ND Dependent Tuition Waiver

If you are the dependent of a North Dakota veteran who was killed, totally disabled or declared missing in action, you may attend a University System institution without paying tuition or fees for up to 45 months.

To be eligible, you first must be accepted for enrollment by a University System campus.  For detailed information, contact the financial aid office or veterans services department on the campus of your choice.

15-10-18.2. Definitions.

1. "Dependent" for purposes of section 15-10-18.3 means:

a. A child, stepchild, spouse, widow, or widower of a resident veteran, as "veteran" is defined in section 37-01-40, who was killed in action or died from wounds or other service-connected causes, has a one hundred percent service-connected disability as determined by the department of veterans' affairs, has an extra-schedular rating to include individual unemployability that brings the veteran's total disability rating to one hundred percent as determined by the department of veterans' affairs, died from service-connected disabilities, was a prisoner of war, or was declared missing in action;

b. A child or a stepchild of a veteran, as defined in section 37-01-40, who was killed in action or died from wounds or other service-connected causes, has a one hundred percent service-connected disability as determined by the department of veterans' affairs, has an extra-schedular rating to include individual unemployability that brings the veteran's total disability rating to one hundred percent as determined by the department of veterans' affairs, died from Page No. 8 service-connected disabilities, was a prisoner of war, or was declared missing in action, provided the child's other parent has been a resident of this state and was a resident of this state at the time of death or determination of total disability of the veteran; or

c. A child or a stepchild of a veteran, as defined in section 37-01-40, who was killed in action or died from wounds or other service-connected causes, has a one hundred percent service-connected disability as determined by the department of veterans' affairs, has an extra-schedular rating to include individual unemployability that brings the veteran's total disability rating to one hundred percent as determined by the department of veterans' affairs, died from service-connected disabilities, was a prisoner of war, or was declared missing in action, provided the child's other parent establishes residency in this state and maintains that residency for a period of five years immediately preceding the child's or stepchild's enrollment at an institution under the control of the state board of higher education.

2. "Resident veteran" means a veteran who:

a. Was born in and lived in this state until entrance into the armed forces of the United States;

b. Was born in, but was temporarily living outside this state, not having abandoned residence therein prior to entrance into the armed forces of the United States;

c. Was born elsewhere but had resided within this state for at least six months prior to entrance into military service and had prior to or during such six-month period:

(1) Registered for voting, or voted in this state;

(2) Being an unemancipated minor during such period of residence, had lived with a parent or person standing in loco parentis who had acquired a residence as set forth in this section; or

(3) If not registered for voting in this state, not registered for voting in another state; or

d. Has been a resident of this state for the ten years prior to the request for tuition waiver. 

15-10-18.3. Free tuition in North Dakota institutions of higher education.

Any dependent, as defined in section 15-10-18.2 upon being duly accepted for enrollment into any undergraduate degree or certificate program of a North Dakota state institution of higher education, must be allowed to obtain a bachelor's degree or certificate of completion, for so long as the dependent is eligible, free of any tuition and fee charges if the bachelor's degree or certificate of completion is earned within a forty-five-month or ten-semester period or its equivalent and if tuition and fee charges do not include costs for aviation flight charges or expenses. Once an individual qualifies as a dependent under sections 15-10-18.2 and 15-10-18.3, the dependent may not be disqualified from the benefits of this section:

1. Due to the return of the prisoner of war;

2. Due to the return of the individual missing in action; or

3. Because the veteran through whom the benefit was obtained had a one hundred percent service-connected disability at the time of death.