CalVet College Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents
California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet)
Waives mandatory systemwide tuition and fees at any UC, CSU or California community college for eligible dependents of disabled or deceased veterans.
- How much
- waives mandatory systemwide tuition and fees at UC, CSU and California community colleges
- Who qualifies
- Dependent (child or spouse) of a service-connected disabled or deceased veteran, MIA/POW veteran, California National Guard member killed/disabled on state active service, or Medal of Honor recipient
- Must meet the school's California residency requirements. Plan B income limit $22,941 (2026-27); Plan D is undergraduate-only; Plan A children 14-26.
- For students starting college, undergrads, grad students, transfer students
- Partly need-based: your FAFSA can affect whether you get it or how much.
- When to apply
- Apply any time No published deadline; apply each academic year through a County Veterans Service Office (no retroactive waivers except for pending VA claims)
- How to apply
- Check eligibility with CalVet's College Fee Waiver Calculator, download the DVS-40 application, and submit it at your local County Veterans Service Office (CVSO)
- Apply for each academic year
- What you'll need
- state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (calvet.ca.gov)
The details
Four plans. Plan A: unmarried child (age 14-26; 30 if the child is a veteran) of a veteran who is totally service-connected disabled or died of service-connected causes; spouse of a totally disabled wartime veteran; unmarried surviving spouse of a wartime veteran; or any dependent of a veteran who is MIA/POW. Wartime service required; no income limit; cannot be combined with VA Chapter 35. Plan B: child of a veteran with any service-connected disability (or who died of service-related causes); no wartime or age requirement, but the child's income may not exceed the limit ($22,941 for 2026-27). Plan C: dependents and unremarried surviving spouses of California National Guard members killed or permanently disabled on active state service. Plan D: Medal of Honor recipients and their children under 27 (undergraduate only, income and age limits). Does not cover books, parking, or room and board; self-supported extension programs may not honor it.
More money from California
- Cal Grant A2026-27 max: UC $15,588 (2026-27 cohort), CSU $6,838, CCC bachelor's program $3,024, private institutions $4,000-$9,358
- Student Success Completion Grant (SSCG)up to $8,000 per year (15+ units/semester); $2,596 per year (12-14.99 units/semester)
- Cal-HBCU Transfer Grant Programup to $5,000 (one-time)
- Cal Grant C2026-27 max: community college $1,094 (books/supplies); private schools $2,462 tuition/fees + $547 books/supplies
- Cal Grant B2026-27: $1,648 access award (first year); from year two also tuition/fees up to $15,588 at UC, $6,838 at CSU, $4,000-$9,358 at private schools
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Arizona, Nevada, Oregon
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.