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  • Thursday, May 22, 2025

    NYS Expands Veterans Tuition Award

    NYS Dept Vets Services homepage

    Effective July 1, 2025, both combat veterans and non-combat veterans (at least four years on active duty) will be eligible for the New York State Veterans Tuition Award.

    Previously, only combat veterans could apply for the tuition assistance.

    The State Legislature and the governor reached an agreement on the long-awaited eligibility expansion last fall.

    The expanded eligibility date was announced by Benjamin P. Pomerance, deputy counsel with the NY State Department of Veterans’ Services (veterans.ny.gov).

    He explained that beginning July 1, veterans can qualify for the Veterans Tuition Award through either of the following eligibility pathways:

    • Combat service for any length of time, OR

    • Active-duty service (without any combat duty) for a minimum total of four years

    He noted:  “Through this change — the largest expansion of Veterans Tuition Award eligibility since this program was created — veterans who have performed this vital service in non-combat areas will now qualify for this benefit as well. This is a huge change, and an important one, as it will open the door to an entirely new array of higher education opportunities for veterans throughout our state, translating into life-changing results.”

    As a reminder, the Veterans Tuition Award covers the full State University of New York or City University of New York in-state undergraduate tuition cost for full-time or part-time studies. A veteran must be a New York State resident to qualify for this benefit.

    Eligible Veterans can use the Veterans Tuition Award toward the cost of a non-SUNY or non-CUNY school as well to offset partially the tuition cost at that private college, university, or vocational training program. Additionally, eligible Veterans can elect to use their Veterans Tuition Award funds toward a graduate degree, but the total payout for the benefit will be equal to the in-state undergraduate tuition rate, not the in-state graduate tuition rate.