WisconsinVeterans’ college aid includes a three-year Wisconsin residency path
The law provides a three-year Wisconsin residency path to college tuition aid for eligible veterans and some spouses and children.
What it does
Eligible veterans and some spouses and children have a three-year Wisconsin residency path to college tuition aid. Families of deceased or disabled veterans must meet additional rules.
Eligible veterans who live in Wisconsin and are state residents when registering at a University of Wisconsin school qualify for resident tuition rates, regardless of where they lived when entering active duty.
Argument forThe three-year residency path could help eligible veterans and their families afford college through tuition waivers or grants.
Argument againstPublic colleges could collect less tuition when eligible veterans and family members use tuition waivers through the three-year residency path.
More detail
Eligible veterans and certain family members can meet college tuition-aid residency rules through three consecutive years in Wisconsin. The programs cover eligible veterans and certain spouses and children at University of Wisconsin schools, technical colleges, and private nonprofit colleges. Covered children are ages 17–25. For veterans seeking their own aid, the three years must immediately precede the semester or session they register for. Other military-service and eligibility rules apply. For families of deceased veterans using this path, the veteran must have lived in Wisconsin for at least three consecutive years after turning 18. The veteran must have died while a Wisconsin resident on active duty, from a service-connected disability, or in the line of duty during military training. For families of disabled veterans using this path, the veteran must have at least a 30 percent service-connected disability rating and meet the three-year residency rule immediately before the student's term. If the veteran entered service outside Wisconsin, the spouse or child must also have lived in Wisconsin for at least three consecutive years immediately before enrollment. This includes dependents of deceased veterans seeking private-college grants. The provisions first apply to the first semester or session beginning after the law's effective date.
University of Wisconsin schools charge eligible veterans resident tuition rates when they are Wisconsin residents and live in Wisconsin at registration. The exemption covers eligible veterans attending University of Wisconsin schools, including those who lived elsewhere when entering active duty. The student must qualify as a veteran under Wisconsin law. The provision first applies to the first semester or session beginning after the law's effective date.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 2Published 4-3-2026Latest
- Apr 2Report approved by the Governor Tony Evers on 4-2-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 155Became Law
- Apr 1Presented to the Governor on 4-1-2026To Governor
- Mar 24Report correctly enrolled on 3-24-2026Minor
- Mar 18Received from Senate concurred inMinor
- Mar 17Ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded Senate Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 15. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 17Read a third time and concurred inPassed Senate
- Mar 17Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Mar 17Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Mar 17Senate Amendment 1 rejected, Ayes 18, Noes 15Minor
- Mar 17Read a second timeMinor
- Mar 17Senators Hesselbein and Smith added as cosponsors
- Mar 17Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senators Dassler-Alfheim, Larson, Carpenter, Drake, Habush Sinykin, Hesselbein, L. Johnson, Keyeski, Pfaff, Ratcliff, Roys, Smith, Spreitzer, Wall and WirchMinor
- Mar 16Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Vote recorded Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 16Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Mar 3Available for scheduling
- Vote recorded Report concurrence recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3Report concurrence recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 16, Noes 0Minor
- Mar 3Executive action taken
- Feb 27Withdrawn from committee on Senate Organization and rereferred to joint committee on Finance pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)Minor
- Feb 25Available for scheduling
- Feb 25Read first time and referred to committee on Senate OrganizationMinor
- Feb 23Received from AssemblyMinor
- Feb 19Ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded PASSAGE. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Assembly Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 55, Noes 41. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 19Read a third time and passed, Ayes 94, Noes 2Passed Assembly
- Feb 19Rules suspended
- Feb 19Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 19Assembly Amendment 1 laid on table, Ayes 55, Noes 41Minor
- Feb 19Assembly Amendment 1 offered by Representative EmersonMinor
- Feb 19Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 18Made a special order of business at 11:27 AM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 14
- Feb 9Representative J. Jacobson added as a coauthor
- Jan 22Referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Vote recorded Report passage recommended by Committee on Colleges and Universities, Ayes 11, Noes 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 22Report passage recommended by Committee on Colleges and Universities, Ayes 11, Noes 0Minor
- Jan 22Executive action taken
- Jan 8Public hearing held
- 2025
- Nov 24Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Nov 24Representative Ortiz-Velez added as a coauthor
- Nov 21Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Nov 21Representative Subeck added as a coauthor
- Nov 21Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Nov 19Read first time and referred to Committee on Colleges and UniversitiesMinor
- Nov 19Introduced by Representatives Kitchens, Franklin, Kurtz, Steffen, Behnke, Billings, Brooks, Dittrich, Donovan, Joers, Knodl, Kreibich, Melotik, Murphy, Mursau, Novak, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk, Udell, Wichgers and Palmeri; cosponsored by Senator WimbergerIntroduced
VeteransEducation