Wisconsin GI Bill Tuition and Residency Requirements

Wisconsin GI Bill Tuition Rates

Legislative changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which went into effect in 2011, limit tuition reimbursement at public colleges to in-state student rates. Veterans and other military personnel who choose to use Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits in Wisconsin can maximize their benefits if they qualify for state residency. In addition to GI Bill benefits, Wisconsin offers generous state benefits to eligible military personnel.

Exemptions for Military Personnel

Residency is determined by the school, not the state. Like many other state schools, the University of Wisconsin requires a 12-month residency period before enrollment for students to be eligible for in-state tuition rates. Schools within the Wisconsin Technical College System use more relaxed requirements--at those schools, students must be residents of the state at the beginning of the semester and have shown intent to make Wisconsin their permanent home.

Certain military personnel and their immediate family members, however, are exempt from the residency rule.

1. Active-duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces stationed in Wisconsin, living in Wisconsin or stationed at a federal military installation within 90 miles of the Wisconsin state border, along with their spouses and children, are eligible to receive in-state rates.
2. Non-resident veterans, along with their spouses and children, who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for at least 10 years and received an honorable discharge can get in-state rates provided they enroll in school in Wisconsin within four years of discharge.
3. Veterans who were Wisconsin residents when they began active duty, who maintained state residency and are living in the state at the time of registration are eligible for in-state rates, even if they don't meet the 12-month continuous residency provision.

How to Apply for Resident Status

To get in-state tuition rates as an active-duty servicemember or a family member, all that is required is that you fill out an application to the public school you wish to attend. The application generally contains sufficient information for a residency adviser to determine your eligibility. The application may require supporting documentation such as a copy of your military orders or military home of record forms. Check with your school for application deadlines and other pertinent information.

Other Educational Benefits in Wisconsin

Eligible veterans can take advantage of another generous benefit for state residents. The Wisconsin GI Bill, a state program that's separate from the federal GI Bill programs, provides a waiver of 100 percent of tuition and fees for eligible veterans and their dependents for up to 18 full-time semesters or 128 credits at any University of Wisconsin System or Wisconsin Technical College System institution. To be eligible for the WI GI Bill, veterans who served after September 10, 2001 must apply for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and, in most cases, use any benefits they are eligible for under that program.

Another benefit, the Veterans Education grant program, reimburses eligible veterans who haven't obtained a bachelor's degree, based on their length of active-duty military service, for tuition and fees for completed courses at any qualifying Wisconsin public school.

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.