CREDIT FOR PRIOR TRAINING

Iowa Veterans Commemorative Medal

If you will be receiving DVA educational assistance, you are required by law to have your prior educational training and experience evaluated. The evaluation will cover training received while you were on active duty and for courses taken at approved educational institutions, even if the training was not paid for by the DVA.

To obtain credit for courses taken at approved educational institutions, contact the registrar’s office of the school where the courses were completed and request that an official transcript be sent directly to the Kirkwood Community College Enrollment Services Office. A student-carried transcript may be used by an advisor to properly guide the student to the correct classes, and can be used to qualify as a prerequisite. It cannot be used to officially transfer credit.

An incoming VA student has two (2) terms in which to accomplish the transfer of credit. After that time, if the credit has not been transferred, the student’s account with the DVA will be suspended.

You may receive credit for attendance at military schools, provided that the training is applicable to your current major, and that the course is listed in the ACE (American Council on Education) Guide. To receive credit, you must provide documentation, which may include any of the following:

• Military transcripts -- (Community College of the Air Force, or Army, or ACE Registry Transcript System)
• A certificate of completion for each course for which credit is sought
• A copy of your DD 214 (if it contains a record of the school)

If you are pursuing a program that culminates in an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or an Associate of Science/Career Option degree, the Enrollment Services Office will evaluate your credit. Military credit is required to be awarded as elective credit. No more than 16.0 hours of vocational credit will count toward your degree.

If you are pursuing an Applied Science degree, there is no limit to the number of hours the department can award, and they may award specific course credit toward their particular curriculum. In all cases, 16.0 hours must be taken at Kirkwood.