Residency for Military-Connected Students

A Veteran who enrolls in the institution of higher education within 3 years of discharge from a period of active duty service of ninety 90 days or more.

In January 2021, Congress passed HR 7105. This bill requires public institutions to give resident tuition to the following:

• Veterans using the GI Bill® who live in Washington.
• Veteran dependents (spouse and children) using the Post 9/11 GI Bill® who live in Washington.

The requirement is effective for any term that begins on or after Aug. 1, 2021. It does not apply to active duty military members.

Veterans who live in Washington must be charged resident tuition and fees, regardless of domicile or how long they have lived in Washington, if they are actively using VA educational assistance under Chapter 30, 31, or 33 to pay for at least one course (Public Law 116-315 Sec. 1005). The VA benefits must be one of the following:

• Montgomery GI Bill® – Active Duty
• Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
• Post-9/11 GI Bill®
• Marine Gunnery Sergeant John Fry Scholarship
• Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship
• There is no time limit for when they must enroll after leaving the military (Public Law 116-315 Sec. 1005).
• The veteran must have had 90 days of service in the active military, naval, or air service. (38 U.S. Code § 3679 (c)(2)(A)).
• The veteran must have been discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable (separation does not have to be from active duty). (38 U.S. Code § 101 (2)).
• The veteran continues to receive resident tuition and fees for future courses as long as they are continuously enrolled at the same institution.

See RCW Section 28B.15.621

These current military members are Washington resident students:

• Active-duty members stationed in Washington.
• Active-duty members who live in Washington and are stationed in an Oregon county that borders Washington.
• Active-duty members stationed out-of-state who entered service as a Washington resident and maintained their Washington domicile.
• Washington National Guard members (do not have to be on active duty). Washington also has a National Guard Postsecondary Education Grant for eligible guard members.
• Military members on terminal leave from the uniformed services who are eligible for VA educational assistance benefits, had any period of honorable service, and had at least 90 days of active duty service. They do not need to live in Washington to qualify. 

These veterans are Washington resident students:

• Veterans who live in Washington and are actively using the GI Bill® or other qualifying educational benefit to pay for at least one course.
  • The veteran can have a domicile elsewhere.
  • The veteran must have had 90 days of service in the active military, naval, or air service.
  • There is no time limit for when they must enroll after leaving the military.
  • The veteran must have been discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable (separation does not have to be from active duty).
  • The veteran must be paying for school using VA educational assistance under Chapter 30, 31, or 33 (38 U.S. Code § 3679 (a)(2)). These include:
    • Montgomery GI Bill® – Active Duty
    • Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
    • Post-9/11 GI Bill®
    • Marine Gunnery Sergeant John Fry Scholarship
    • Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship
  • The veteran continues to receive resident tuition and fees for future courses as long as they are continuously enrolled at the same institution.
  • These veterans do not meet residency requirements for state aid. 

• Veterans who are eligible for VA educational assistance benefits and enter school within three years of separation from the military. They do not need to live in Washington, nor do they need to be actively using the benefits. 
  • Veteran must have at least 90 days of active duty service as a member of the uniformed services. 
  • Veteran must have separated with any period of honorable service (separation does not have to be from active duty).
  • Veteran must be eligible for one of the following VA educational assistance benefits:
    • Montgomery GI Bill® – Active Duty
    • Veteran Readiness and Employment
    • Post-9/11 GI Bill®
    • Veterans Educational Assistance Program
    • Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program
    • Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship 
    • Yellow Ribbon Program
    • Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship
  • Veteran maintains resident student status as long as they stay continuously enrolled.
  • Does not apply to veterans who have a dishonorable discharge from the uniformed services unless the student is receiving VA educational assistance benefits.
• Veterans who are entitled to Chapter 31 Veteran Readiness and Employment benefits.
  • They do not need to live in Washington. 
  • They do not need to enter school within a certain amount of time after separating from the military.
  • They do not need to be actively using the benefits to qualify.
  • Veteran maintains resident student status as long as they stay continuously enrolled.
  • Does not apply to veterans who have a dishonorable discharge from the uniformed services unless the student is receiving VA educational assistance benefits.
• Veterans who were discharged from the uniformed services due to sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
  • They do not need to live in Washington.
  • They do not need to enter school within a certain amount of time after separating from the military.
  • Veteran maintains resident student status as long as they stay continuously enrolled.
  • Does not apply to veterans who have a dishonorable discharge from the uniformed services unless the student is receiving VA educational assistance benefits.

These military dependents (spouses, former spouses, and children) are Washington resident students:

• Dependents of active duty members stationed in Washington or dependents of Washington National Guard members (National Guard members do not have to be on active duty). The dependent does not need to live in Washington. If the active duty member is stationed out-of-state, the student maintains resident student status as long as they are either:
  • Continuously enrolled or 
  • Admitted to an institution before the re-stationing and enrolled in the institution for the term the student was admitted.
• Dependents of active duty members stationed out-of-state who entered service as a Washington resident and maintained their Washington domicile. The dependent does not need to live in Washington.
• Dependents who are entitled to transferred post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits based on their relationship to someone on active duty in the uniformed services. 
  • Neither the dependent nor the military member need to live in Washington.
  • The dependent does not need to be actively using educational benefits to qualify. 
• Veteran dependents (spouse and children) using the Post 9/11 GI Bill® who live in Washington.
  • The dependent (and veteran) can have a domicile elsewhere.
  • There is no time limit for when the dependent must enroll after the veteran leaves the military.
  • The veteran must have had 90 days of service in the active military, naval, or air service. 
  • The veteran must have been discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable (separation does not have to be from active duty). 
  • The dependent continues to receive resident tuition and fees for future courses as long as they are continuously enrolled at the same institution.
  • These dependents do not meet residency requirements for state aid. 
• Dependents who are entitled to VA educational assistance benefits based on their relationship to a veteran. Neither the dependent nor the veteran need to live in Washington. The dependent does not need to be actively using educational benefits to qualify. Dependents must also meet all of the following:
  • They must enter school within three years of the veteran’s separation from the military. 
  • Veteran must have at least 90 days of active duty service as a member of the uniformed services.
  • The veteran must have separated from the military with any period of honorable service (separation does not have to be from active duty).
  • Dependent must be eligible for one of the following VA educational assistance benefits:
    • Post-9/11 GI Bill®
    • Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
    • Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship 
    • Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship
  • Dependent maintains resident student status as long as they stay continuously enrolled.
  • Does not apply to dependents of veterans who have a dishonorable discharge from the uniformed services unless the dependent is receiving VA educational assistance benefits. 
• Dependents who are entitled to VA educational assistance benefits based on their relationship to a deceased member of the uniformed services who died in the line of duty. 
  • The dependent must be eligible for one of the following:
    • Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program
    • Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship 
  • The dependent does not need to live in Washington.
  • The dependent does not need to be actively using educational benefits to qualify.
  • The dependent does not need to enter school within a certain amount of time after the veteran separated from the military.
  • For dependents with DEA, it must be due to the death of the military member.
  • The dependent maintains resident student status as long as they stay continuously enrolled.
  • Does not apply to dependents of veterans who have a dishonorable discharge from the uniformed services unless the dependent is receiving VA educational assistance benefits. 
• Dependents of a veteran who separated from the uniformed services with at least ten years of honorable service (separation does not have to be from active duty). 
  • The dependent must enter school within three years of the veteran’s separation from the military (separation does not have to be from active duty).
  • The dependent does not have to be eligible for or be using VA educational benefits to qualify.
  • Neither the dependent nor the veteran need to live in Washington. 
  • The veteran must have had at least 90 days of active duty service.
  • Dependent maintains resident student status as long as they stay continuously enrolled.
  • Does not apply to dependents of veterans who have a dishonorable discharge from the uniformed services unless the dependent is receiving VA educational assistance benefits. 
• People who live in Washington and are dependents of active duty members who live in Washington and are stationed in an Oregon county that borders Washington. If the active duty member moves out of Washington or is stationed outside of an Oregon county that borders Washington, the student maintains resident student status as long as they are either:
  • Continuously enrolled or 
  • Admitted to an institution before the re-stationing and enrolled in the institution for the term the student was admitted.

Veterans and their dependents may qualify for tuition waivers at Washington’s colleges and universities.

• Veterans Tuition Waiver is dependent on campaign medal service records

Some schools offer tuition waivers to veterans. Students should check with their school’s veteran affairs office for more information.

• Spouses, domestic partners, and children of veterans

All public colleges and universities in Washington See RCW Section 28B.15.621  (and give up to a $500 yearly book stipend) for children, spouses, and domestic partners of any of the following:

• Veterans or national guard members who became totally disabled as a result of active military service.
• Military members who are determined to be POW or MIA.
• Military members who lost their lives as a result of active military service.

Both the dependent and the veteran must have a domicile in Washington (no minimum amount of time is required).