Utah GI Bill Tuition and Residency Requirements

Utah GI Bill Tuition Rates

Changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill in 2011 make state residency an important factor in GI Bill tuition benefits. Under the newest version of the bill, sometimes known as GI Bill 2.0, tuition benefits at public colleges are capped at the in-state student rate. Students attending Utah public colleges may have to pay significantly more if they don't qualify for state residency. However, Utah does offer some residency exemptions for military personnel.

Utah Residency Guidelines for Military

Utah college students may qualify for in-state tuition if they maintain continuous residency in the state for one year prior to enrollment. Since military personnel are subject to transfer and deployment by military order, the Utah System of Higher Education makes some exceptions to this rule for active-duty soldiers. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible for resident status if they are:

• Assigned to active duty in Utah
• Deployed or transferred outside of the state, but were residents at the time of the military order
• The spouse or dependent child of a service member stationed in Utah
• A member of the Utah National Guard

These guidelines apply to all schools within the Utah System of Higher Education, including public research universities like the University of Utah, all other state-supported four-year universities and two-year colleges, and the technical campuses of the Utah College of Applied Technology.

Most veterans attending colleges in Utah must meet civilian residency guidelines. Veterans who left Utah due to military service and were Utah residents at the time of deployment can reestablish residency immediately, provided they return to Utah within 90 days of discharge. All others must meet the one-year residency requirement.

Applying for Residency

The Utah System of Higher Education sets the guidelines for all public higher education institutions in the state, but defers to individual schools to evaluate residency claims. Military students generally have to submit only one application, the Certification for Resident Exception for Tuition Purposes. This application is an alternative form for military applicants and others exempt from out-of-state tuition, and replaces the standard Application for Residency Reclassification.

Required documents verifying your or your family's military service include a copy of military orders (for active-duty military), unit assignment orders or an enlistment contract (for Utah National Guard).

State Education Benefits for Utah Residents

Your Utah residency may also entitle you to educational benefits sponsored by the State of Utah. Two groups are eligible for a tuition waiver: Purple Heart recipients and dependents of military service people killed in action.

The Purple Heart tuition waiver covers public school tuition costs associated with an undergraduate or master's degree program. Utah's Scott B. Lundell Tuition Waiver bill offers free tuition to the surviving children of a resident military service person killed in the line of duty after Sept. 11, 2001. This tuition waiver, administered by the Utah Department of Veterans Affairs, applies to undergraduate tuition at a state higher education institution.

Application information for state education benefits can be obtained from the Utah Department of Veteran's 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.