Dependent Tuition Assistance — Tuition Plus Room and Board
A dependent of a prisoner of war or service member missing in action — or of a National Guard member (or officer or firefighter) who died or was permanently disabled on duty — studies toward a first bachelor's or certificate with tuition AND room and board covered at the public institutions. Enrol before 24; eight semesters within six years.
Verified August 22, 2026
What this benefit is
A dependent of a prisoner of war or service member missing in action — or of a National Guard member (or officer or firefighter) who died or was permanently disabled on duty — studies toward a first bachelor's or certificate with tuition AND room and board covered at the public institutions. Enrol before 24; eight semesters within six years.
What it's worth: Tuition plus room and board at in-state publics; tuition-only out of state, capped at comparable public rates; required fees never covered
- Payments go directly to the institution after each semester's census date.
Who is entitled to it
- The qualifying parent is a POW/MIA service member or a Guard member who died or was permanently disabled on state duty.
- The qualifying parent meets the programme definitions.
Not sure whether that describes you?
Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.
How to claim it
- 1Enrol in the programme before the 24th birthday, for undergraduate study toward a FIRST bachelor's degree or certificate.
- 2Know the coverage map: in-state public institutions carry tuition plus room and board; eligible in-state non-publics are capped at comparable public rates; out-of-state institutions are tuition-only. Required institutional fees are never covered anywhere.
- 3File the FAFSA and renew it yearly; reach a 2.5 cumulative GPA within the first year and hold it. Benefits stop at eight semesters, with six years from initial enrolment to finish.
- 4A 2019-era reform layered a tuition WAIVER at state schools (from July 2025) for children of POW/MIA and Guard casualties who lack federal education benefits — ask the department which track fits before applying.
- Form
- DTAP application with documentation via the secure portal
- File with
- The Department of Higher Education (documents via ShareFile, never the mailbox)
- Documents you will need
- va benefit summary letter
- Annual
- Claimed once a year.
Sources
- authority · published policyDepartment of Higher Education — Dependent Tuition Assistance Program (C.R.S. 23-3.3-204, -205)
Why only one source type: The department's own programme page states the qualifying classes, the coverage split, the GPA and FAFSA conditions and the semester limits.
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.