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Tuition Paid From the General Fund When a Guard Member Dies on Duty

Where an active Rhode Island National Guard member is killed or dies in the performance of duty, the state pays tuition for their spouse and children AT URI, RIC AND OTHER STATE-OPERATED institutions — from the general fund, not from a scholarship pot that can run out. It covers THE NORMAL COURSE-COMPLETION TIME, to a maximum of four years. Because it is a general fund appropriation under §30-3-40.5 rather than a discretionary programme, it does not depend on a budget line surviving.

Verified August 27, 2026

What this benefit is

Where an active Rhode Island National Guard member is killed or dies in the performance of duty, the state pays tuition for their spouse and children AT URI, RIC AND OTHER STATE-OPERATED institutions — from the general fund, not from a scholarship pot that can run out. It covers THE NORMAL COURSE-COMPLETION TIME, to a maximum of four years. Because it is a general fund appropriation under §30-3-40.5 rather than a discretionary programme, it does not depend on a budget line surviving.

What it's worth: Tuition paid from the state general fund, up to four years

  • Applies where an ACTIVE RHODE ISLAND NATIONAL GUARD member is KILLED OR DIES IN THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY.
  • Tuition is paid FROM THE STATE GENERAL FUND — not from a scholarship pot that can be exhausted.
  • At URI, RIC AND OTHER STATE-OPERATED colleges and universities.
  • For the NORMAL COURSE-COMPLETION TIME, MAXIMUM FOUR YEARS.
  • Reaches the SPOUSE AND CHILDREN.
  • THE RESIDENCY TEST IS NOT ESTABLISHED from the sources reviewed.
  • Statutory basis: R.I. Gen. Laws §30-3-40.5.

Who is entitled to it

  • You are in one of the groups this reaches.
  • The member died in the performance of duty.
  • You are enrolled or applying.
  • Rhode Island state-operated institutions.

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

  1. 1Contact the Rhode Island National Guard education office, which is the practical route in.
  2. 2Cite §30-3-40.5 — the obligation is statutory and paid from the general fund.
  3. 3Ask the institution's bursar to bill the state rather than you; this is a payment, not a reimbursement.
  4. 4Plan the four-year maximum against the normal completion time of the course.
  5. 5Ask how it interacts with federal survivor education benefits such as the Fry Scholarship.
Form
Application through the RI National Guard education office
File with
RI National Guard Education Office, with your institution
Annual
Claimed once a year.
Worth knowingPaid from the general fund is worth noticing. Most survivor education benefits in this corpus depend on an annual appropriation and can run short; this one is a standing obligation.

Sources

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.