how to access your classes. To setup your email and to explore your online classes, please visit the Student Links page.

Need more help? Contact e-learning at: eLearningHelp@btc.edu.

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Hours & Contacts

Regular Hours

Mon to Thu: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed Friday

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