Free Tuition for Veterans

Applicant must be taking undergraduate courses at a state university, have been discharged under Honorable conditions, be a current resident of South Dakota and qualify for in-state tuition; and meet one of the following criteria: served on active duty at any time between August 2, 1990 through a date to be determined by the South Dakota State Legislature; any military service during which they received an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, or other United States campaign or service medal for participation in combat operations against hostile forces outside the boundaries of the United States; has a service connected disability rated 10%, or more, disabling. Eligible veterans may receive one month of free tuition for each month of "qualifying service" with a minimum of one, up to a maximum of four, academic years. Qualifying service is defined as the amount of time served on active duty between the beginning and ending dates of the particular period of conflict or hostilities during which the veteran earned eligibility for this program. Since more of the post-Vietnam conflicts have been very short in duration, the majority of veterans who qualify will be entitled to only the minimum, one academic year, of free tuition.