FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2016
Kansas Provides In-State Tuition Rates for all Kansas Veterans
(Topeka, Kansas) - Today Kansas Governor Sam Brownback held a ceremonial bill signing for HB 2567, which expands eligibility for in-state tuition rates to veterans who had established residency in Kansas prior to service in the armed forces. Last year, legislation was passed (HB 2154) which authorized in-state tuition rates for all veterans using federal education benefits, along with all current members of the armed forces. These rates apply at all 32 public postsecondary universities and colleges in Kansas, regardless of time spent in the state.
“We want to make this as straight-forward as possible,” stated Blake Flanders, President and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents. “Kansas now has one of the most accessible higher education systems in the nation for members of our armed forces, our veterans, and their families.”
If you are a current member of the armed forces stationed anywhere in the world, you can enroll in a Kansas public university or college and pay resident tuition rates. If you are a military veteran or their spouse or dependent child using federal benefits, or if you’re not using federal benefits but you were permanently stationed in Kansas or established residency in Kansas prior to service, you along with your spouse and dependents are also eligible to pay in-state rates.
Federal legislation known as the “Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014,” required all public universities and colleges to offer in-state tuition rates to veterans making use of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, who live in the state where the institution they intend to enroll is located, and file a letter of intent to establish residence in that state. Eligible spouses and dependent children also qualify for in-state tuition rates.
In 2015, in addition to extending this benefit to veterans, Kansas declared all current members of the armed forces to be residents of the state for tuition purposes (including army, navy, marine corps, air force, coast guard, Kansas army or air national guard, or any branch of the military reserves of the United States), along with the spouse and dependent children of current members who are enrolled or have been accepted for admission at a Kansas public postsecondary educational institution.
With the passage of HB 2567, eligibility for resident tuition is reinstated for those who had established residency in Kansas prior to service in the armed forces. To qualify, the veteran, veteran’s spouse or dependent, must live in Kansas at the time of enrollment. A similar provision had been in state law prior to the passage of 2015 HB 2154, but was inadvertently removed. The bill also provides reimbursement to any person enrolled during the 2015-2016 academic year who would have been entitled to resident tuition and fee rates if the eligibility criteria in this bill had been in effect, equal to the difference between rates. To confirm your eligibility, contact the Office of the Registrar at the institution at which you intend to apply or are currently enrolled.
For more information, contact Breeze Richardson at 785-291-3969 (office) or
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About the Kansas Board of Regents:
The nine-member Kansas Board of Regents is the governing board of the state’s six universities and the statewide coordinating board for the state’s 32 public higher education institutions (six state universities, one municipal university, nineteen community colleges, and six technical colleges). In addition, the Board administers the state’s student financial aid, adult education, high school equivalency, and career and technical education programs. Private proprietary schools and out-of-state institutions are authorized by the Kansas Board of Regents to operate in Kansas.
Kansas Provides In-State Tuition Rates for all Kansas Veterans (PDF download)