CVCFW
Important Update on Cal Vet College Fee Waiver Eligibility
Due to a recent clarification of the law, the Cal Vet College Fee Waiver cannot be applied to the account of any student who is not classified as a California resident for tuition purposes. All applicants must meet California residency requirements as determined by their school.
Students who are eligible for a non-resident tuition waiver but are not considered California residents are not eligible to use the Cal Vet College Fee Waiver.
Residency determinations are made in accordance with California State University (CSU) policies. For more information about residency requirements, please visit the CSU Residency for Tuition Purposes page.
For details about the legal requirements and eligibility for the Cal Vet College Fee Waiver, please refer to the CalVet College Fee Waiver Program.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
SUBMIT A CAL VET COLLEGE FEE WAIVER APPROVAL CODE FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 24-25 HERE
REQUEST A REFUND HERE
Newly Admitted Students - Fill out this form
- Visit our New Student page for your to-do list
- Register for a New Military Mustang Workshop (Note: Our last presentation of this workshop was 8/15/2024. To watch the recorded presentation, click here)
- Watch the video guide for your benefit and visit the pages (linked above) for each of the benefits you’ll be using. "Using the Cal Vet College Fee Waiver" is for students using that benefit.
- Sign up for our New Military Mustang Google Classroom.
- Connect with us on social media @calpolyveterans to stay updated on important announcements and events. Don't forget! Our club and the center have lots of activities they want you to join in on during the academic year.
Continuing Students with New Benefits - Fill out this form
- Watch the video guide for your benefit and visit the pages (linked above) for each of the benefits you’ll be using. "Using the Cal Vet College Fee Waiver" is for students using that benefit.
- Schedule a one-on-one appointment with our team or email us if you have any questions about your benefits or the services that the the CMCS offers
- Connect with us on social media @calpolyveterans to stay updated on important announcements and events. Don't forget! Our club and the center have lots of activities they want you to join in on during the academic year.
We are committed to providing a supportive and welcoming environment for all military-connected students. We understand the unique needs and challenges that you may face, and we are here to assist you every step of the way.
Upon accepting an offer of admission, visit our New Student page for your to-do list
Stay in the know and up-to-date. Sign up for our newsletter!
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Kari Leslie Lead Coordinator Cal Vet Fee Waiver POC VA School Certifying Official leslie@calpoly.edu |
Cal Poly is not the approving agency for this program.
To apply for a waiver, you will need to return the following documents to your local county Veterans Service Office:
- Academic Year 2024-25 Application
- Birth Certificate. If the veteran is your step-parent or spouse, submit the marriage certificate that establishes the relationship.
- 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. Access their online application here.)
- Veterans DD-214.
- Veterans disability rating paperwork. Download these from the VA here.
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.
Apply for your waiver each year in May/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 2024 tuition due dates. Approved waiver letters that are emailed or mailed to Cal Poly can not be credited to student accounts.
Don't forget! Once you get your waiver approval code from your county Veteran Service Office, you must return to this page and turn it in below.
The period to turn in a waiver for the 2023-24 academic year has ended. If you have questions, please email us here.
SUBMIT A CAL VET COLLEGE FEE WAIVER APPROVAL CODE FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 24-25 HERE
REQUEST A REFUND HERE
For student applicants only - parent income is not factored in. However, parent contribution to expenses is a factor.
| Family size | 2024 income THRESHOLD |
|---|---|
| For individuals | $21,561 *estimated, final number TBD |
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. If needed, you can request a Verification of Non-filing via mail. The form can be found here.
California Franchise Tax Board - Obtaining an Individual Status Letter
Access their online application here
Or, 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
Students must be classified as a resident of California. This is usually determined during the application cycle based upon where the student graduated high school. Residency for Tuition Purposes
Students must meet all of the requirements of at least one of the following three plans:
| Plan | Eligibility | Income | Age | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A |
The unmarried child of a Veteran who is totally service-connected disabled or whose death was officially rated as service-connected is eligible. The child must be over 14 years old and under 27 years old to be eligible. If the child is a Veteran, then the age limit is extended to age 30; The spouse of a wartime Veteran who is totally service-connected disabled is eligible. There are no age limit restrictions; The unmarried surviving spouse of a wartime Veteran whose death has been rated as service-connected is eligible. There are no age limit restrictions; Any dependent of any Veteran who has been declared missing in action, captured in the line of duty by hostile forces, or forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power is eligible. |
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 + parental financial support cannot exceed $21,561* for the previous calendar 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. |
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.
This program does not cover the expense of Extended Education courses at Cal Poly. The fee waiver approval received from a county veteran service office must be submitted here every academic year. Waivers cannot be credited retroactively for previous academic years. Waivers should be submitted prior to the tuition due dates and can take several business days to process and be applied. If the waiver is not turned in at least 2 weeks before tuition and fees are due, students may be required to pay those costs and request reimbursement.
This is not a VA program - it is a State of California benefit wherein Cal Poly writes off the student's state tuition costs each quarter. No money is provided to Cal Poly on the student's behalf.
The waiver does not apply to programs that do not charge state tuition (Extended Education/Self-Supported, Quarter Plus, and many Study Abroad programs). To explore qualified Study Abroad opportunities, click the tab at the top of the page.
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.
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 $1486-2500 per quarter).
The State of California 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.
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.
Parents - Only Cal Poly students should be accessing the submission form. It requires their signature acknowledging understanding of the following:
YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE FURTHER CONFIRMATION THAT YOUR WAIVER HAS BEEN PROCESSED. If there is an issue with your submission, we will reach out to you via your Cal Poly email.
Students are able to view their Account Activity in their Money Matters tab to verify that their waiver has been applied. Please allow several days for this credit to be applied to your account each term. It will show as a credit labeled "UG Tuition Fee Wvr".
SUBMIT A CAL VET COLLEGE FEE WAIVER APPROVAL CODE FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 24-25 HERE
REQUEST A REFUND HERE
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. We do not report course load , classes taken or grades.
Each academic year, the process for students using a Cal Vet College Fee Waiver will look like this:
(THIS PROCESS IS FOR STUDENTS USING A CAL VET COLLEGE FEE WAIVER. IT IS NOT THE PROCESS FOR STUDENTS USING VA BENEFITS. IF YOU ARE USING A VA BENEFIT IN ADDITION TO YOUR CVCFW, PLEASE REFER TO OUR VA BENEFIT PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.)
- Gather the 5 documents required to apply for a CVCFW for the upcoming academic year (see above for the complete list). If the student did not file taxes, request a financial statement from the California Franchise Tax Board or IRS (see the information provided above on how to do this). Ideally, this process can be started for the upcoming academic year as soon as tax season ends each year in April.
- Apply for a CVCFW with your county Veterans Service Office, or our SLO County Office. This can take from 1 week to several months to complete depending on the level of impaction at your county VSO. Apply early in the Spring/Summer to avoid issues.
- The VSO will process your documents and your application. If it is approved, they will email the student (via VetPro) an approval letter with a 16-digit authorization code.
- Return to this webpage and use the link above to submit the 16-digit code.
- We will use the information provided to retrieve the students waiver from the state database. From there, we will notify our Student Accounts office to have the waiver applied to any state tuition costs for the academic year for which a waiver has been provided. Waivers cannot be retroactively applied to past academic years. If a CVCFW is approved during the current academic year, we will apply it to all eligible terms for that particular year.
- After students register for classes each term, the Student Accounts office will write off any state tuition costs for that term. This is a manual process and sometimes takes a couple of weeks for the university to complete the 500+ waivers that must be applied each term. There is nothing on the students part that needs to be done. State tuition is approximately half the cost of taking classes each term. The university also charges registration fees or campus-based fees. These are not waived. There are some forms of financial aid that are also meant to cover state tuition (Cal Grant FEES, State University Grant and some athletic awards). If the student has these on their account, a CVCFW cannot be applied to their account.
- Students will see the waiver applied and must make arrangements to pay the remaining balance for their class costs if they do not have financial aid (grants, scholarships and loans) in place to pay the remainder.
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.
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Kari Leslie Lead Coordinator Cal Vet Fee Waiver POC VA School Certifying Official leslie@calpoly.edu |