Veteran/Military Students

How will you continue your mission?

Thank you for your service and sacrifice!

Iowa Western Community College is a learning community committed to excellence in meeting educational needs and improving the quality of life of our veteran/military students and their families through programs, partnerships, and community involvement. Let us help you continue your mission.

It is the policy of the office of admissions to refer all active duty services members to consult with their Education Services Officer, prior to registration, to ensure compatibility of their chosen program with their Military Tuition Assistance.


In-State Tuition

Our Military Residency Exemption policy states, a veteran of military service or the National Guard, or his or her spouse or dependent child will be classified as an Iowa resident and charged resident tuition and fee amounts, regardless of whether or not the student resides in Iowa, or if the student resides in Iowa primarily for educational purposes. This policy adjoins with the Home Base Iowa Initiative and goes beyond the mandate of the Veterans Access, Choice & Accountability Act of 2014, which requires public colleges to provide in-state tuition to Veterans and eligible dependents beginning July 1, 2015.

If you believe you may qualify for the military residency exemption, you must notify the Coordinator of Veteran Services no later than the end of the first week of a given semester.  To prove you eligibility, you are required to submit the following documentation:

  1. U.S. Veterans: DD214
  2. Military Personnel: current orders
  3. Child: military parent’s DD214 or current orders and military parent’s tax return with the student listed as a dependent or a birth certificate
  4. Spouse/domestic partner: spouse/partner’s DD214 or current orders and marriage certificate or Affidavit of Domestic Partner Relationship

Deployment Policy

501.1.1 Active Duty Military Person/Veteran Exemption
501.8 Tuition Credit for Active Military Duty

It is the policy of Iowa Western Community College to assist students called to active military duty by providing tuition credit for courses in which the student is currently enrolled and cannot complete. In order for the student called to active military duty to receive a tuition credit, the student must request one of the following options:

  1. Apply current tuition and fees to a future term.
  2. Receive a full refund of tuition and fees for the current term.
  3. Arrange with each instructor a procedure for completion of course requirements, agreeing to a time limit consistent with college incomplete procedures.
  4. Receive partial tuition and fees credit for classes for which completion arrangements are not possible.

The request for tuition credit must be made in writing to the Vice President of Student Services and must be accompanied by a copy of Involuntary Activation Mobilization Orders from the military unit of assignment. Upon written notification of the student’s intent to return to college, Iowa Western will readmit the student to the program he or she left, providing the following conditions are met:

  1. The student exited the program in good standing.
  2. The student was not on disciplinary suspension at the time of military call to active duty.
  3. The student is academically prepared to enter the sequential courses offered at the time of reentry.

Home Base Iowa

Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs has been designated as a Home Base Iowa Certified Higher Academic Military Partnership (CHAMPs) program. The institution has met the necessary criteria based on best practices in serving military-affiliated students. Iowa Western joins 28 other CHAMPs institutions across Iowa in demonstrating a commitment to serving veterans and to help make Iowa a “State of Choice” for military-affiliated students. The CHAMPs program connects veterans, military personnel and their family members with resources and opportunities in Iowa in three areas of focus: Workforce Solutions and Growth, Quality Education and Student Success, and Community Support. More information about Home Base Iowa can be found on its website.

Checklist Application Checklist

  1. Complete Application for Admissions
  2. Request Transcripts
  3. Credit for Prior Learning
  4. Complete Program Specific Requirements
  5. Apply for Financial Aid
  6. Apply for Housing
  7. Register for Classes
  8. Apply for VA Education Benefits
  9. Certificate of Eligibility


Veteran Services

Ph: (712) 325-3200
E-mail: veterans@iwcc.edu