For Immediate Release: June 1, 2009

The New York Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), the State’s comprehensive financial aid agency, reminds military service men and women, combat veterans and their families to apply for these awards for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Veterans Tuition Awards are available for State residents who served in Indochina between Dec. 22, 1961 and Mar. 7, 1975; the Persian Gulf on or after Aug. 2, 1990 and Afghanistan during hostilities on or after Sept. 11, 2001. For full-time study, an eligible veteran may receive an award of up to 98 percent of undergraduate tuition for New York State residents at the State University of New York (a maximum of $4,895.10), or actual tuition charged, whichever is less. Awards are prorated by credit hour for part time study.

Regents Awards for Children of Deceased and Disabled Veterans provide $450 a year in financial aid to students whose parent(s) served in the U.S. Armed Forces during specified times of national emergency.

Students whose parent(s) served in the U.S. Armed Forces during specified periods of war or national emergency and, as a result of service, either died, suffered a 40 percent or more disability, were classified as missing in action, or a prisoner of war. The veteran must currently be a New York State resident or have been a New York State resident at the time of death, if death occurred during or as a result of service.

Military Service Recognition Scholarship helps children, spouses and dependents of those who, while New York State residents in service in the Armed Forces of the United States or state organized militia, died, became severely and permanently disabled, or were classified as missing in action in a combat zone while engaged in hostilities or training at any time on or after Aug. 2, 1990.

The award covers up to four years of full-time undergraduate study (or five years in an approved five-year bachelor's degree program). If attending a SUNY or CUNY college, it includes the tuition and mandatory educational fees; room and board charged to the student for students living on campus (or an allowance for room and board for commuter students); plus money for books, supplies and transportation.

For students attending a private institution the scholarship will provide an award equal to 98 percent of the current SUNY four-year college tuition and mandatory educational fees (or student's actual tuition and fees, whichever is less) and money for room and board, books, supplies and transportation.

The Recruitment Incentive and Retention Program (RIRP) is a New York State program designed to recruit and retain quality members for the State Military Forces (Army and Air National Guard, and Naval Militia). Candidates must complete the FAFSA as part of the application process. Details about this program and application information can be found at the NYS Division of Military and Naval Affairs’ Web site.

To apply for the Veterans Tuition Award, the Regents Award for Children of Deceased and Disabled Veterans or the Military Service Recognition Scholarship, students must complete both the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) applications, along with the appropriate supplemental application, found at the HESC Web site on the “Military Corner” page.



About HESC: The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation is the State’s student financial aid agency, providing more grant and scholarship money to college students than any other state in the nation. The state’s student financial aid agency helped nearly 650,000 students achieve their dream of attending college by providing $4.5 billion in grants, scholarships and loan guarantees in 2007-08, including $795 million awarded through the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to more than 370,000 students. HESC also provides training and technical services to financial aid administrators, high school counselors and lenders.

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Editors: for more information, please contact Kathy Crowder, HESC's Senior Vice President for Communications, at (518) 402-1448 or via email at kcrowder@hesc.org.