Wayne State College’s First Responder Tuition Waiver can cover up to 100% of resident tuition, after your other aid is subtracted, for Nebraska law enforcement officers, professional firefighters and their dependent children. Officers and firefighters have to be working toward a bachelor’s degree in an eligible program, and applications open on 8/1 each year.
This is a Nebraska state benefit that Wayne State College carries out, and the college’s page says it comes under the Nebraska First Responder Recruitment and Retention Act. The waiver is available for fall, spring and summer terms, and the page says online courses are covered up to the amount of a comparable on-campus course for a resident student. That matters if you’re finishing a degree around rotating shifts.
How To Get The Wayne State College First Responder Discount
- Complete and submit the FAFSA.
- Complete and sign the First Responder Tuition Waiver Application form.
- Have your superior officer sign the certification at the end of the form, attesting to your satisfactory performance.
- Attach page 2 of Form FRVA from the Nebraska Department of Revenue, which covers proof of employment and Nebraska residency. You submit the form to the Department of Revenue, and page 2 comes back to you.
- If you’re applying as a dependent, attach a copy of the agreement committing you to stay a Nebraska resident for five years.
- Return the form and the completed verification to the college’s Financial Services Office no later than the start of your term.
The page says applications won’t be accepted before 8/1 each year, and you have to apply annually.
Who Qualifies, In The College’s Words
The page defines a law enforcement officer as anyone responsible for preventing or detecting crime or enforcing Nebraska’s penal, traffic or highway laws for more than 100 hours per year, who’s authorized by law to make arrests. A professional firefighter is a firefighter or firefighter-paramedic in a paid Nebraska fire department, and firefighting must be a full-time career.
Dependents qualify if they meet the FAFSA definition of a dependent student and at least one parent or legal guardian qualifies and lives in Nebraska. The page doesn’t name corrections officers, dispatchers, EMTs on their own, volunteers or retirees. If you’re in one of those jobs, call the financial aid office before you plan around this.
Eligible Majors And The Five-Year Limit
Law enforcement officers can use the waiver for Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice/Chemistry as a double major, Human Services, Social Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, Spanish, Journalism, Organizational Leadership and Public Relations, One Health Studies and Safety Management. Professional firefighters can choose Biology, Chemistry, Criminal Justice, One Health Studies, Spanish, Exercise Science, Applied Human and Sport Physiology or Safety Management. Dependents can pursue any major.
A student can receive the waiver for up to five years while staying eligible.
The Nebraska Residency Agreement
Before a dependent receives the waiver, the page says they must sign an agreement to live in Nebraska for five years after using it, or repay the college the amount of the waiver provided. If your son or daughter might move out of state after graduating, read that clause with them.
Q&A
Q: How much does the waiver cover?
A: The page says up to 100% of resident tuition charges, after subtracting awarded federal and state aid, grants and scholarships.
Q: Do I have to live in Nebraska?
A: The forms ask for proof of Nebraska residency, and a dependent’s parent or guardian must live in Nebraska.
Q: Can I take online classes?
A: Yes, with a limit. Online courses won’t be covered for more than the comparable on-campus resident amount.
Q: When can I apply?
A: The page says applications aren’t accepted before 8/1 each year.
Q: Who do I contact?
A: The page lists the Financial Aid Office at 402-375-7229 or [email protected].
Q: Is there an online school that offers first responder savings?
A: Our Liberty University page covers one.
More Information:
The college can change the waiver’s terms, 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.
