Residency for Military-connected Students

Starting June 9, 2022, military members (including national guard and reservists), veterans, and dependents (spouses, former spouses, and children) who are eligible for VA educational assistance or rehabilitation benefits are a Washington resident student. 

• There is no time limit for when the student must enroll. 
• The student does not need to live in Washington.
• The student does not need to be actively using the benefits.
• The military member or veteran does not need to serve for a certain amount of time or have a certain type of service. 
• The student maintains resident student status as long as they stay continuously enrolled.
• The benefits are those defined in Title 38 U.S.C. and Title 10 U.S.C. Chapter 1606. They include:
  • Post-9/11 GI Bill®
  • Montgomery GI Bill® – Active Duty
  • Montgomery GI Bill® – Selected Reserve (for National Guard and Reserve members)
  • Chapter 31 Veteran Readiness and Employment
  • Chapter 35 or Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA)
  • Marine Gunnery Sergeant John Fry Scholarship
  • Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship

In addition to qualifying for residency by being eligible for VA educational or rehabilitation benefits, these current military members are also Washington resident students:

• Active duty members stationed in Washington. 
• Starting June 9, 2022: Active duty members who are stationed out-of-state after being stationed in Washington maintain resident student status as long as they are either:
  • Enrolled in a Washington institution prior to the reassignment and stay continuously enrolled after the reassignment or 
  • Enroll in a Washington institution within three years of the date of reassignment.
• Active duty members who live in Washington and are stationed in an Oregon county that borders Washington.
• Washington National Guard members (do not have to be on active duty). 
• Active duty members or Washington national guard members stationed out-of-state who entered service as a Washington resident and maintained their Washington domicile.

In addition to qualifying for residency by being eligible for VA educational or rehabilitation benefits, these veterans are also Washington resident students:

• Starting June 9, 2022: Veterans who had at least 10 years of honorable service and at least 90 days of active duty service (separation does not have to be from active duty).
  • This is for students who are not eligible for VA educational or rehabilitation benefits.
  • They must enter school within three years of separation/retirement from the military.
  • They do not need to live in Washington.
  • They maintain resident student status as long as they stay continuously enrolled.
  • Does not apply to veterans who have a dishonorable discharge from the uniformed services.
• Veterans who were discharged from the uniformed services due to sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
  • They do not need to live in Washington.
  • They do not need to enter school within a certain amount of time after separating from the military.
  • They maintain resident student status as long as they stay continuously enrolled.
  • Does not apply to veterans who have a dishonorable discharge from the uniformed services.

In addition to qualifying for residency by being eligible for VA educational or rehabilitation benefits, these military dependents are Washington resident students:

• Spouses, state registered domestic partners, or dependents (as defined in Title 10 U.S.C. Sec. 1072(2)) of active duty members stationed in Washington or of Washington national guard members (national guard members do not have to be on active duty). 
  • The student does not need to live in Washington. 
  • If the active duty member or national guard member is stationed out-of-state, the student maintains resident student status as long as they are either:
    • Enrolled in a Washington institution prior to the reassignment and stay continuously enrolled after the reassignment or 
    • Starting June 9, 2022: Enroll in a Washington institution within three years of the date of reassignment.
• Spouses, state-registered domestic partners, or dependents (as defined in Title 10 U.S.C. Sec. 1072(2)) of active duty members or Washington national guard members stationed out-of-state who entered service as a Washington resident and maintained their Washington domicile. The student does not need to live in Washington.
• Spouses, state-registered domestic partners and children under 26 of a veteran who separated or retired from the uniformed services with at least ten years of honorable service and at least 90 days of active duty service (separation/retirement does not have to be from active duty).  
  • This is for students who are not eligible for VA educational or rehabilitation benefits.
  • The student must enter school within three years of the veteran’s separation/retirement.
  • Neither the dependent nor the veteran need to live in Washington. 
  • The student maintains resident student status as long as they stay continuously enrolled.
  • Does not apply if the veteran had a dishonorable discharge from the uniformed services.
• People who live in Washington and are spouses or dependents of active duty members who live in Washington and are stationed in an Oregon county that borders Washington. If the active duty member moves out of Washington or is stationed outside of an Oregon county that borders Washington, the student maintains resident student status as long as they are either:
  • Enrolled in a Washington institution prior to the reassignment/move and stay continuously enrolled after the reassignment/move or 
  • Admitted to an institution before the reassignment/move and enrolled in the institution for the term the student was admitted.

Send all documents based on your military affiliation (see below) to our secure portal with our Residency Forms . We will update your account with the Registrar's office.

• Veterans: DD214 Member 4 or Service Number 2 and GI Bill Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
• Dependents: GI Bill Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and their Veteran's DD214 Member 4 or Service Number 2
• VR&E: Needs Tungsten PO Authorization- Please contact Our Front Desk.
• National Guard, Active Duty, & AD Dependents: Military ID and Copy of Current WA State Orders

Please view the Registrar's Residency for other ways to meet residency requirements.