Free Tuition in Certain States for Veterans
It is not widely known that certain states provide outstanding benefits at the state level for their home-grown veterans, and more states should take note. Connecticut, for example, offers free tuition at its public universities for all veterans who have "domicile" in the state. Look up Connecticut's universities' definition of "domicile" for exact requirements for obtaining this status, but "domicile" is generally more easily obtained than "residency." Whereas "residency" often requires one to either have lived in the state for at least one year prior to joining the military or living in the state at least one full year after getting out of the military but before starting classes at an in-state university, "domicile" often means simply the establishment of a presence in the state (e.g., by obtaining a lease and/or a divers license in the state) upon application to the school for enrollment. Be sure to check the specific requirements of your university of interest before packing the U-Haul and moving to the Constitution State.Texas is another state that values the education of its veterans enough to offer free them tuition, but this state only offers the benefit to residents. Furthermore, veterans must have been residents of the state before they went into the military, must remain residents after they ETS/EAS, and must attend a public university in the state of Texas. Again, do verify the requirements of the university of interest for receiving this benefit before showing up for class at UT.
There are other states that offer similar or lesser state-level veterans education and other benefits. Check with the state VA office of the state from which you hail or of the state in which you are interested in living for more information about state-level veterans benefits.
