New York Pays Tribute to Veterans with Tuition Awards

ALBANY, NY (11/06/2008)(readMedia)-- New York pays tribute to veterans of the U.S. armed forces and their families this Veterans Day by reminding them of valuable college scholarships. The awards are administered by the New York State Higher Education Services Corp. (HESC), the state agency that helps people pay for college.

Veterans Tuition Awards

New York has enhanced its veteran's tuition award program by increasing the maximum statutory award available to New York State's combat veterans to the cost of resident undergraduate tuition charged by the State University of New York.* Veteran's tuition awards are available for undergraduate and graduate study at both public and private institutions in New York State or for approved vocational training programs in New York State.

Veterans who served in Indochina during the Vietnam War or who served in the hostilities in the Persian Gulf or Afghanistan and were discharged under honorable conditions are eligible to receive a veteran's tuition award. Additionally, individuals who served in the armed forces of the United States in hostilities that occurred after Feb. 28, 1961, as evidenced by their receipt of an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal, or Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, and were discharged under honorable conditions, may also be eligible.

Military Service Recognition Scholarship

Formerly known as the MERIT Scholarship, the Military Service Recognition Scholarship provides financial aid to children, spouses and financial dependents of those who, while New York State residents in service in the armed forces of the United States or state organized militia, at any time on or after Aug. 2, 1990, died, became severely and permanently disabled, or were classified as missing in action in a combat zone while engaged in hostilities or training for hostilities.

NYS Regents Award for Children of Veterans

The Children of Veterans Awards provide $450 per year to students whose parent(s) served in the U.S. Armed Forces during specified periods of time and who: died as a result of such service; was discharged under other than dishonorable conditions and suffers a 40 percent or more disability as a result of such service; is now deceased and suffered a 40 percent or more disability as a result of such service; is classified as a former prisoner of war; or is classified as missing in action. The veteran must be a current New York State resident or have been a New York State resident at the time of death or classification as missing in action.

Recruitment Incentive and Retention Program

This program provides financial aid to any active member of the New York State organized militia, who has successfully completed advanced individual training, commissioning or other requirements of the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs for tuition benefit eligibility upon enrollment in a degree-producing curriculum in any institution.

Details about these and other New York state student aid programs can be found at the HESC Web site at www.hesc.org; click on the Military Corner link.

Federal scholarship and financial aid money is available to both active-duty members and veterans of the U.S. armed forces and their families. Contact your local Veterans Affairs office or visit their Web site at www.gibill.va.gov.

*The enacted state budget reduced the statutory award for 2008-09 by 2 percent, to a maximum of $4,287.50.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Ronald S. Kermani, HESC's senior vice president for communications, at (518) 473-1264. His home phone is (518) 456-5160 and beeper is (518) 422-3906. Kermani's e-mail is rkermani@hesc.org.