Our Mission
North Idaho College’s Veteran and Military Family Services Office is committed to supporting the unique needs of those who have served or are currently serving, as well as their dependents, in defining and achieving their educational, personal and career goals.
What We Do
We provide comprehensive advising and referral services to active and former military members, their dependents, prospective students and National Guard and Reserve members. Our services include assistance with navigating higher education processes and requirements and help enrolling in and understanding VA educational benefits. We also provide knowledgeable campus and community services referrals across all NIC campuses. The Veteran and Military Family Services staff is here to serve those who have served our nation and their families and to assist them in both a successful transition into college and productive experience through college.
What Kind of Student are You?
- New Student Veteran - You have not used your VA benefit at any college or university.
- New Veteran Dependent - You have not used your VA benefit at any college or university
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 website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Complete items 1 thru 4 ASAP to prevent enrollment and financial aid delays.
- Apply for Admission.
https://www.nic.edu/start/
If your parent or spouse has separated from the military and recently moved to Idaho, their DD214 could establish residency. A Certificate of Residency may be required if you are residing in Idaho but not living in Kootenai County. Contact our office if you have questions. - Submit Transcripts.
- Request official copies of high school/GED and college transcripts.
- Request military training records (Joint Service Transcripts):
Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard: https://jst.doded.mil/official.html
Air Force: https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Barnes/CCAF/Display/Article/803247/community-college-of-the-air-force-transcripts/
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
https://studentaid.gov/
It is highly recommended that you complete the FAFSA. VA Education Benefits and Federal Financial Aid are two separate programs, so you can apply for BOTH. Through the FAFSA you may qualify for grants, loans, and you may also be eligible for work-study employment at NIC – but you must apply! This can take up to 8 weeks to process. Contact the office for more FAFSA information. - Apply for your VA Education Benefits.
https://www.vets.gov/education/apply/
If you have questions determining which VA education benefit may apply, contact our office. The VA can take up to 60 days to process initial applications. Once processed, you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility, provide a copy of this to us after you are registered for classes (see step 12). If you have not received your COE, please provide proof of transferred benefits and/or acknowledgement of VA education benefit application submission. - Be knowledgeable of your VA Education Benefits and your Program Courses, Outcomes and Costs.
Look up NIC on the GI Bill® Comparison Tool to see details regarding your VA Education benefits. Explore and review the training, experience, examination, license and course requirements for your program listed in the NIC Catalog. Know the estimated total cost of your program by using the College Financing Plan or NIC Net Price Calculator. - Check your postal mailbox and email account.
NIC Admissions will send you an email (check your SPAM folder), or letter, to notify you of your next steps. The most important item to tackle first, is to set up your MyNIC and Cardinal Mail accounts. Your Cardinal Mail is the primary means the College will use to contact you with information - Admissions, Instructors, Advising, Financial Aid, Campus Alerts, etc! You should check Cardinal Mail every day. - Complete English and Math Assessment Requirements.
You can complete this by submitting any of the following documentation: ACT or SAT test scores (taken within the last four years), official transcripts of qualifying college coursework in English and/or Math, or completing the NIC English Assessment and Math Assessment. You will need your student ID number to complete these. There are now two options for the Math Assessment – The ALEKS Math Placement and the NIC Easy Math Placement. The ALEKS is a proctored assessment that you can take up to five times, while the NIC Easy Math Placement is unproctored and you may only take once. Contact our office if you have any questions on the Assessments. - Complete NIC Orientation.
New Student Orientation can be accessed through your MyNIC portal and covers campus geographic orientation, campus resource information, student and technology support services, financial aid, and much more. - Complete NIC Advising Profile Sheet.
https://us.formbank.us/form/MzM4OC1lbg==
Completing the worksheet will better prepare you and your Advisor for your initial Advising appointment. - Check out NIC Career Services.
https://www.nic.edu/career/
If you are not certain of your career or educational goals, we strongly encourage you to consider taking advantage of NIC Career Services – a Workshop or Interest Assessment – a great investment to help ‘Discover your Purpose’. - Apply for Scholarships.
NIC Foundation Scholarships. You can also apply on your MyNIC account, search Scholarships at the top of the MyNIC main page, then select Scholarship Universe NIC Foundation Scholarship Application. - Schedule an appointment with a member of the Veteran and Military Family Services Team.
New students cannot register for classes until they meet with an Advisor. At this appointment you will create an education plan and register for classes using the Self-Service registration system accessed through the MyNIC portal. If you are using VA Education Benefits, you can complete the process at this appointment. Be sure to bring your Certificate of Eligibility or statement of your VA Education benefits from your eBenefits account. - Complete Advising Feedback Survey.
Complete the Advising survey. This is an optional step, but will help our Advising Services team continue to meet student’s needs during the onboarding process. - Prep for Classes – Books / Parking Permit / Student ID / e-Learning
Bookstore information is listed for each of your classes under those classes in your Plan & Schedule listing in your MyNIC Account. You can also visit the Cardinal Bookstore and they can pull up your required books with your Student ID. Parking Permits and Student ID’s can be ordered online and obtained through Cardinal Central. With many classes having an online component, be sure to look at NIC e-learning resources too.