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Education

ITT Closure Leaves Some Veterans Without A Housing Allowance

Students listen during a cybersecurity lecture at Coleman University in San Diego, Sept. 21, 2016.
Susan Murphy
Students listen during a cybersecurity lecture at Coleman University in San Diego, Sept. 21, 2016.

ITT Closure Leaves Some Veterans Without A Housing Allowance
The sudden shutdown this month of ITT Technical Institute has not only left students scrambling to transfer their credits, it has also left some veterans worrying about how they’ll pay their rent.

The sudden shutdown of ITT Technical Institute has not only left students scrambling to transfer their credits, it has also left some veterans worrying about how they’ll pay their rent.

The GI Bill benefit that covers veterans’ tuition also includes a housing allowance if they attend school full time. The monthly stipend averages $2,500 a month.

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But the benefit for ITT students ended on Sept. 10 after the institute closed its doors.

“As a reminder, VA can no longer pay you your housing allowance until such time as you are enrolled in another GI Bill approved educational institution,” the VA stated on its website.

Coleman University is one of the colleges in San Diego County working to accommodate the stranded students. The next term begins Oct. 17, which means a whole month without the financial assistance.

“The veterans are concerned that they are going to lose the housing allowance until they get started again in a program,” said Norbert Kubilus, president and CEO of Coleman University. "They're going to have that gap now."

Kubilus said more than 200 students have come to Coleman for evaluations. The campus is adding classes in cybersecurity and other top majors so incoming students can get the credits they need to complete their degrees.