The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s First Responder Pledge is for full-time undergraduates: it waives in-state tuition, after scholarships and grants, for Nebraska first responders and their dependent children for up to five years. Students need at least 12 credit hours per semester, and the page doesn’t mention online study.
UNL runs two versions on one page. The Nebraska pledge is for Nebraska residents. The National First Responder Pledge is for out-of-state students and takes up to $18,000 off the out-of-state portion of tuition for the academic year, not counting summer. Both are for first-year or transfer undergraduates, so this isn’t a fit if you’re hoping to add a few evening classes to a job you already work.
How To Get The University of Nebraska-Lincoln First Responder Discount
- Apply for admission as a first-year or transfer undergraduate.
- Once you’re admitted, indicate your first responder affiliation on the supplemental Scholarship Application, or contact Husker Hub.
- Meet the pledge’s requirements: first responder affiliation, residency, full-time enrollment of 12 credit hours or more per semester, and a 3.0 GPA at Nebraska.
- For the Nebraska pledge, plan on the five-year commitment to stay in Nebraska after you graduate.
Husker Hub’s contact on the page is [email protected] or 402-472-2030.
Who Qualifies, In The University’s Words
The Nebraska pledge names Nebraska law enforcement officers, corrections officers, youth detention officers, firefighters, firefighter-paramedics and their dependent children. The national pledge names law enforcement officers, firefighters, firefighter-paramedics and dependent children, and its definition covers people employed full time and paid for responding to fire, medical, hazardous material or similar emergencies, such as firefighters, officers, paramedics and EMTs. The page says the designation doesn’t include people serving solely as volunteers. Dispatchers aren’t named, so ask Husker Hub.
Award recipients also have to be US citizens or verified as lawfully present, according to the page.
How Long It Lasts And Which Majors Count
For the Nebraska pledge, first-year students can be awarded up to five years. Transfer students with more than 52 credits are eligible for 3 years, and those with fewer than 52 credits for 4. The national pledge runs up to four years for first-year students, 2 years for transfers with more than 52 credits and 3 years for those with fewer than 52. The national amount is prorated if you enroll in fewer than 15 credits in fall or spring.
Officers can use the Nebraska pledge for a list that includes Forensic Science, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, Spanish and Journalism. Firefighters and firefighter-paramedics have their own list, with Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry and Microbiology on it. Dependent children can choose any undergraduate major. The national pledge is open to any major.
The Nebraska Residency Commitment
The Nebraska pledge asks recipients to stay in Nebraska for five years after graduation. The page says a recipient who doesn’t remain a resident for that period must agree to repay the University of Nebraska System the tuition that was waived.
Q&A
Q: Can I use this for online classes or night classes?
A: The page doesn’t mention online study. It asks for full-time enrollment of at least 12 credit hours per semester, so ask Husker Hub.
Q: Is this only for people who live in Nebraska?
A: No. The Nebraska pledge is for Nebraska residents, and the National First Responder Pledge is for out-of-state students.
Q: Does it follow me to UNO, UNK or UNMC?
A: No. The page says the national pledge isn’t transferable to those campuses.
Q: Are my kids covered?
A: Both pledges name dependent children, and the page says they can choose any undergraduate major.
Q: Will the terms stay the same?
A: The page says scholarships are subject to change each year for new incoming students.
Q: Is there an online school that offers first responder savings?
A: Our Liberty University page covers one.
More Information:
The university can change the pledge, so check its page before you apply. For more ways to save, browse our money discounts. You can also see it alongside other options in How First Responders Can Save Thousands on College Tuition: The Best Schools Offering Tuition Discounts.
