Veterans Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP)

The Veterans Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP) was implemented at Berkeley College in the winter 2022 and closed to new applicants after the fall 2022 start of classes. VRRAP is provided to veterans who are attending a short program (3- semester Certificate programs or 4- semester Associate’s degree programs) at Berkeley College. As this is meant to be “Rapid Retraining,” students are strongly encouraged to attend full-time (12 or more credits per semester) in order to get the full benefit from the program.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this program, you must have met all the requirements listed below.

Note: The last time Berkeley College will be accepting students in this program is the fall 2022 term.

All of these must be true:

• You are at least 22 years old, but not older than 66;
• You are unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic;
• You are not rated by the VA as “totally and permanently disabled;” 
• You are not enrolled in a federal or state jobs program;
• You are not receiving unemployment benefits (including CARES Act benefits); and
• You are not currently eligible for other VA benefits, such as:
  • Post-9/11 GI Bill®
  • Montgomery GI Bill
  • Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
  • Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA)
  • Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

Grades and VRRAP

While a student should always work very hard not to fail a class, VRRAP students can suffer additional consequences from class failures. Specifically, should a student fail a cumulative total of 3 classes (during their entire academic program), that student will be dropped from VRRAP. Should one or both of the first two class failures result in the need for an additional semester - beyond the certified number of semesters projected to complete the program - Berkeley College will allow a student to take one additional semester and remain in the VRRAP program. However, if such a student does not graduate after that additional semester, he/she will be removed from VRRAP and become fully responsible for covering any tuition and fee charges.

Likewise, students who fall out of Standards of Academic Progress (SAP) will be at risk for removal from VRRAP and dismissal from the College. For purposes of VRRAP, two consecutive semesters of not making SAP will result in removal from the program. Dismissal from the College is dependent upon the outcome of appeals for either Probation or Academic Plan.

Withdrawal, Suspension or Dismissal

Should a student withdraw, or be suspended or dismissed from the College, that student shall lose access to VRRAP permanently.

Costs and VRRAP

VRRAP does not cover the full cost of the program. The total the College can receive (in segments of 50% when the student starts, 25% when the student graduates and 25% when the student obtains a job in the field of study) is $26,042.81 for programs valued at $60,000+. However, the student will not be responsible for any unpaid portions. The College will retain Federal Pell Grants, Federal SEOG, and state grants for this purpose. Students are therefore strongly encouraged to file the FAFSA and complete their state grant applications. Despite any remaining gaps, the College will not attempt to collect funds directly from the student. Instead, we will be awarding a special Berkeley College Institutional Aid to offset a student’s balance. Should the various grants, excluding the special Berkeley College Grant, and VRRAP exceed the cost of the program, the student will receive a refund. VRRAP students are strongly discouraged from taking out loans. While the student will receive 100% of the loan proceeds, the student will also incur (an unnecessary) debt and be responsible for paying back the loan(s), whether or not the student completes the program.

Previously Passed Coursework

Due to both VA and Federal guidelines, VRRAP students may not take coursework previously passed. As such, the College shall be researching all institutions attended by VRRAP students and require all prior college/university transcripts. Unofficial versions of transcripts will satisfy the requirement for the first semester only. After the first semester, failure to provide official transcripts will eliminate a student from the VRRAP Program.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Military and Veteran Affairs.