Free Tuition For Veterans
Several States Offer Tuition Waivers for Qualified Military Vets
All over the country, individual states choose to honor the service of veterans by granting them a tuition waiver based on their status as military veterans. These states are diverse in their demographics; some rural and some more urban.
The following states are offering tuition waivers to qualified veterans: Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Each state administers its program, so not every veteran may be qualified for the tuition waiver.
Connecticut
According to the State of Connecticut website, eligible veterans must have served at least 90 days in wartime and been honorably discharged or discharged with a service-connected disability. The veteran must be living in Connecticut, but there is not a requirement for the length of time the veteran must have lived in the state. The waiver covers tuition at public colleges and universities, but not fees. Fees are, however, reduced fifty percent for these veterans. The website does define what time periods qualify as wartime.
Illinois
The State of Illinois offers a program called Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG.) The IVG program has more requirements than some of the other programs. IVG pays for up to 120 credit hours of tuition and a veteran's graduation fees. It does not pay for course fees. IVG requires that a veteran lived in Illinois at the time of enlistment and has returned to Illinois no more than six months after the enlistment expires.
Montana
The State of Montana waives tuition, but requires an honorably discharged veteran to be eligible to receive in-state tuition to receive the waiver. Montana also requires the soldier to utilize GI Bill (VA Benefits) first. The veteran is not eligible for the waiver until the VA benefits are no longer available. The veteran must be working on her first college degree, subsequent undergraduate degrees are not eligible.
Texas
Per the Texas Veteran's Commission web site, the Texas Hazelwood Act offers a tuition waiver for veterans who were Texas residents at the time of enlistment, were honorably discharged, and served in the military for at least 181 days. In Texas, the veteran can use his GI Bill benefit and receive the tuition waiver at the same time.
Wisconsin
Any public university in Wisconsin provides eligible veterans a complete waiver of all tuition and fees according to the Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affair's web site. Veterans who have served in wartime, received honorable discharges and were Wisconsin residents when enlisting in the military are eligible. The benefit is good for ten years after the veteran leaves the military and pays for up to 128 credit hours or eight semesters.
Wyoming
The Wyoming Legislative web site states that veterans are eligible for free tuition and waived fees. The veteran receiving this benefit must have lived in Wyoming for one year prior to enlisting in the military and have been honorably discharged with combat service. The tuition waiver is good for a maximum of ten semesters and may be used at the University of Wyoming or state community colleges.
The United States' involvement in Operation Iraqi Freedom has served to raise awareness of the need to educate veterans. Many states have passed legislation to support the veteran and make the goal of a college education obtainable.
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