State expands tuition aid for National Guardsmen

With the signing of House Bill 2817 by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, members of the Oregon National Guard will be able to receive tuition assistance at Oregon Health and Science University and private institutions, in addition to community colleges and public higher education institutions.

The law will expand higher education grants to qualified members of the Oregon National Guard by permitting grant(s) to be used for undergraduate degree program at OHSU or qualifying private post- secondary institutions or for program or curriculum designed to lead to certificate of completion at community college, public university, OHSU or qualifying private post-secondary institution.

The law states, “Grants provided under this section shall be awarded to a qualified student for up to 90 credit hours at a community college; or 180 credit hours at a public university and now 180 credit hours at a qualifying private institution; or 180 credit hours at Oregon Health and Science University.”

This benefit will be available for the 2020-21 academic year. The provision of HB 2817 helps expand on
HB 4035, signed by Gov. Brown on April 3, 2018, that established tuition assistance to members of the Oregon National Guard to attend public universities and community colleges, and began during the 2018-19 academic year.

Both laws require student to be in “good standing,” with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher at OHSU or qualifying private and public intuitions at which they are enrolled.