Military Assistance

To request your Joint Service transcript please visit the link below. Unofficial transcripts can be used for acceptance to Grace Online, however, official transcripts must be received by the end of your first course:

• Request Joint Transcripts: click here
• How to request Official Joint Transcripts: click here 

Grace Christian University also offers a free evaluation of military training and experience for college credit when you submit your Joint Services or American Council on Education (ACE) Transcript. Talk to your Grace Academic Advisor for more information.

Service members who cease attendance at Grace Christian University due to service requirements may request to be readmitted after they return from service. Grace Christian University will readmit the student into the next available classes within the program, with the same academic status that they had when they last attended.

• Students must notify the Grace Academic Advising Office as soon as possible when they need to stop attending classes due to service requirements.
• Students must notify the Grace Academic Advising Office of their intent to return to school within 3 years of completion of their period of service.
• The cumulative length of the absence and of all previous absences from the school for military service may not exceed 5 years.
• A student’s readmission rights terminate in the case of a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge, general court-martial, federal or state prison sentence, or other reasons as described in 34 CFR 668.18(h).

The Michigan Veteran Affairs Agency (MVAA) has compiled a list of employers who are committed to military veteran recruitment, training and retention practices. MVAA has awarded those veteran-friendly employers with either a gold, silver, or bronze level status. Please review MVAA’s list of Veteran Friendly Employers.

Grace Christian University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Grace Christian University is accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education Commission on Accreditation to grant certificates and degrees at the Associate, Baccalaureate, and Master’s levels.

Learn more on our Accreditation webpage.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school’s borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meets other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year. The U.S. Department of Education releases official cohort default rates once per year.

• Grace Christian University’s Fiscal Year 2017 Official 3 year Cohort Default Rate was 14.3%.
• Grace Christian University’s 2018 Draft 3 year Cohort Default Rate was 6.9 %.
• The National FY 2017 cohort default rate was 9.7 %. 

Students interested in obtaining additional information about loan repayment should either visit studentaid.gov, or contact the Grace Financial Aid Office at (616) 538-0599, or email at financialaid@gracechristian.edu.

In compliance with the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, Grace Christian University will allow any individual entitled to receive Chapter 31 (VR&E) or Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill®) benefits to attend registered courses while the institution awaits payment from the VA.

We will not assess late fees due to delayed VA payments. We will not deny access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities. We will not require that a covered individual borrow additional funds. We will not impose any penalty on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under chapter 31 or 33.

The waiting period will expire upon receipt of the payment from the VA or after 90 days from the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility. It is recommended that Military students submit their Certificate of Eligibility or Statement of Benefits to the school before classes begin. If the student’s eligible VA benefits do not fully cover the financial obligations at the University, the student will be responsible to make other payment arrangements to cover the remaining balance before classes begin.

Our specially-trained staff is completely devoted to military and veteran students and processing their military scholarships and other financial benefits.

Kurt Postma, the Director of Financial Aid, is also our school’s Veteran Benefits Coordinator and School Certifying Official (SCO). He meets the annual SCO training requirements and has more than 10 years of experience in Financial Aid, with over 6 years of experience in assisting veterans and service members with their military benefits.

If you have questions about Financial Aid or the military certification process, please contact Kurt Postma at (616) 261-8557 or email at kpostma@gracechristian.edu.