SYRACUSE — Onondaga Community College (OCC) on Thursday announced that veterans whose legal residence is out of state, but were honorably discharged in New York can pay the in-state tuition rate to attend the school.
Those eligible will be begin paying that tuition rate beginning with the summer 2013 semester, the school said in a news release.
As part of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would pay the out-of-state tuition rate. However, the law changed in August 2011 and the VA would no longer cover the additional charges, according to OCC.
The nonprofit Students Veterans Advocacy Group, based in Wilmington, N.C., estimated the change impacted 250,000 veterans nationwide, including soldiers with out-of-state residence who were honorably discharged from Fort Drum and decided to enroll at OCC.
The school made the tuition announcement during the sixth annual Operation: Start Up & Grow event, a business conference for veterans and members of the military community who want to start or expand small business.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com