Veterans' Affairs Reminder: University of Illinois Scholarship available for Children of Combat Veterans

CHICAGO - Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) Director Dan Grant is reminding children of Illinois' combat Veterans to apply for the 2010-2011 Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver at the University of Illinois.  Up to six tuition waivers are available annually in each county throughout Illinois for the child of a Veteran from the following conflicts: World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.  The application deadline is March 1, 2010.
 
"Families across Illinois are facing financial difficulties and with the cost of a college tuition rising, it can be extremely difficult for Veterans and their families to afford college.  The University of Illinois' waiver program is a great benefit for our Veterans' children, and I want to encourage all children with a parent who is a combat Veteran to apply for the scholarship," said Director Grant.  "Every child deserves to have the opportunity to pursue a college education."

The Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver covers in-state tuition (four years) for undergraduate, graduate, or professional studies at any of the University of Illinois' campuses including: Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, Health Sciences Center, Springfield and Global Campus.  Up to six tuition waivers per county are awarded each year.

To be eligible for the scholarship, the child of a Veteran must meet the following requirements:
• be a permanent resident of the Illinois County from which application is submitted, and also be considered a resident of the State of Illinois;
• be the natural or legally adopted child of the Veteran on whose service the application is made;
• provide a legible copy of parent's DD 214 (discharge paper);
• provide proof of ACT scores;
• never have previously received or used a Children of Veteran Tuition Waiver; and
• be admitted or have applied to the University of Illinois by March 1, 2009.

The tuition waiver must be used with the first term of enrollment after eligibility has been determined.  Tuition waivers are not transferable from one individual, one conflict, or one county to another.
To download the application, go to: http://www.osfa.illinois.edu/forms/1011/1011_COV_Tuition_Waiver_App.pdf

Applications and additional information about the waiver program are also available at any one of IDVA's Veteran Service Offices throughout the state.  To find your local Veteran Service Office visit www.veterans.illinois.gov.  For telephone assistance and information on other Veterans benefits, call IDVA at 1-800-437-9824 or TDD 217-524-4645.