Getting Started

Cal Vet College Fee Waivers (CVCFW) are accepted at Cal Poly for all classes that charge state tuition. The CVCFW will waive the state tuition portion of academic costs. It does not cover university campus-based fees. Be prepared, when using the CVCFW, to pay a portion of the academic costs out of pocket. This cost breakdown can be found under the Cost of Attendance link below.

Cal Poly is not the approving agency for this program. The State of California has changed the way it issues waivers beginning in the 2023-24 school year. Approved waiver codes from your county veterans service office should be turned in to Cal Poly through the secure form on this website with the student's EMPLID and social security number. We will access your waiver letter through the state website. Each waiver can be accessed and used once.

Apply for your waiver each year in June so that it can be approved and turned in to us before Aug 15th. This will ensure that it is credited ahead of the Fall 2023 tuition due dates. Approved waiver letters that are emailed or mailed to Cal Poly can not be credited to student accounts. 

Unlike VA programs, students using the CVCFW do not have a minimum course load requirement. The waiver will be applied regardless of the number of units a student is taking. The waiver does not apply to programs that do not charge state tuition (Extended Education/Self-Supported). 

GRADUATE STUDENTS - Students in self-supported programs are not eligible. Currently, Cal Poly's Business Analytics, Fire Protection Engineering, Packaging Value Chain, Quantitative Economics, and Taxation programs are all self-supported.

To explore Study Abroad opportunities, click the tab at the top of the page. 

We are here to assist students along the way! Let us know if you have questions about the process. Below is a helpful video guide to understanding the Cal Vet College Fee Waiver and how it will work at Cal Poly. 

    

Kari Leslie Lead Coordinator Cal Vet Fee Waiver POC VA School Certifying Official (805) 756-7112 leslie@calpoly.edu

 

To apply for a waiver, you will need to return the following documents to your local county Veterans Service Office:

1. 2022-23 Academic Year Application
2. Birth Certificate. If the veteran is your step-parent or spouse, submit the marriage certificate that establishes the relationship. 
3. The student's tax form from the previous year. If the student did not file taxes, submit a Statement of Non-filing from the IRS or an Individual Status Letter from the California Franchise Tax Board (this is the preferred agency, directions are below). 
4. Veterans DD-214. 
5. Veterans disability rating paperwork. 

Find your local county veterans service office here

*To be eligible for a Plan B CVCFW (the most common), a student's earnings and support from their parents must stay under the federal poverty level - $13,590. 

 

Once your county has approved a waiver, the student must upload the access code through our secure form with the student's EMPLID and social security number to have it applied to their account. Waivers sent by email or mail will not be applied. Waivers turned in after August 15th will often require that the student pay their state tuition costs and request reimbursement after the waiver is applied. The address on the submitted waiver must match at least one student address in your Cal Poly portal

Waivers are good for one academic year. Students will follow the process to reapply and resubmit and new CVCFW every year. Waivers cannot be credited retroactively for previous academic years. 

 

REQUEST A REFUND HERE

The Cal Vet College Fee Waiver waives state tuition costs at Cal Poly. It covers the same costs as the Cal Grant Fees (not Cal Grant B), State University Grant, and Athletic Fee Awards. If you have any of these in your financial aid package, let us know. We'll discuss with you how these programs will work together. They will not double up or pay other costs. The CVCFW does not cover the expense of books, parking, or room and board.

After the waiver is applied, students will have a remaining balance due for Cal Poly campus-based fees (approx $1486-2154 per quarter).

The Middle Class Scholarship is no longer in conflict with the Cal Vet Fee Waiver. Legislation was rewritten that it no longer is for tuition only, but now covers 'educational purposes".

Eligible students are:

• paying in-state tuition

Students must meet all of the requirements of at least one of the following three plans:

Plan	Eligibility	Income	Age	Other
A	Child, spouse, Registered Domestic Partner (RDP) or un-remarried surviving spouse or RDP of a veteran who is disabled or has died of service-related causes during a qualifying war period.	No income restrictions	The child must obtain eligibility before the age of 21, be over 14 years old and under 27 years old unless the child is also a veteran, then the period is extended to age 30. No age limit for a spouse, RDP, or un-remarried surviving spouse.	A student cannot receive U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Chapter 35 and CCFW benefits during the same academic year.
B	Child of a veteran who has a service-connected disability or has died of service-related causes.	Child's annual income cannot exceed $13,590* for the year.	No age limit	*Defined as the total of adjusted gross income plus the value of parental support during the previous year. The amount is changed each academic year, call (805) 477-5155 to obtain the current amount or go online to CAL-VET California College Fee Waiver Program.
C	Any dependent, spouse, Registered Domestic Partner (RDP), or un-remarried surviving spouse of a member of the California National Guard who is permanently disabled, died of a disability resulting from an event that occurred while in active service or has died while in active service of the state.	No income limit.	No age limit.	Active service of the state means a member of the California National Guard activated under Section 146 of the Military and Veterans Code.

 

 

To apply for the California College Fee Waiver program, the student must submit a completed application along with the previous year’s federal income tax form 1040 or state form 540. If the student is married, a copy of the joint tax return and copies of the student’s W-2s and/or 1099s must be provided to show the dependent’s income does not exceed the income limit where applicable. If the student reports an Adjusted Gross Income of $0 and a Value of Support of $0, a written statement explaining how the student is supporting themselves must be provided. 

If the student had no reportable income and did not file a tax return, you may need to request the Verification of Non-filing Letter form, from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or an Individual Status Letter from the Franchise Tax Board (FTB). To obtain statements call:  Local IRS Office (805) 445-4771, IRS (800) 829-1040, FTB (800) 829-4059. In our experience, the process is quicker and easier through the Franchise Tax Board. 

California Franchise Tax Board - Obtaining an Individual Status Letter

Email FTBIndividualStatusLetter@ftb.ca.gov with the following information:

• Student’s name and address
• Requester’s telephone number and email address

FTB staff will send a secure email in reply and provide the information needed to secure a letter. The requester will be asked to reply via the secure email and provide the necessary documents. Once FTB has the information needed, the Individual Status letter will be emailed to the requester/customer. Depending on the specific circumstances, documents to be provided may include:

• FTB-ID or social security number (SSN)
• Tax year(s)
• Copies of the requester’s photo identification and SSN card

If the request is made on behalf of someone else, you will also need to provide:

• A copy of a minor child’s birth certificate if the requester is under age 18
• A signed statement authorizing the FTB to release information on their behalf when the request is made on behalf of someone age 18 or over