Resident tuition for veterans

Photos by Denica Hill / EOU’s Army ROTC program commissioned five students during commencement in June. More active duty military personnel and veterans are eligible to receive resident tuition at the university thanks to Oregon’s early adoption of the Choice Act of 2014, which expands educational funding for individuals covered under the Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bills.

EOU offers resident tuition for veterans through Choice Act

July 2, 2015

LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – Active duty military personnel and veterans may automatically qualify for resident tuition at Eastern Oregon University, no matter which state they call home.

The benefit is made possible through section 702 of the Veterans Access to Care through Choice, Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, which expands educational funding for veterans and other individuals covered under the Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bills.

EOU has provided resident tuition to veterans for the past two years, pulling ahead of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs requirement for all public institutions nationwide to do the same beginning after July 1.

Other colleges and universities in Oregon are also participating in the Choice Act ahead of the deadline, thanks to the state legislature’s passage of house bills 2158 and 4021.

Covered individuals will pay $6,345 in estimated resident on-campus tuition at EOU for the coming 2015-16 academic year, saving them approximately $10,000 compared to the non-resident rate.

Eligible dependents, spouses and individuals receiving transferred benefits or the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship must contact the EOU Registrar’s Office once they are admitted to verify eligibility.

“We are so pleased to be able to lend this level of support to our active duty military personnel and veterans,” said Xavier Romano, vice president for Student Services at EOU. “Not only does it make EOU price-point sensitive for our military community, we have also found that these specific students tend to excel in our small classroom environment, with courses always taught by full faculty, not graduate teaching assistants.”

“EOU offers an intimate educational environment very similar to what you would find at a private college or university, but at a fraction of the cost,” Romano added.

EOU is designated a 2015 Military Friendly® School and is also among the top institutions listed in Military Advanced Education’s 2015 Guide to Colleges & Universities.

Additional resources for veterans, active military and family also include credit for military service, scholarships and benefits for spouses and dependents. Non-resident veterans may also qualify for tuition assistance through the Post-9/11 GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program.

For more information about EOU’s participation in the Choice Act and details on eligibility requirements, call 1-888-442-4551 or visit www.eou.edu/veterans.