Cal Vet Fee Waiver
The College Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents benefit waives mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus. This program does not cover the expense of books, parking or room and board. There are four plans under which dependents of Veterans may be eligible. (www.calvet.ca.gov)
For application submission please visit your local County Veteran Service Office
*Once approved please provide the CSUB Veteran Success Center a copy of your approved award letter.
Kern County Veteran Service Office
Location: Bakersfield
Hours: M-Th 8am - 5pm; F 8am - 12pm
Office: 1120 Golden State Ave, Bakersfield, CA, 93301
Main: (661) 868-7300
Fax: (661) 631-0519
Email: kernvets@kerncounty.com
Kern County Veteran Service Office Website
- All applicants must meet California residency requirements.
- If eligibility criteria is met, use of the College Waiver for Veterans Dependents may be applied to state-support programs in the CCC, CSU, and UC systems. Some academic programs at these institutions that are considered self-supported, commonly referred to as extension courses or extended education are not required to apply the College Fee Waiver because these courses, degrees, and certificates are neither funded by the state nor are they system-wide programs. Veterans dependents using this waiver should research their academic programs thoroughly before applying to the college or university.
- Education Code, Section 66025.3 does not provide the authority to grant College Fee Waiver benefits retroactively. However, an exception exists relating to applications received under the provisions of Military and Veterans Code Section 890.3(a)(1). The law permits retroactive fee waiver benefits when an application is denied solely due to the fact that the Veteran has a claim pending with the USDVA for service connected disability or death benefits, but the claim has yet to be awarded, and in the future the USDVA adjudicates a service connected rating. The Veteran or student must have applied for the College Fee Waiver during each academic year in which they are seeking the benefit; the application will be denied due to no service connected disability. Once the Veteran has been awarded service connected disability rating, bring the VA notification letter and denial letter(s) back to the CVSO for review.
- If you are a child of a Veteran, you must attach Verification of Dependency. Acceptable verifications include, but are not limited to, a Birth Certificate, Adoption Records or Marriage Certificate. Those seeking status as an Adopted Child or as a Stepchild must have entered into such status prior to the child's 23th Birthday.
- The unmarried child of a Veteran who is totally disabled due to service-connected disabilities or whose death was officially rated as service-connected is eligible. The child must be over 14 years old and under 27 years old to be eligible. If the child is a Veteran, then the age limit is extended to age 30;
- The spouse of a wartime Veteran who has been rated as service-connected totally disabled is eligible. There are no age limit restrictions;
- The unmarried surviving spouse of a wartime Veteran whose death has been rated as service-connected is eligible. There are no age limit restrictions;
- Any dependent of any Veteran who has been declared missing in action, captured in the line of duty by hostile forces, or forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power is eligible.
"Active service to the state," for the purpose of this benefit, means a member of the California National Guard activated pursuant to Section 146 of the Military and Veterans Code. A copy of those orders pursuant to Section 146, not Section 143, must be furnished to establish eligibility.
Chapter 35
If you're dependent spouse or child - or the surviving spouse or child - of a Veteran, you may qualify for Chapter 35 benefits or job training though a GI Bill program.
You may be eligible for VA education benefits (Chapter 35 benefits) if you're the child or spouse of a service member and one of the descriptions listed below is true of the service member.
One of these must be true:
- The service member died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001, or
- The service member is missing in action or was captured in the line of duty by a hostile force, or
- The service member was detained (held) by force while in the line of duty by a foreign government or power, or
- The service member is in the hospital or getting outpatient treatment for a service-connected permanent and total disability, and is likely to be discharged for that disability. A service-connected permanent and total disability is a disability resulting from your service that doesn't go away.
You may be eligible for VA education benefits (Chapter 35 benefits) if you're the child or spouse of a Veteran and one of the descriptions listed below is true of the Veteran.
One of these must be true:
- The Veteran is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability, or
- The Veteran died while on active duty or as a result of a service-connected disability
If you're a dependent who doesn't meet the above criteria, you may still qualify for
VA education benefits if the Veteran or service member transferred some or all of
their Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement to you while they were on active duty.
Learn about transferred benefits
What benefits can you get?
- Education and training
- Money for tuition
- Money for housing
- Money for books and supplies
You'll need to apply.
Apply for VA education benefits (Chapter 35 benefits)
There are 2 main GI Bill programs offering educational assistance to survivors and dependents of Veterans.
The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship) is for children and spouses of:
- Active-duty service members who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, or
- Members of the Selected Reserve who died from a service-connected disability on or after September 11, 2001
Get more information about the Fry Scholarship
The Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program offers education and training to qualified dependents of Veterans who:
- Are permanently and totally disabled because of a service-related condition, or
- Died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition
Get more information about the DEA program
Note: You may qualify for both the Fry Scholarship and the DEA program, but you can use only one of them. You'll have to pick one when you apply. Once you've made this decision, you can't switch to the other program.
| DEA (Dependents Education and Assistance) | Fry Scholarship |
|---|---|
| How payments are madeBenefit payment:We pay the monthly amount directly to the student. The current monthly payment for full-time training is $1,265.Check current rates | How payments are madeTuition and fee payment (paid to the school):We cover the full in-state tuition costs for training at public schools and up to $25,162.14 per year at private or foreign schools.Check current ratesMoney for books and supplies (paid to the student):We cover up to $1,000 a year, divided up equally among the terms, for books and supplies.Monthly housing allowance (paid to the student):We base this amount on the local Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for E-5 with dependents and pay it monthly. Online students get half of the BAH national average. |
| Duration of benefits for spouses:20 years from the service member’s date of death if they died on active duty, or 10 years from the date we determine they qualify or from the Veteran’s date of death (there may be exceptions). | Duration of benefits for spouses:Spouses have no time limit to use this benefit (but they lose this benefit if they remarry). |
| Maximum months of benefits:45 months if the first use of benefits was before August 1, 201836 months if the first use of benefits was after August 1, 2018 | Maximum months of benefits:36 months |
| Spouse can get both DIC and education benefits at the same time:Yes | Spouse can get both DIC and education benefits at the same time:Yes |
| Programs covered: College, business, technical, or vocational programs Certification tests Apprenticeships and on-the-job training Tutorial assistance Work study | Programs covered: College, business, technical, or vocational programs Certification tests Apprenticeships and on-the-job training Vocational flight training Tutorial assistance Work study |