Kentucky GI Bill Tuition and Residency Requirements

Kentucky GI Bill Tuition Rates

As 2011 changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill go into effect, military servicemembers planning to attend public colleges and universities in Kentucky may find their benefits have changed. Under the latest version of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, tuition benefits are limited to the in-state student rate. To avoid high out-of-pocket costs, individuals may want to make sure of their residency status before enrolling.

Military Personnel Exemptions in Kentucky

As a general rule, individuals must have lived in Kentucky for at least consecutive 12 months prior to enrolling in college to be eligible for in-state rates, but residency requirements at Kentucky universities are slightly different for military personnel.

Under Kentucky state law, individuals who were Kentucky residents at the time they joined the Armed Forces are entitled to residency status so long as they maintain a permanent address in Kentucky and have the state as their home of record. In addition, servicemembers on active duty in Kentucky are also considered state residents, regardless of whether or not they are permanent residents of the state.

Spouses and dependent children of active duty personnel in Kentucky can also receive in-state tuition, and they keep their eligibility even if the servicemember is transferred out of state, provided they stay continuously enrolled.

While membership in the National Guard alone is not enough to establish residency, any Kentucky National Guard member who is activated for more than 30 days shall be considered a resident under state law.

Finally, veterans who lived in Kentucky when they joined the Armed Forces keep their residency provided they return to the state within six months of discharge.

Requesting Residency Status

Under state law, Kentucky institutions are responsible for making residency decisions at the time students apply for admission. You may be required to fill out the Application for Residency Determination. This application requests detailed information about education, employment and intent to remain in Kentucky. The form must be notarized and returned with supporting documentation, which may include a copy of your duty orders, a letter from your commanding officer or other evidence of your service dates and locations.

Other Kentucky Benefits for Military Personnel

Each public institution in Kentucky offers its own set of benefits for veterans. For example, at Eastern Kentucky University, there is no application fee for undergraduate veterans, and the school offers in-state rates to all veterans, regardless of their residency. In addition, EKU and other public institutions offer options to help service members continue their education in the event they are activated and deployed elsewhere.

The state also offers a tuition waiver to eligible spouses and dependents of veterans who meet one of the following criteria:

• Died on active duty
• Died due to a service-related disability
• Totally disabled due to service
• Served during a period of war and is disabled due to a non-service cause
• Served during a period of war and is deceased

The waiver can be used at any postsecondary institution funded by the Kentucky Department of Education. You can apply for the tuition waiver through the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs.

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.