Hey everyone, I'm a junior and my parents are in the military. I heard something about California providing free college tuition for military dependents, but I'm not sure if it's true or not. Does anyone know if it's true and if so, what's the eligibility criteria and how to apply?
Yes, California does offer certain tuition benefits for dependents of military service members. One specific program is the "College Fee Waiver". This is a program provided by the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) that waives tuition and fees at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus.
To be eligible, the military service member must have a service-connected disability or have had one at the time of death, or have died of service-related causes. Additionally, the dependent must currently reside in California.
The process to apply generally involves submitting an application to your local County Veterans Service Office (CVSO) along with necessary documents to verify the parent's military service, service-connected disability or death, and the relationship between the service member and the dependent.
Remember to apply every academic year because the fee waiver does not automatically renew. And although it's called a "fee waiver," remember that it's technically a scholarship, so you'll have to report it when filling out financial aid applications.
Moreover, this program covers tuition and fees, but not the cost of room and board, books, and other expenses. You might want to consider looking for additional scholarships, grants, or work-study programs to help with these costs.
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