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CalVet College Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents — Free Tuition at CA Community Colleges, CSU and UC

Phone number
530-273-3396 – apply through the Nevada County Veterans Services Office
Category
Veterans
Student
Money
Auto tags
Eligibility
Children, spouses, and surviving spouses of veterans with a service-connected disability or death, under Plans A–D; California residents
Auto Summary
The CalVet College Fee Waiver waives mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at California Community Colleges, CSU, and UC for eligible dependents of veterans. It does not cover books, parking, or room and board. Plan A has no income limit. Under Plan B, a child of a veteran with any service-connected disability qualifies if the student's income is at or under $22,941 (academic year 2026–27). Apply with the DVS-40 form at your County Veterans Service Office — in Nevada County, 530-273-3396. Verified 2026-09-28.
Value
Waives mandatory system-wide tuition and fees
Espanol
Exención de cuotas universitarias de CalVet para dependientes de veteranos — Matrícula gratuita en colegios comunitarios, CSU y UC
URL
calvet.ca.gov/VetServ...ver.aspx
Last verified 2026-09-28.
The College Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents "waives mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus." It "does not cover the expense of books, parking or room and board." Source: CalVet — College Fee Waiver (accessed 2026-09-28)

Who qualifies — the four plans (in CalVet's words, shortened)

  • Plan A — no income limit. "The unmarried child of a Veteran who is totally service-connected disabled or whose death was officially rated as service-connected" (the child must be over 14 and under 27, or under 30 if the child is a veteran). Also the spouse of a wartime veteran who is totally service-connected disabled, and the unmarried surviving spouse of a wartime veteran whose death was rated service-connected. You can't receive Plan A and VA Chapter 35 benefits at the same time.
  • Plan B — income limit. "The child of a Veteran who has a service-connected disability, or had a service-connected disability at the time of death, or died of service-related causes." Wartime service is not required and there is no age limit. The student's income limit for academic year 2026–27 is $22,941. You can receive Plan B together with Chapter 35.
  • Plan C. Dependents of California National Guard members killed or permanently disabled in active service to the state.
  • Plan D. Medal of Honor recipients and their children under 27 (undergraduate only; income and age limits apply).
All applicants must meet California residency requirements.

How to apply

  1. Check your eligibility with CalVet's College Fee Waiver Calculator.
  1. Fill out the DVS-40 application.
  1. Take it to your County Veterans Service Office. In Nevada County, that's the Nevada County Veterans Services Office: 530-273-3396, 988 McCourtney Road, Grass Valley. Source: Nevada County — College Fee Waiver (accessed 2026-09-28)
What to bring (per the County): a birth certificate (and the parents' marriage certificate for a stepchild), verification of the veteran's service-connected rating, and, for Plan B, the student's previous-year tax return or a non-filing letter plus the veteran's DD-214.

Sources