��������

Beginning this fall, Western Washington University is offering full tuition waivers for students who are veterans that have exhausted their GI Bill® benefits.

The GI Bill® normally covers about four years’ worth of tuition. However, some programs might take longer, and remedial courses may take students more time to complete. In addition, transfer students may have been taking classes that did not count toward their degrees. For this reason, Ann Beck, assistant director of Western’s Veteran Services, believes that many veteran students may have struggled with completing their programs.

In order to qualify for this tuition waiver, students must have completed a least 24 credits at Western, which is about two quarters, while using their GI Bill® benefits. This offer is only for students pursuing bachelor’s degrees. As part of the application process, the Veteran’s Office will determine whether students are eligible for some other kind of grant or assistance.

Beck said that the tuition waiver was a pioneering program, as she did not know of any other public university in Washington state that offered a hundred percent waiver of tuition and fees to veteran students in these cases, as Western now does.

“Other public universities in Washington offer a 50 percent waiver of tuition and fees when veteran students run out their GI Bill® benefits,” said Beck. Furthermore, Beck said that the program was also beneficial for veteran students pursuing STEM degrees, which sometimes required more classes.

“Veterans that are unsure of their GI Bill® benefits status can also just call or come by our office and we will work with them to get that information,” said Beck.

For more information, contact Ann J. Beck, assistant director, Western Washington University’s Veteran Services, at (360) 650-4324 or Ann.Beck@wwu.edu or go to .