Free UC Tuition for Veterans' Kids: The CalVet Fee Waiver

If you are a California veteran with a service-connected disability, your child may be able to attend a University of California campus, a Cal State or a California community college without paying systemwide tuition. That is what the CalVet College Fee Waiver for Veteran Dependents does, and many families only hear about it from a counselor during senior year. This guide covers what the waiver pays for, which of the four plans fits your family, the 2026–27 income limit, and how to file the DVS-40 application.

1. What the CalVet Fee Waiver Covers (and What It Doesn't)

The waiver is a California state benefit, run by the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) through County Veterans Service Offices. According to CalVet's College Fee Waiver page, it waives mandatory systemwide tuition and fees at any California Community College, California State University or University of California campus. It does not pay for books, parking, or room and board.

Sources: CalVet College Fee Waiver page; UC Merced Veteran Services; CSU San Marcos Student Financial Services, checked September 2026.

So "free tuition" is accurate for systemwide tuition, but it is not a free ride. Budget for campus fees and living costs, and have your student file the FAFSA for aid that can help with those. The applicant must also meet the school's California residency requirements.

2. The Four CalVet Plans: Which One Fits Your Family?

CalVet sorts eligibility into four plans. Most families fall under Plan A or Plan B, so start there.

Source: CalVet College Fee Waiver page, checked September 2026. Your County Veterans Service Office makes the eligibility decision.

Two Plan A details trip families up. First, the event that created eligibility (the veteran's total disability rating or service-connected death) must have happened before the child's 21st birthday. Second, a Plan A student can't receive VA Chapter 35 benefits at the same time and signs an election statement to confirm it. If the child is a veteran, the age limit extends to 30. Dependents of a veteran declared missing in action or held as a prisoner also qualify under Plan A. Adopted children and stepchildren must have entered that status before age 23.

Plan A or Plan B? A child of a veteran rated 100% may meet both. Plan A has no income test, so it is the safer choice if your student earns more than the Plan B limit. Plan B lets your student keep Chapter 35 payments alongside the waiver, so if your student's income is under the limit, Plan B is often worth comparing first. Ask your County Veterans Service Office to run both before you sign the Plan A election.

3. The Plan B Income Limit for 2026–27

Plan B is the plan most California families use, and its income test is the part people search for most. CalVet counts the student's income, not the veteran's: the student's adjusted gross income for the prior year plus the value of any support a parent provides.

Source: CalVet College Fee Waiver page and Orange County Veterans Service Office, checked September 2026. The 2025–26 limit was $22,273.

Since the 2024–25 academic year, the limit follows California's state poverty level from the Franchise Tax Board's filing chart rather than the lower federal threshold, a change made by AB 1745. How your county values parental support can vary, so use CalVet's College Fee Waiver Calculator first, then confirm with your County Veterans Service Office.

4. How to Apply: The DVS-40, Step by Step

The application is CalVet form DVS-40, and you file it with your County Veterans Service Office (CVSO), not with the college. Here is the process:

1. Check eligibility. Run the CalVet calculator and confirm your student's program is state-supported.
2. Download the DVS-40. Get the current DVS-40 application from CalVet. Both the student and the veteran sign it.
3. Gather documents. Proof of dependency (birth certificate, adoption records or marriage certificate); the VA award letter and DD-214; for Plan B, the student's prior-year Form 1040 or 540, or a non-filing letter; for Plan A, the Chapter 35 election statement; and a death certificate if the veteran has passed.
4. Submit to your CVSO. Find yours through CalVet's CVSO locations. Processing ranges from about 14 business days (Riverside County) to 30 business days (Orange County).
5. Send the approval to the school. Give the award letter to the campus veterans or financial aid office so it can apply the waiver to the student account.
6. Reapply every academic year. Approval doesn't renew on its own.

Timing matters. CalVet says state law doesn't allow retroactive waivers, and the earliest a waiver can take effect is the first day of the academic year. There is one exception: if an application is denied only because the veteran's VA disability claim is still pending, and VA later grants a service-connected rating, the waiver can be applied back to the years you applied. That only works if you applied each year, so file even while the claim is pending.

5. CalVet, Chapter 35 and the GI Bill®: Building Your Family's Plan

The CalVet waiver is a state benefit. It sits alongside federal VA education benefits rather than replacing them, and how you combine them can change what your family pays.

Source: VA.gov, Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (last updated September 22, 2026).

A few rules of thumb for families:

• Public school in California: start with the CalVet waiver. If the veteran is rated permanently and totally disabled, compare Plan A alone with Plan B plus Chapter 35.
• Private or out-of-state school: the waiver doesn't apply. Look at Chapter 35, or a Post-9/11 GI Bill® transferred to your child, which may be paired with the Yellow Ribbon Program if the veteran qualified at the 100% benefit level.
• Costs the waiver leaves: use our Scholarship Finder for campus fees, books and housing.
• Your own degree: the waiver covers your child, not you. Your GI Bill® or VR&E (Chapter 31) may still cover a degree for you. Our California GI Bill® guide explains how benefits work at California schools.

If you transferred Post-9/11 entitlement to your child and they will also use the CalVet waiver, tell the school certifying official before the term so both benefits are applied correctly.

6. FAQ

Does the CalVet fee waiver have an age limit?

It depends on the plan. Under Plan A, a child must be over 14 and under 27 (under 30 if the child is a veteran), and the veteran's death or total disability rating must have happened before the child's 21st birthday; spouses have no age limit. Plan B has no age requirement. Plan D covers children of Medal of Honor recipients under 27.

What is the CalVet fee waiver income limit for 2026–27?

For Plan B, CalVet lists an income limit of $22,941 for the 2026–27 academic year. It is measured against the student's income for the previous calendar year: the student's adjusted gross income plus the value of any support a parent provides. Plan A has no income limit.

Can my child use the CalVet fee waiver and Chapter 35 at the same time?

Under Plan B and Plan D, yes: CalVet says there is no prohibition on receiving VA Chapter 35 benefits at the same time. Under Plan A, no: the student signs an election statement and can't receive Plan A and Chapter 35 concurrently. Your County Veterans Service Office can compare both options.

Does a 0% service-connected rating qualify my child?

It can, under Plan B. Plan B requires the veteran to have a service-connected disability, and UC and CSU veterans offices list a rating of 0% or higher. Your child's income must also fall under that year's limit. The waiver is decided by your County Veterans Service Office, not by the school.

Does the CalVet fee waiver cover summer classes?

Often, but not always. The waiver applies to state-supported programs within the school's academic year, so many UC and CSU campuses apply it to summer terms. Summer, winter intersession and extension courses run as self-supported programs are usually not covered. Ask your campus veterans office before you enroll.

When should we apply for the CalVet fee waiver?

Apply before the term starts, and again every academic year. CalVet says waivers generally can't be granted retroactively, and county offices usually begin accepting the next year's paperwork once tax documents are available in late spring. Processing takes roughly three to six weeks, depending on your county.

Want to talk it through? A VeteranDegrees Navigator can help you fit the CalVet waiver, Chapter 35 and your own GI Bill® into one family plan. Book a free Navigator call. No cost, no obligation to enroll anywhere. For the full picture of VA benefits, start with our GI Bill® benefits guide.