Under the California Education Code, dependents of veterans whose death or disability was service-connected may be eligible for exemption from many University fees. Applications and information are available in the Student Special Services Office or from your county veterans' services office.
How do I apply?
Contact your local county veterans service office to obtain applications, information, and apply for benefits under this program. The Riverside County veterans services office is located at 4360 Orange Street, Riverside CA, 92501 (951) 276-3060. Always try to apply for these benefits prior to attending school. Benefits are awarded on an academic year basis, and students are required to reapply each year for ongoing benefits.
What fees are "waived" (exempted) at UCR?
The following UC fees are exempted for the purposes of this program for students classified as California residents for tuition purposes: Tuition, Student Services Fee, Special Fee for Law and Medicine, Fee for Selected Professional School Students. In addition to the fees listed above, Summer Session Course Fees for currently matriculated UC students eligible for this program are also exempted. These are the only fees from which you may be exempted under this program.
How does the fee exemption work for a regular academic quarter (Fall, Winter, Spring)?
Contact Student Special Services when you are approved by county veterans services for this program. They should send us a copy of your approval letter or your may provide us with a copy. We will enter information into the University's student billing system indicating that you are eligible to be exempted from the applicable fees for the remainder of the academic year. When your Statement of Account is available on GROWL, it will show just the amount you owe; the fees from which you are exempted should not show up on your statement.
If you have already paid your fees, notify Student Special Services. Arrangements will be made with Student Business Services for a refund, or we will instruct you on how to proceed.
What fees do I need to pay?
You are only exempted from the fees listed above. Each quarter you will need to pay the balance of fees from which you are not exempted, according to the Statement of Account available on GROWL; for most students, this amount totals approximately $300 per quarter, plus applicable course materials and health insurance fee. If you have comparable insurance coverage, you may petition to be exempted from UCR's student health insurance; see the next section for details. It is your responsibility to pay the amount indicated in the "amount due" field on your statement by the fee payment deadline, or you will lose your classes and be assessed a late payment fee. You may access your statement on-line at growl.ucr.edu. If you have been approved for the fee waiver program, but your Statement still indicates that you owe any of the fees from which you should be exempted (as previously listed), check your "current activity" to see if there has been an adjustment in your fees; if not, don't ignore the balance due -- contact Student Special Services and we will assist you.
What should I do about the USHIP Fee?
The Undergraduate Student Health Insurance Program (USHIP) is designed to supplement the outpatient care available to all registered students through the Campus Health Center. Your "Cal Vet College Fee Waiver" does not exempt you from the USHIP Fee. If you have other health insurance coverage which meets UCR's published Standards for Comparable Coverage and you wish to be exempted from participation in the USHIP, you must file a USHIP Waiver Form by the quarterly deadline; students filing for exemption from USHIP should not pay the USHIP Fee, as it is non-refundable after the first day of the quarter. If you do not file for USHIP exemption by the quarterly deadline, then you are responsible for payment of the USHIP Fee. For further information, contact the Campus Health Center at (951) 827-5683.
What should I do if I have been assessed non-resident fees?
All questions concerning residency must be directed to the residence affairs officer in the Office of the Registrar. A Statement of Legal Residence must be completed and submitted to the Office of the Registrar for a determination of the student's residency status for tuition purposes. If you are not classified as a California Resident by UC, your fee exemption will be invalid and you will be billed for full fees.
If I receive a "retroactive" authorization, can I be reimbursed for prior quarters?
Yes, but generally only for the current academic year. Claims for fee exemptions must be presented to the University during the academic year for which the claim applies. Retroactive approval for a prior academic year can be granted only in situations in which students applied for the exemption in a timely manner, but approval was delayed by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs processing of original or reopened service-connected disability compensation or Dependency and Indemnity Compensation claims.
Will my financial aid be affected if I accept the fee exemption?
Student Special Services will notify the Financial Aid Office that you are approved for the fee exemption, and they will determine whether this has any effect on the aid you have been awarded. If you have any questions about whether it is in your best interest to accept the fee exemption, we encourage you to contact your Financial Aid Counselor.
How does my fee exemption work for Summer Session?
Please contact UCR's Office of Summer Session, first floor, Surge Building at the Learning Center, (951) 827-3044, for information and instructions. Note that only matriculated UC students may be exempted from Summer Sessions fees.
Am I eligible for any other benefits?
If your veteran-parent or spouse died or is permanently and totally disabled as a result of a service-connected disability you may be eligible for additional benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). For further information, you may call the DVA at 1-888-GIBILL-1.