For Immediate Release
August 3, 2009

The University of Alaska is now granting eligible veterans, their spouses and children in-state tuition at any of the UA system’s 16 campuses.

The move was intentionally timed to coincide with the new post-911 GI Bill, which offers eligible veterans generous benefits based on the highest in-state tuition rates in all states, a housing stipend and textbook allowance. The Post-911 GI Bill went into effect Aug. 1.

“We’ve offered the in-state tuition benefit to active military personnel for years,” said UA President Mark Hamilton, who is also a retired U.S. Army Major General. “Our veterans deserve this benefit every bit as much, as well as our thanks for their sacrifices and service.”

The UA Board of Regents approved granting veterans residency for tuition purposes in June. Students accepting the benefit must move to Alaska and live here while taking classes.

There are approximately 1,400 Alaska veterans using GI Bill education benefits; about one half of those attend UA.» Without the policy change, veterans attending UA would have had to come up with the
difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition themselves, a cost of almost $4,000 per semester.

“The University of Alaska’s policy change, coupled with the new Post 911 GI Bill, makes it very affordable and attractive for veterans and their families to attend UA,” said Saichi Oba, associate vice
president of Student and Enrollment Services at the UA System.

It’s difficult to know exactly how many veterans will take advantage of the new UA policy and federal benefits, but it’s realistic to anticipate an increase, Oba said.

“In any given semester, we have about 700 veterans enrolled in UA. We’d like to see that number increase, so we changed our policy to make it more financially attractive to our veterans and their
families,” Oba said.

For specific enrollment information, visit or call:

• »UAA: www.uaa.alaska.edu/financialaid/veterans.cfm, UAA Enrollment Services 907/786-1480
• UAF: http://www.uaf.edu/veterans/, UAF Admissions Office 907/474-7500
• UAS: http://www.uas.alaska.edu/financial_aid/types/veterans.html, UAS Admissions Office 907/796-6100

For more information on VA benefits under the new GI bill, go to http://www.gibill.va.gov/

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News media: UA Public Affairs Kate Ripley, 907/450-8102 or 907/388-3506 cell.

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