National Guard & State Veterans Tuition Waiver

Veterans domiciled in the State of Connecticut and Air/Army National Guard Members who meet certain criteria are eligible for tuition waivers at the University of Connecticut.  Waivers cover only the cost of tuition for accredited, credit-bearing programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. To qualify for either waiver, you must be matriculated (accepted and enrolled in) in a degree or certificate program at the University of Connecticut. Certain degree and certificate programs do not charge tuition in the traditional meaning of the word. For programs that do not charge tuition, the amount waived is calculated by multiplying the number of credits taken in each term by the current In-State per-credit tuition cost, as posted by the Office of the Bursar (www.bursar.uconn.edu).  For those programs that charge tuition per credit, the waiver will cover the full tuition line item on your fee bill. Please contact us if your program charges a "program fee" instead of tuition. As always, you can contact us with any benefits questions you may have.

Other charges, such as for books, student activity, course fees, parking, and room and board, are not waived, and at no time will the amount waived be more than the tuition portion of the fee bill.

About the National Guard Tuition Waiver

National Guard Tuition Waiver:

The National Guard Tuition Waiver is available for all academic terms.

To qualify for the Air/Army National Guard Tuition Waiver you must meet both of the following requirements:

  • Be an active member in good standing of the CT Air/Army National Guard.
  • Be a matriculated student at the University of Connecticut.

How do I apply?

  • Students must contact their Readiness NCO or Orderly Room at their National Guard Units to apply for the waiver. The packet will go through the Chain of Command and get submitted to UConn’s VAMP Office.
  • You must also fill out a Form D (www.veterans.uconn.edu/forms) and indicate that you will be using the National Guard Waiver.  You will also need to indicate any Federal Benefit you will be requesting to be certified (such as MGiB CH1606 Select Reserve) for on the Form D as well (The Form D needs to be completed EVERY semester you want to use this benefit).

The Form D needs to be submitted as soon as possible after you register for classes.  PLEASE NOTE:  The National Guard waiver only covers the tuition line item on your fee bill.  You are responsible for any charges not covered.  In order to avoid possible late fees, you must submit your Form D, and settle any outstanding balance not covered by the waiver BEFORE the due date of your fee bill.  If you need assistance in determining the amount that will be due, please contact our office.

About the State of Connecticut Veterans Tuition Waiver

State Veterans Tuition Waiver:

The State Veterans Tuition Waiver is available to eligible Veteran students for all academic terms at UConn.

To receive the State Veterans Tuition Waiver, qualified Veterans must be admitted, matriculated students. The tuition waiver also applies toward programs like UConn’s BGS and MBA programs. For undergraduate programs, the amount of the waiver is the equivalent of the in-state per-credit tuition rate multiplied by the number of credits being taken in each term and has a maximum value of $7836.00 (tuition for 12 credits - there is no tuition charged for undergraduate credits taken above 12 credits) and of $9417.00 at the graduate level (tuition for 9 credits - there is no tuition charged for graduate credits taken above 9 credits). The waiver may be applied differently at the UConn School of Law, The UConn Dental School, and the UConn Health Center as their tuition schedules are different. Please contact us to determine the coverage the waiver applies for a specific program.

To qualify for the State Veterans Tuition Waiver at UConn, the veteran must meet all the following requirements

  • Be honorably discharged or released under honorable conditions from active service in the U.S. Armed Forces (U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Cost Guard). National Guard members, activated under Title 10 of the United States Code, are also included.
  • Have served at least 90 days active duty in time of war (see Periods of Service here: https://portal.ct.gov/DVA/Pages/State-of-CT-Guide-to-Benefits/Connecticut-Recognized-Periods-of-Service )except if separated from service earlier because of a federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) related service-connected disability; or the war, campaign or operation lasted less than 90 days and service was for the duration. This service must be active duty other than for training.
  • Be accepted as an admitted, matriculated student at the University of Connecticut.
  • Be domiciled in Connecticut at the time of acceptance for admission, which includes domicile for less than one year.

For additional information, contact the UConn Veterans Affairs and Military Programs Office at veterans@uconn.edu or (860)486-2442.

NOTE:  Public Law 18-47, effective October 1, 2018, extends the CT Veterans Tuition Waiver to certain Veterans with Other than Honorable discharges.

The Veteran applying for the waiver must submit, along with the complete CT OTH Form 1, all other required documentation (e.g. Discharge Form DD-214, relevant agency application, etc . . .) to the agency or municipality administering the benefit for which the Veteran is applying. The administering agency or municipality shall then determine the Veteran’s eligibility for the benefit. A Veteran with a “Bad Conduct” or “Dishonorable” discharge is NOT eligible for Veteran’s benefits under this Public Act.

How do I apply?

  • Complete and return the State Veterans Tuition Waiver Form, available here: CT State Veteran Tuition Waiver Application
  • Send a copy, or your original DD-214 (Member-4 or Service-2, 7, or 8 copies only) to our office to determine eligibility.
  • Provide ONE document from group 1, OR TWO documents from group 2
  1. GROUP 1
    1. Copy of a mortgage statement in your name for a CT address.
    2. Copy of your current valid CT Driver’s license or State ID
    3. Copy of a current and valid CT vehicle registration in your name
  2. GROUP 2
    1. Tax returns in your name with a CT address
    2. CT Voter Registration Card in your name
    3. Current Cell Phone or Utility Bill in your name for a CT Address

To verify your DD-214 and expedite the processing of your application, you can visit the Veterans Point of Contact at the nearest UConn campus.  They can verify your DD-214 and electronically scan the verified document to our office in Storrs. You can find a list of POC’s here: http://veterans.uconn.edu/regional-campuses/. Please contact the POC prior to arrival on campus to make an appointment.

  • You must also fill out a Form D (www.veterans.uconn.edu/forms) and indicate that you will be using the State of Connecticut Veterans Tuition Waiver (Note: this must be completed EVERY semester you want to use this benefit).