The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced on Friday that it would delay a new federal requirement that public colleges and universities receiving GI Bill funding provide recent veterans with the benefit of in-state tuition, regardless of their residency.
The agency pushed back the deadline for public institutions to comply with resident-rate requirements of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act (Choice Act) from July 1, 2015 to January 1, 2016.
The Choice Act, approved by Congress last August, mandates that public institutions charge in-state tuition to any veteran who has come off active duty within the past three years in order to continue receiving veterans' benefits. The law also applies to veterans' spouses and dependents.
As of Friday, only 21 states had fully complied with the new law, Inside Higher Ed reported. Some of the nation's most populous states as well as those with large veteran populations were not in compliance, according to the list posted by the VA.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Bob McDonald said in a statement that the delayed deadline would give states more time to change their laws and policies governing veterans' eligibility for in-state tuition.
"This waiver will allow students to continue receiving the GI Bill benefits they've earned as states work to comply with this important law," he added.
Related Links
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Press Release
http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2700
Inside Higher Ed
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/05/19/va-delays-requirement-student-veterans-receive-state-tuition