Student Veterans-Colorado

Legislation
HB 09-1039 grants in-state tuition status to an honorably discharged member of the armed forces of the United States who enrolls in a Colorado state institution of higher education and who meets, for any length of time, the presumptions and rules for maintaining a domicile in Colorado.

Colorado National Guard Tuition Assistance:
Any member of the Colorado National Guard is eligible for state tuition assistance, up to 100 percent tuition paid at any Colorado state-funded school depending on funding available. State funding can be used in conjunction with federal tuition assistance. Deadline for spring semester is Dec. 1. Deadline for fall semester is July 1. Summer deadline is May 1 (if funding is available).

Eligibility: Colorado National Guard member must serve two years for each year granted. As of July 1, 2000, any new member of the Colorado National Guard eligible for state tuition assistance must have a minimum of six months of service in the Colorado National Guard. Interstate Transfer (ISTs) and In-Service Recruits (ISRs) are waived from this requirement. As of July 1, 2005, the state Tuition Assistance (TA) program is no longer a payback program; to get TA the member must be in drilling status with the Colorado National Guard. Also must maintain a 2.0 grade point average.

Colorado Office of Veterans Education & Training
9101 East Lowry Boulevard
Denver, CO 80230-6011
Phone: (303) 595-1620
Fax: (303) 595-1621

In-state tuition rates available to all servicemembers
Colorado will offer public in-state tuition rates to all servicemembers who qualify for benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The offer is made possible by the GI Opportunity Act, which was signed June 2, 2009, by Gov. Bill Ritter.

The tuition bill, which hopes to make Colorado schools more attractive to current and former military personnel, will offer in-state tuition rates to veterans from all over the country, provided they qualify for benefits under the new GI Bill. At most public Colorado universities and colleges, the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition is about $8,000. Servicemembers’ families will also be eligible for in-state tuition, provided they qualify for benefits under the GI Bill’s transfer option.

Sources: Student Veterans of America, American Legion