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Children Of Disabled Veteran/Purple Heart Recipients To Attend College Free

Last updated on Thursday, January 26, 2017

(BEDFORD) - Lawrence County Veterans Services Officer Brad Bough says children of disabled veterans can receive help to attend college.

"With this benefit veterans will be able to send their child to a state run college," Bough told the Lawrence County Commissioners Tuesday morning. "Many of these children wouldn't be able to attend college and get an education without this financial aid."

Who is eligible - children of Purple Heart recipients or wounded veterans or deceased or disabled veterans or children of prisoner of war or missing in action.

The grant will pay 100 percent of the child's tuition to a eligible Indiana institution. To see a full list of eligible institutions visit www.in.gov./ssaci/2535.htm

The benefit is limited to a maximum of 124 credit hours. The benefit may be used at the undergraduate and professional degree level.

Bough and his staff with help any family that needs assistance seeking the grant. Call the Lawrence County Veterans Service at (812) 275-6411.

The following are the requirements for filing for the assistance:

Child of Purple Heart Recipient or Wounded Veteran or Deceased or Disabled Veteran

If the veteran parent initially enlisted before June 30, 2011, a child who is eligible to pay the resident tuition rate at the eligible Indiana institution the child will attend. If the child is the legally adopted child of a veteran parent, he or she must have been adopted before the age of 24.

If a Purple Heart recipient or wounded veteran, the parent must have enlisted before June 30, 2011; served in the US Armed Forces; received the Purple Heart decoration or wounds as a result of enemy action; received a discharge or separation other than dishonorable discharge and resided in Indiana for at least 36 consecutive months during his or her lifetime.

If a deceased or disabled veteran, the parent must have enlisted before June 30, 2011; served in the US Armed Forces during a war or performed duty equally hazardous that was recognized by the award of a US service or campaign metal; suffered a service connected death or disability as determined by the US Department of Veterans Affairs; Received a discharge or separation other than dishonorable discharge and resided in Indiana for at least 36 consecutive months during his or her lifetime.

If the veteran parent initially enlisted after June 30, 2011 a child who is eligible to pay the resident tuition rate at the eligible Indiana institution the child will attend; possesses the requisite academic qualification and is not more than 32 years old when he or she first applies for and is eligible to receive the benefit. if the child is the legally adopted child of the veteran parent, he or she must have been adopted before the age of 18.

If a Purple Heart recipient or wounded veteran, the parent must have enlisted after June 30, 2011; served in the US Armed Forces; received the Purple Heart decoration or wounds as a result of enemy action received a discharge or separation other than dishonorable discharge and designated Indiana as home of record at the time of enlistment or resided in Indiana at least five years before the child first applies for the benefit.

If a deceased or disabled veteran, the parent must have enlisted after June 30, 2011; served in the US Armed Forces during a war or performed duty equally hazardous that was recognized by the award of a US service or campaign metal; suffered a service connected death or disability as determined by the US Department of Veterans Affairs; received a discharge or separation other than dishonorable discharge and designated Indiana as home of record at the time of enlistment or reside in Indiana at least five years before the child first applies for the benefit.

To remain eligible, a child of a qualified veteran who initially enlisted before June 30, 2011 must maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by the institution and annually file the appropriate and error-free year's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

If the qualified veteran parent initially enlisted June 30, 2011 and the child initially enrolled in the institution before June 10, 2012, the child must maintain the satisfactory academic progress as determined by the institution and annually file the appropriate and error-free FAFSA.

If the qualified veteran parent initially enlisted after June 30, 2011 and the child initially enrolled in the institution after June 30, 2012 the child must meet the minimum cumulative grade point average outlined below and annually file the appropriate error-free FAFSA.

The benefit must not be renewed if the child fails to maintain at least one of the following - For the freshman academic years, a cumulative GPS that the institution determines is satisfactory academic progress; For the sophomore academic year, a cumulative GPA of 2.25 on a 4.0 grading scale or its equivalent as established by the institution and for the junior and senior academic year, a cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 grading scale or its equivalent as established by the institution.

Children of Prisoner of War or Person Missing in Action

A child who was born during the period during which his or her father or mother was a POW/MIA or was legally adopted or in the legal custody of his or her father or mother before and during the period which their parent was a POW/MIA.

The POW/MIA must have been a resident of Indiana at the time he or she entered the US Armed Forces and declared a POW/MIA while serving in the US Armed Forces after January 1, 1960.

To remain eligible, a child of a POW/MIA must maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by the institution and annually file the appropriate and error-free year's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

To Apply:

Mail the completed State Form 20234 application and all supporting documentation to the Indiana Department of Veterans' Affairs at: Indiana Department of Veteran's Affairs, 302 West Washington St., Room E-120, Indianapolis, In. 46204-2738.

Submit the approved application to the financial aid office of the institution the student plans to attend no later than 30 days prior to the end of the college term and file the appropriate and error-free academic year's FAFSA, which may be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov/. The FAFSA must be completed no later than 30 days prior to the end of the college term. The preferred completion date is March 1-.

Reapplication is necessary whenever a student changes the school he or she is attending or the student stops attending school for more consecutive semesters, excluding summer.

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