TCA §49-7-102 State Education Benefits

What the Benefit Covers

The waiver covers the following charges at APSU:

• Tuition

• Maintenance fees

• Student activity fees

• Required registration and matriculation fees

The waiver does not cover housing, meals, books, supplies, or other personal expenses.

The benefit applies only toward a first undergraduate degree or certificate and may be used for up to 150 attempted credit hours (or until the student has earned 135 credit hours, whichever comes first).

Veteran Eligibility

To qualify, the student must be the dependent child or spouse of a veteran who meets all of the following:

• Was a Tennessee resident at the time of the qualifying event

• Served honorably as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces during a qualifying period of armed conflict

• Experienced one of the following qualifying events:

  • Was killed or died as a direct result of injuries received while serving

  • Was officially reported as a prisoner of war (POW) or missing in action (MIA), or was formerly a POW or MIA under such circumstances

A "qualifying period of armed conflict" is any hostile military operation for which the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with at least one bronze star, or Vietnam Service Medal with at least one bronze star was authorized.

Student Eligibility

Dependent Children

A dependent child is a natural, adopted, or stepchild claimed by the veteran as a dependent for federal income tax purposes.

To receive the benefit, the dependent child must:

• Be a Tennessee resident

• Be enrolled full-time and begin using the benefit before turning 23 years of age

• Be accepted for admission and actively pursuing a declared degree or certificate program

Eligibility ends when any one of the following occurs:

• The student earns an undergraduate degree or certificate

• The student has earned 135 credit hours (excluding remedial/developmental hours)

• The student has attempted 150 credit hours (including remedial/developmental hours)

Spouses

A spouse of an eligible veteran may also receive the waiver. Eligibility ends when any one of the following occurs:

• 10 years after the death of the veteran (eligibility ends immediately upon remarriage within this period)

• The spouse earns an undergraduate degree or certificate

• The spouse has earned 135 credit hours

• The spouse has attempted 150 credit hours

A spouse who has previously earned an undergraduate degree or certificate is not eligible.

Important Rules

• This program must be used first before other fee discount programs — it cannot be used simultaneously with other APSU fee discount programs, except grant-in-aid and desegregation program recipients.

• No refunds are issued if approval is received after tuition and fees for a term have already been paid.

• No refunds are issued if the student withdraws during the fee refund period.

• Eligibility ends for a dependent child if the parent/spouse veteran is officially removed from POW or MIA status during the term.

How to Apply at APSU

The application must be submitted before the deadline date posted by Student Account Services each term.

1. Pick up the application from the APSU Veterans Education Benefits office.

2. Complete the application and gather all required documentation.

3. Submit the completed application and documents to the VEB office before the term deadline.

Required Documents

• Completed APSU application for benefits

• Official certification from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or Department of Defense that the veteran was killed, died from injuries, or was reported as a POW or MIA during armed conflict; or the veteran's DD214 (member 4 copy)

• Proof of Tennessee residency (such as a voter registration card or driver's license)

• For dependent children: birth certificate or adoption paperwork

• For spouses: marriage certificate