Hawaii GI Bill Tuition and Residency Requirements

Hawaii GI Bill Tuition Rates

For students looking to use their GI Bill benefits in Hawaii, understanding state residency guidelines just got a lot more important. That's because 2011 legislation limits the Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition benefits at public colleges and universities to the in-state student rates. If you are a non-resident looking to attend a public college in Hawaii, you could be on the hook for significant additional fees. Luckily, federal law and Hawaii rules relax the residency requirements for eligible military personnel.

Hawaii Residency Requirements for Military Personnel

Although most Hawaii students must have lived in the state for at least 12 months prior to starting classes to be eligible for in-state tuition rates, military personnel on duty orders or recently separated veterans may not have time to establish residency before starting classes.

Under the University of Hawaii Administrative Rules, Hawaii offers the following exemptions for military personnel:

1. Active-duty military members stationed in Hawaii and their spouses and dependents (up to age 23) are allowed to pay in-state tuition rates, in accordance with the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008.
2. Members of the Hawaii National Guard or Hawaii-based Reserve personnel who are under contract in Hawaii are also eligible for in-state tuition.
3. A nonresident veteran whose last duty station is Hawaii and who has met other Hawaii residency criteria during his or her military service can be classified as a resident.
4. A servicemember who joins the military during the period required to establish residency can use his or her military service to satisfy the 12-month criteria for living in Hawaii.

Contact the residency officer at your educational institution for more information on establishing your eligibility for in-state tuition and what documentation you are required to present. Paying in-state tuition does not automatically make you a Hawaii resident for other purposes such as voting.

Once you have acquired resident status, you cannot lose it through temporary absence from Hawaii for military service as long as you continue to claim and maintain Hawaii as your legal residence.

GIBill.com has done its best to ensure that the above information is accurate. However, GIBill.com cannot guarantee its accuracy and encourages you to check with your school for its residency requirements to qualify for in-state tuition.