The dependents of the veteran who died in the line of duty get the opportunity to study and complete their degrees by having a scholarship. Therefore, a spouse or dependent of a veteran, may qualify for free college tuition. However, not all states offer the same support, each of them offering a variety of state-funded benefits and programs.
Tuition Assistance for Dependents of Disabled Veterans
The Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program makes sure the education and training opportunities to dependents of veterans who are eligible.
What are VA education Benefits for Dependents?
If there are dependents of a veteran either a spouse or a child, they get eligible for different education benefits provided by the VA department and through a GI Bill program. To enjoy the educational benefits, the following must be true
- veteran is permanently or totally disabled due to the service-connected disability issues
- veteran has either died in the line of duty or due to his service-connected disability
If the above conditions are not met, the dependent can still get the education benefits from VA if the veteran has been serving and passed post 9/11 entitlement for GI Bill. The VA department provides the benefits such as
- education benefits and training
- Financial aid for tuition
- Financial aid for housing
- Money to buy books and supplies necessary for the academia
States that offers Tuition Assistance for Dependents of Disabled Veterans
Alabama Scholarship
The Alabama Dependents’ Scholarship offers capable spouses a scholarship equivalent to as much as five academic years or 10 semesters at any Alabama state-supported college or foundation of higher learning, including state technological colleges.
The veteran must have sensibly served at least ninety days of nonstop active federal veteran service or been honorably discharged because of service-connected disability after plateful less than ninety days of continuous active federal veteran service.
The scholarship amount will be dependent upon the disability rating given to the veteran, and both the veteran and qualifying reliant or spouse must meet Alabama residency and age necessities. The other organizations of scholarship programs also offer scholarships for military children and spouses.
Alaska tuition waivers:
Spouses and dependents may qualify for tuition waivers presence school in the University of Alaska system. If they qualify, scholar tuition and fees are waived while attending school in the University of Alaska system. To be able to get the education waiver benefit, the deceased veteran must have been an Alaska tenant, and congregate one of the following criteria:
- Died in the procession of duty
- Listed by the DOD
- Killed in accomplishment
Related: List of free College for 100 Disabled Veterans Dependents
Arizona tuition-free education:
Arizona’s tuition waiver program provides surviving dependents with tuition-free tutoring at any public state university or community college. To qualify, one must be a dependent spouse or child (not older than 30 years of age) of a member of the National Guard associate or the United States Armed Forces.
The veteran however, must have been an Arizona resident/lived in the state and killed or died from injuries suffered in the line of duty. The dependent must also be accepted to the school he/she would like to attend.
Related: Arizona States Veterans Benefits
Arkansas Dependents Scholarship:
The Arkansan state Scholarship Program (MDS) provides financial support for qualifying veteran’s spouses or dependents who want to complete their bachelor’s level or certificate of completion from an Arkansas public college, university, or mechanical school.
To qualify, you must be a spouse or dependent child of a resident Arkansas member who was:
- classified as gone missing while action, killed in action, or a prisoner of war
- killed on artillery delivery
- classified as 100% totally and permanently disabled as a result of service
The program covers the unpaid part of tuition fees of the university, payable fees, and on-campus room and panel, after three months of Dependents Education Assistance (DEA) benefits have been deducted from the total cost.
California Qualifying Dependents of Veterans
Qualifying dependents are eligible for a waiver of statewide education and fees (excluding books, housing, and meals) for California State University, University of California, and any State of California society college.
Related: California States Veterans Benefits
Florida Scholarships for Children
The Scholarships for and Spouses and family of Deceased or Disabled Veterans (CSDDV) gives a financial award to dependent children or spouses of competent Florida veterans. These scholarships give financial help with tuition fees and other expenses at any eligible public or private school. Learn more
The dependent child of the capable veteran must be between the ages of 16 and 22. The spouse of the disabled veteran must have been a Florida resident for one year and be wedded to the disabled veteran for one or more years.
Related: Florida States Veterans Benefits
What is Fry Scholarship?
Fry scholarship is a program offered by Marine Gunnery John David. It is a scholarship specifically designed for the children and dependents of disabled veterans. If the veteran or spouse was an active duty member who died in the line of duty, then the dependents are eligible to get the benefits of fry scholarship. The child of a veteran is eligible either married or unmarried. Following are the eligibility requirements for the children to get the fry scholarship:
- If the children turned 18 and is a high school graduate, then he can get the fry scholarship
- If the children’s parent died in the line of duty, then he is eligible to get both the fry scholarship and dependents education assistance scholarship from VA department
- If the children are already receiving dependency and indemnity compensation, then they will have to give that away first in order to get the fry scholarship
Which are Chapter 35 Approved Schools?
Chapter 35 approved schools are simply the schools that are approved by GI Bill. The veterans dependents can use GI Bill benefits at some schools of their states but not all of them. If you want to learn more about the GI approved schools and their benefits, then visit the website: https://www.va.gov/education/choosing-a-school/.
These approved schools by GI Bill are present in almost all of the states of United America. You just simply have to found them on the VA website. If you want to learn about your school whether it is approved by GI Bill or not then visit at https://inquiry.vba.va.gov/weamspub/buildSearchInstitutionCriteria.do