PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Tuition and Fee Exemption for Children of Disabled Veterans or Purple Heart Recipients provides up to 100% of tuition and regularly assessed fees for up to 124 semester credit-hours at Indiana public colleges and universities at the undergraduate resident tuition rate.
The Tuition and Fee Exemption for Children of Disabled Veterans or Purple Heart Recipients provides an annual award of up to $5,000 of tuition and regularly assessed fees at Indiana private, non-profit colleges and universities at the undergraduate resident tuition rate if the recipient graduated high school January 1, 2023 or later.
Recipients who graduated prior to January 1, 2023 are not eligible to use the award at private, non-profit colleges and universities.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
- The student must be either the biological or adopted child of a person who:
- Served in the armed forces of the United States;
- Received the Purple Heart decoration or was wounded as a result of enemy action;
- Received any discharge or separation from the armed forces other than a dishonorable discharge;
- Either listed Indiana as home of record at the time of enlistment in the armed forces of the United States OR resided in Indiana at least five (5) years before the student first applies for this tuition and fee exemption.
- If the student was the adopted child of a veteran parent, the adoption must have occurred before the student turned eighteen (18) years old.
- The student must first apply for this tuition and fee exemption before turning thirty-three (33) years old.
- The student must be eligible for the resident tuition rate at the Indiana public college or university where they attend.
- After high school graduation, the student must be pursuing a degree or certificate at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional level that is eligible for Title IV federal student aid.
- This tuition and fee exemption covers tuition and regularly assessed fees for up to 124 semester credit-hours at Indiana public colleges and universities at the undergraduate resident tuition rate at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional level.
- Students have eight (8) academic years to use this tuition and fee exemption.
- For students who first use this tuition and fee exemption in the 2011-2012 academic year or later, the eight years begin in the academic year the student first uses this tuition and fee exemption.
- For students who first used this tuition and fee exemption before the 2011-2012 academic year, the eight years begin when the student uses this tuition and fee exemption again beginning with the 2017-2018 academic year.
- Beginning July 1, 2020, students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) at the Indiana public college or university where they attend.
- For students whose veteran parents enlisted in the armed forces before July 1, 2011, this tuition and fee exemption covers 100% tuition and regularly assessed fees at the undergraduate resident tuition rate.
- For students whose veteran parents enlisted in the armed forces on or after July 1, 2011, this tuition and fee exemption covers a percentage of tuition and regularly assessed fees at the undergraduate resident tuition rate based on the veteran parent’s disability percentage assigned by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The percentage of tuition and regularly assessed fees covered is 20% + the veteran parent’s VA disability percentage.
- The student must be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen; must not have a disqualifying drug conviction while using federal student aid; must be registered with the Selective Service System if over the age of 18, male, and not exempt from registration; must not be in default on any federal student loans or owe repayment of federal student aid; and must not be incarcerated in any federal or Indiana correctional facilities.
APPLICATION PROCESS
- New students must complete a one-time Tuition and Fee Exemption for Children of Disabled Veterans and Children of Purple Heart Recipients application at ScholarTrack.IN.gov.
- Students must file a complete and error-free Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to use this tuition and fee exemption. Information about your eligibility for this tuition and fee exemption will be provided to each Indiana public college or university listed on the FAFSA.
- Applications for the Tuition and Fee Exemption for Children of Disabled Veterans and Children of Purple Heart Recipients are reviewed by the Indiana Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
- You may check your application status in ScholarTrack by clicking “View Award Letter”.
- If you have questions about the status of your tuition and fee exemption application, please contact the Indiana Department of Veterans’ Affairs at 317-232-3910 or 1-800-400-4520.