Reitz encourages children of local veterans to apply for tuition waiver program

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[State Rep. Dan Reitz (D-Steeleville) is urging college-bound seniors and college students whose parents have served our country in uniform to apply for the Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver program in order to help them cover the cost of a college education.

"While a college degree has become increasingly important to our children's success, tuition costs continue to rise beyond the means of what many working families can afford," Reitz said. "For the men and women who have courageously served in our nation's military, this program can offer much-needed financial help in sending their children to college."

The Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver is a four-year tuition waiver through the University of Illinois which covers all in-state tuition for undergraduates or graduate students. Applicants must be permanent Illinois residents and be the natural or legally adopted child of a veteran.

Additionally, applicants must have been admitted, or have applied to, the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, Springfield, Health Sciences Center, or Global Campus) by March 1, 2011 to receive consideration for the initial round of tuition waivers.

At least six tuition waivers will be awarded to students in each county in a given year, to children of veterans serving in the following conflicts: World War II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Conflict, the Southwest Asia Conflict, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Children of veterans who have died will receive first preference, and if more than one applicant meets this criteria, the student with the higher ACT score will receive the waiver. If the parents of competing applicants are all living, the children of disabled veterans will then receive the award, according to the program guidelines.

"Nothing could ever fully repay our veterans for their service and sacrifice to preserving our nation's freedom, but the Children of Veterans Tuition Waiver program offers a unique way to support them by providing their children with financial assistance in obtaining a college degree," Reitz added. "I encourage any eligible student that needs help paying for a college education to apply by the March 1st deadline."

The deadline for qualifying students to apply is March 1, 2011. For more information, please contact Reitz's constituent service office at (618) 443-5757. Reitz represents all or parts of St. Clair, Monroe, Randolph and Perry counties.