Armed Forces Residency Benefit

Eligibility:

Currently serving members in the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard), spouses and dependent children who are:

• Active Duty
• Reserves
• Kansas Army or Air National Guard 
  • Note: If you are in the Guard in another state, you cannot apply for residency through this section. See the prior-service veterans, spouses, dependents, & VA benefits users criteria to see if you are eligible.

Process:

Provide one of the following by the 30th day of the semester being requested: 

• A copy of current orders, or
• Your most recent LES
  • If you are National Guard, you will also need to provide proof of service in the Kansas Air/Army National Guard (e.g. enlistment contract, a memo from your unit, etc.)
• ROTC: a copy of current contract for enlistment or reenlistment in the Armed Forces.

If spouse or dependent child, also provide documentation verifying relationship to service member (i.e. birth certificate, tax returns, military dependent ID) if not listed on the orders.

You must begin this process by the 30th day of the semester being requested. Retroactive requests will not be approved. If you are experiencing a delay in obtaining required documents, please contact us before the 30th day.

Submit your documentation by using the online Armed Forces Residency form. Your KU Online ID is required to log on to the form.

To keep your residency status:

Maintain continuous enrollment (except summer terms & breaks)

Eligibility

Veterans, spouses and dependent children who meet at least one of these criteria:

• Currently eligible to receive a VA educational benefit (i.e. GI Bill® Chapters 30, 31, 33, 35, 1606); or
• Veteran was permanently stationed in Kansas during service in the Armed Forces; or
• Veteran had established Kansas residency prior to joining the Armed Forces;

AND are living in Kansas while attending KU;

AND submit a statement of intent to establish residence in Kansas (by filling out the web form below)

Process

Note: for these steps, KU Online ID login required 

• Complete the statement of intent web form by the 30th day of the semester being requested and upload any of the following to the form:
  • VA GI Bill Certificate of Eligibility or Statement of Benefits, or
  • DD-214 or other documentation showing proof of prior Kansas residency, or
  • Any official military documents showing a Kansas permanent duty station (TDYs do not count)
• Update your "current" or "Jayhawk" address in KU Enroll & Pay to a Kansas address.
  • If you do not have a Kansas address when you submit the statement of intent web form, we can conditionally approve your residency pending your Kansas address. You will need to enter your Kansas address as your “current” or “Jayhawk” address in KU Enroll & Pay no later than 1 week before classes start. If you do not meet this deadline, your conditionally awarded in-state tuition rate will convert to out-of-state rates. If this happens, you will have until the 30th day of the semester to update your address and regain in-state status. If you do not complete this by the 30th day, you will owe out-of-state tuition for the entire semester.
• If spouse or dependent child and your name is not listed on any of the aforementioned documents, also provide documentation verifying relationship to veteran (i.e. birth certificate, tax returns, military dependent ID).

You must begin this process by the 30th day of the semester being requested. Retroactive requests will not be approved. If you are experiencing a delay in obtaining documents from VA, please contact us ASAP.

To keep residency status:

Maintain continuous enrollment (except summer terms and breaks), AND

Maintain physical presence residence in Kansas during enrollment

Per Kansas state law, you must be enrolled to receive the Armed Forces Residency Benefit (AFRB) and submit the required documents/information. This requires having a KU login. Visit either the steps for current service members, spouses, dependents or the steps for veterans, spouses, dependents above for what you need to do for AFRB. If you have questions, contact us.

Your out-of-state merit scholarship will convert to the in-state equivalent. No action is needed on your part. Visit the freshman scholarships page to see the in-state equivalent. While the in-state scholarships are a lot lower, your tuition rates are also a lot lower. The out-of-state merit scholarships are just designed to bring your tuition closer to the in-state rates, so it’s a better deal to get in-state residency and the in-state merit scholarships.

You can still submit the statement of intent webform. If you meet all other criteria, we can conditionally approve your residency status pending your Kansas address. You will need to enter your Kansas address as your “current” or “Jayhawk” address in KU Enroll & Pay no later than 1 week before classes start. If you do not meet this deadline, your conditionally awarded in-state tuition rate will convert to out-of-state. If this happens, you will have until the 30th day of the semester to update your address and regain in-state status. If you do not, you will owe out-of-state tuition for the entire semester.

If you have not yet applied for VA benefits, visit the VA's website and apply. The VA will mail you a COE 4-8 weeks after you've applied.

If you have applied but cannot locate your COE, get a copy of Post-9/11 GI Bill Statement of Benefits or, for all other VA benefits users: visit AskVA to request your COE or call 888-442-4551.

If you are waiting on your COE but it is close to the 30-day residency deadline, go ahead and fill out the KU webform and upload a document that states you're waiting on your COE. 

While you can't apply for the for the Armed Forces Residency Benefit (AFRB) as a current servicemember (per Kansas law), you can look at the veterans/spouses/dependents & VA benefits users criteria to see if you are eligible to apply that way. 

For example, if you are using Ch. 1606 Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve or another VA education benefit and will live in Kansas while attending KU, you can apply for AFRB under the veterans/spouses/dependents & VA benefits users section. 

It depends. 

Current service members/spouses/dependents who apply for the Armed Forces Residency Benefit (AFRB): where you live does not matter. 

Veterans/spouses/dependents: if you have the Post-9/11 GI Bill at the 100% rate you may be eligible to apply for Yellow Ribbon while using the GI Bill. Otherwise, it is a requirement for students to live in Kansas while attending KU to receive AFRB.

You do not need to apply for AFRB since your program is a flat rate regardless of residency status. You only need to apply if you see “out-of-state” indicated on your tuition charges on your KU bill. Contact us if you’d like to confirm that you’re in a flat-rate program.

KUMC has a separate process. Visit their military residency website for those steps. 

Note: If you are a veteran/spouse/dependent or a Guard member from another state (not Kansas Guard), be sure to live in Kansas while attending KUMC if you want to be eligible for their military residency benefit. KUMC is on the border of Kansas/Missouri so it is important to make sure you live in Kansas. (This does not apply to active duty, Reserves, Kansas Guard and their spouses/dependents - you can live in either state). 

Yes. Yellow Ribbon covers the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition. If you plan to live in Kansas while attending KU, you will not need Yellow Ribbon - apply for in-state tuition rates per AFRB instead. 

Yellow Ribbon is a VA program only for students who:

• Do not meet the Armed Forces Residency Benefit (AFRB) criteria. 
• Are using the Post-9/11 GI Bill at the 100% rate. 
• Are being charged out-of-state tuition (i.e. living in another state while attending KU and not in a flat-rate program).

If you meet all 3 criteria above, please complete the Yellow Ribbon Application each academic year you have GI Bill benefits. This benefit is only good for as long as you have GI Bill benefits. 

Note: The KUMC campus no longer offers Yellow Ribbon. Visit their military residency website for more info.

No, you get to keep your residency status as long as you:

• Maintain continuous fall/spring enrollment (you can take summers off), and
• (For veterans/spouses/dependents) Continue to live in Kansas while attending KU (you can go home over breaks/summer)

Yes, if you take a fall or spring semester off and have to reapply to KU, you will have to reapply for AFRB.

If you take summer semesters off, you do not have to reapply.

The one exception is if you are called to active duty, complete a military withdrawal, and return within 3 semesters.