(1)  Beginning in the 2004-05 academic year, a state institution of higher education shall waive undergraduate tuition for each Purple Heart recipient who:

Terms Used In Utah Code 53B-8e-103

  • Board: means the Utah Board of Higher Education described in Section 53B-1-402. See Utah Code 53B-1-101.5
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Purple Heart recipient: means any Utah resident who is a military veteran and who has earned a Purple Heart award as a result of military service. See Utah Code 53B-8e-102
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • State institution of higher education: means an institution listed in Section 53B-1-102. See Utah Code 53B-8e-102
  • Tuition: means tuition at the rate for residents of the state. See Utah Code 53B-8e-102
(a)  is admitted as a full-time, part-time, or summer school student in an undergraduate program of study leading to a degree or certificate;

(b)  is a resident student of the state as determined under Section 53B-8-102; and

(c)  submits verification as provided in Subsection (3) that the student is a Purple Heart recipient.

(2) 

(a)  Beginning in the 2008-09 academic year, a state institution of higher education shall waive graduate tuition as provided in this Subsection (2) for each Purple Heart recipient who:

(i)  is admitted as a full-time, part-time, or summer school student in a graduate program of study leading to a degree;

(ii)  is a resident student of the state as determined under Section 53B-8-102; and

(iii)  submits verification as provided in Subsection (3) that the student is a Purple Heart recipient.

(b)  To qualify for a graduate tuition waiver, a Purple Heart recipient shall apply for a graduate program no later than 10 years from the day on which the Purple Heart recipient completes an undergraduate degree.

(c)  The total amount of all graduate tuition waived for a Purple Heart recipient may not exceed $10,000.

(d)  A Purple Heart recipient may receive a graduate tuition waiver for a period of time that does not exceed the lesser of:

(i)  the time it takes for the Purple Heart recipient to complete a graduate degree; or

(ii)  five years after the day on which the Purple Heart recipient is accepted to a graduate program.

(3)  A Purple Heart recipient seeking a tuition waiver shall request the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs to provide the verification required by Subsection (1)(c). The Department of Veterans and Military Affairs shall provide the verification upon obtaining evidence satisfactory to the division that the student is a Purple Heart recipient.

(4)  The board may request reimbursement from the Legislature for costs incurred in providing the tuition waiver under this section.

Amended by Chapter 365, 2020 General Session