Tuition Waiver for Recipients of the Purple Heart or a Superior Combat Decoration
Waives undergraduate tuition and fees at Florida public colleges and universities for holders of a Purple Heart or a superior combat decoration.
Verified August 15, 2026
What this benefit is
A full waiver of undergraduate tuition and fees at Florida public colleges and universities for holders of a Purple Heart or a superior combat decoration.
What it's worth: 100% of undergraduate tuition and fees at a Florida public institution
- The waived amount depends on your institution and credit load.
Who is entitled to it
- A recipient of the Purple Heart or a superior combat decoration.
- Who is a Florida resident attending a Florida public institution.
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.
The thing most people get wrong
This waiver is §1009.26(8) — and it is widely mis-cited
You will see it attributed to §295.016 or §295.0165. §295.0165 does not exist at all, and §295.016 covers children of servicemembers killed or disabled in Operation Eagle Claw in 1980. If a school administrator cannot find the authority, point them at §1009.26(8).
How to claim it
Deadline: Set by your institution- 1Take your DD214 showing the decoration to your school's veteran services office.
- 2Ask specifically for the §1009.26(8) combat-decoration waiver.
- File with
- Your institution's veteran services office
- Documents you will need
- dd214 showing decoration · proof of fl residency
- Apply each term
- Your institution re-checks this every term.
Common mistakes that cost people this benefit
- Asking about it by the wrong citation and being told no such waiver exists.
- Assuming the deadline is statutory. It is set by your institution, so ask early.
Questions people ask
- Does it cover graduate study?
- The waiver is for undergraduate tuition and fees. Ask your institution what it applies to in your specific programme.
Sources
- authority · statuteFla. Stat. §1009.26(8)
Why only one source type: The statute is the authority. Operating terms are set per institution, so there is no single statewide operating source to cite.
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.