Nebraska First Responder Tuition Waiver (First Responder Recruitment and Retention Act)
State of Nebraska (Nebraska Department of Revenue verification; public colleges waive)
Waives the resident tuition left after other grants for Nebraska law enforcement officers, firefighters and their children at Nebraska public colleges.
- How much
- 100% of resident tuition remaining after federal and state grants
- Who qualifies
- Nebraska law enforcement officer or firefighter (or disabled former one), or their child; correctional and youth detention officers from July 1, 2027
- First responder must reside in Nebraska and be employed as a first responder (or be an eligible disabled person); children must file the FAFSA, have no prior bachelor's degree and sign a 5-year Nebraska residency agreement.
- For students starting college, undergrads, adults going back to school
- US citizen or qualified alien verified as lawfully present (Neb. Rev. Stat. 4-110 to 4-112)
- When to apply
- Apply any time Annual re-verification; UNL requires documents by the last day of the fall semester to cover that academic year.
- How to apply
- Apply to the Nebraska public college with a certificate of verification from the first responder's superior officer, file the FAFSA (for children), and submit Form FRVA proof of employment and Nebraska residence each year through the Department of Revenue's eDASH
- At UNL, complete the annual steps by the end of the fall semester
- What you'll need
- FAFSA + state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (revenue.nebraska.gov), page 2, page 3 and page 4
The details
Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 85-2609 to 85-2625 (expanded by LB 608, 2025), Nebraska-resident certified law enforcement officers and firefighters in good standing, those disabled from first-responder service, and their qualifying children can get a waiver of 100% of resident tuition remaining after federal and state grants at the University of Nebraska, the Nebraska State Colleges and the community colleges, for an associate or bachelor's degree, for up to five years. Correctional and youth detention officers (and their children) are added from July 1, 2027, for University of Nebraska campuses only. Children must file the FAFSA, have no prior bachelor's degree, and sign an agreement to live in Nebraska for five years after using the waiver (filing a Nebraska tax return each year) or repay the waived tuition.
More money from Nebraska
- Nebraska Career Scholarship (Nebraska State Colleges)$2,000-$15,000 per year
- Nebraska Career Scholarship (community colleges)Up to $15,000 per year
- Nebraska Career Scholarship (private colleges)Up to $10,000 per year
- Community College Gap Assistance ProgramPartial or full tuition, required books and equipment, and fees (no fixed maximum published)
- Nebraska Career Scholarship (University of Nebraska)Minimum $8,000 per year at UNL ($4,000/semester); up to $8,000 per year at UNK; up to four years
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Wyoming
- 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
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