HIGHER ED-IL VETERAN GRANT

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5502

Introduced 2/13/2026, by Rep. Amy Briel

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/30-14.2
110 ILCS 947/40

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to
the Illinois Veteran grant program. Provides that a grant recipient is not
required to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a
State-controlled university or public community college in this State for
a period that is based on the length of his or her active duty service, as
verified on his or her U.S. Department of Defense form DD-214, calculated
at specified credit hour rates (rather than for a period that is equivalent
to 4 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms). Provides that
a grant may be transferred to a qualified dependent beginning with the
2027-2028 academic year. Amends the School Code to make a related change.
Effective July 1, 2026.
LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b

A BILL FOR

HB5502
LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1

AN ACT concerning education.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The School Code is amended by changing Section
5
30-14.2 as follows:

6

(105 ILCS 5/30-14.2)
7

Sec. 30-14.2.
Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW Veterans'
8
Dependents scholarship.
9

(a) Any spouse, natural child, legally adopted child under
10
the age of 18 at the time of adoption, minor child younger than
11
18 who is under a court-ordered guardianship for at least 2
12
continuous years prior to application, or step-child under the
13
age of 18 at the time of marriage of an eligible veteran or
14
serviceperson who possesses all necessary entrance
15
requirements shall, upon application and proper proof, be
16
awarded a MIA/POW Scholarship consisting of the equivalent of
17
4 calendar years of full-time enrollment including summer
18
terms, to the state supported Illinois institution of higher
19
learning of his choice, subject to the restrictions listed
20
below.
21

"Eligible veteran or serviceperson" means any veteran or
22
serviceperson, including an Illinois National Guard member who
23
is on active duty or is active on a training assignment, who

HB5502
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LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1
has been declared by the U.S. Department of Defense or the U.S.
2
Department of Veterans Affairs to be a prisoner of war or
3
missing in action, or has died as the result of a
4
service-connected disability or has become a person with a
5
permanent disability from service-connected causes with 100%
6
disability and who (i) at the time of entering service was an
7
Illinois resident, or (ii) was an Illinois resident within 6
8
months after entering such service, or (iii) is a resident of
9
Illinois at the time of application for the Scholarship and,
10
at some point after entering such service, was a resident of
11
Illinois for at least 15 consecutive years.
12

"Full-time enrollment" means 12 or more semester hours of
13
courses per semester, or 12 or more quarter hours of courses
14
per quarter, or the equivalent thereof per term. Scholarships
15
utilized by dependents enrolled in less than full-time study
16
shall be computed in the proportion which the number of hours
17
so carried bears to full-time enrollment.
18

Scholarships awarded under this Section may be used by a
19
spouse or child without regard to his or her age. The holder of
20
a Scholarship awarded under this Section shall be subject to
21
all examinations and academic standards, including the
22
maintenance of minimum grade levels, that are applicable
23
generally to other enrolled students at the Illinois
24
institution of higher learning where the Scholarship is being
25
used. If the surviving spouse remarries or if there is a
26
divorce between the veteran or serviceperson and his or her

HB5502
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LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1
spouse while the dependent is pursuing his or her course of
2
study, Scholarship benefits will be terminated at the end of
3
the term for which he or she is presently enrolled. Such
4
dependents shall also be entitled, upon proper proof and
5
application, to enroll in any extension course offered by a
6
State supported Illinois institution of higher learning
7
without payment of tuition and approved fees.
8

The holder of a MIA/POW Scholarship authorized under this
9
Section shall not be required to pay any tuition or mandatory
10
fees while attending a State-controlled university or public
11
community college in this State for a period equivalent to 4
12
years of enrollment, including summer terms.
13

Any dependent who has been or shall be awarded a MIA/POW
14
Scholarship shall be reimbursed by the appropriate institution
15
of higher learning for any fees which he or she has paid and
16
for which exemption is granted under this Section if
17
application for reimbursement is made within 2 months
18
following the end of the school term for which the fees were
19
paid.
20

(b) In lieu of the benefit provided in subsection (a), any
21
spouse, natural child, legally adopted child, or step-child of
22
an eligible veteran or serviceperson, which spouse or child
23
has a physical, mental or developmental disability, shall be
24
entitled to receive, upon application and proper proof, a
25
benefit to be used for the purpose of defraying the cost of the
26
attendance or treatment of such spouse or child at one or more

HB5502
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LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1
appropriate therapeutic, rehabilitative or educational
2
facilities. The application and proof may be made by the
3
parent or legal guardian of the spouse or child on his or her
4
behalf.
5

The total benefit provided to any beneficiary under this
6
subsection shall not exceed the cost equivalent of 4 calendar
7
years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms, at the
8
University of Illinois. Whenever practicable in the opinion of
9
the Department of Veterans Affairs, payment of benefits under
10
this subsection shall be made directly to the facility, the
11
cost of attendance or treatment at which is being defrayed, as
12
such costs accrue.
13

(c) The benefits of this Section shall be administered by
14
and paid for out of funds made available to the Illinois
15
Department of Veterans Affairs. The amounts that become due to
16
any state supported Illinois institution of higher learning
17
shall be payable by the Comptroller to such institution on
18
vouchers approved by the Illinois Department of Veterans
19
Affairs. The amounts that become due under subsection (b) of
20
this Section shall be payable by warrant upon vouchers issued
21
by the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and approved by
22
the Comptroller. The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
23
shall determine, by rule, the eligibility of the persons who
24
make application for the benefits provided for in this
25
Section.
26

(d) A person is not eligible to receive any benefits under

HB5502
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LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1
this Section if he or she is receiving grant assistance under
2
Section 40 of the Higher Education Student Assistance Act.

3
(Source: P.A. 104-234, eff. 8-15-25; 104-238, eff. 1-1-26;
4
revised 11-20-25.)

5

Section 10.
The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
6
amended by changing Section 40 as follows:

7

(110 ILCS 947/40)
8

Sec. 40.
Illinois Veteran grant program.
9

(a) As used in this Section:
10

"Qualified applicant" means a person who served in the
11
Armed Forces of the United States, a Reserve component of the
12
Armed Forces, or the Illinois National Guard, excluding
13
members of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps and those
14
whose only service has been attendance at a service academy,
15
and who meets all of the qualifications of either paragraphs
16
(1) through (4) or paragraphs (2), (3), and (5):
17

(1) At the time of entering federal active duty
18

service the person was one of the following:
19

(A) An Illinois resident.
20

(B) An Illinois resident within 6 months of
21

entering such service.
22

(C) Enrolled at a State-controlled university or
23

public community college in this State.
24

(2) The person meets one of the following

HB5502
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LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1

requirements:
2

(A) He or she served at least one year of federal
3

active duty.
4

(B) He or she served less than one year of federal
5

active duty and received an honorable discharge for
6

medical reasons directly connected with such service.
7

(C) He or she served less than one year of federal
8

active duty and was discharged prior to August 11,
9

1967.
10

(D) He or she served less than one year of federal
11

active duty in a foreign country during a time of
12

hostilities in that foreign country.
13

(3) The person received an honorable discharge after
14

leaving federal active duty service.
15

(4) The person returned to this State within 6 months
16

after leaving federal active duty service, or, if married
17

to a person in continued military service stationed
18

outside this State, returned to this State within 6 months
19

after his or her spouse left service or was stationed
20

within this State.
21

(5) The person does not meet the requirements of
22

paragraph (1), but (i) is a resident of Illinois at the
23

time of application to the Commission and (ii) at some
24

point after leaving federal active duty service, was a
25

resident of Illinois for at least 15 consecutive years.
26

"Qualified dependent" means any spouse or natural born or

HB5502
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LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1
legally adopted child of a veteran of the United States Armed
2
Forces who meets all of the following qualifications:
3

(1) Has earned a high school diploma or high school
4

equivalency certificate or is at least 18 years of age
5

and, for a natural born or legally adopted child of a
6

veteran, less than 26 years of age, unless granted an
7

extension by the Commission due to a qualifying illness or
8

debilitating condition.
9

(2) Meets the cumulative grade point average
10

requirements of the postsecondary institution.
11

(3) Is a resident of Illinois for the term in which the
12

grant under subsection (i) is transferred.

13

"Time of hostilities" means any action by the Armed Forces
14
of the United States that is recognized by the issuance of a
15
Presidential proclamation or a Presidential executive order
16
and in which the Armed Forces expeditionary medal or other
17
campaign service medals are awarded according to Presidential
18
executive order.
19

(b) A person who otherwise qualifies
under the definition
20
of "qualified applicant"
under subsection (a) of this Section
21
but has not left federal active duty service and has served at
22
least one year of federal active duty or has served for less
23
than one year of federal active duty in a foreign country
24
during a time of hostilities in that foreign country and who
25
can provide documentation demonstrating an honorable service
26
record is eligible to receive assistance under this Section.

HB5502
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LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1

(c) A
grant recipient

qualified applicant
is not required
2
to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a
3
State-controlled university or public community college in
4
this State for a period that is
based on the length of the
5
qualified applicant's federal active duty service, as verified
6
on his or her U.S. Department of Defense form DD-214,
7
calculated as follows:

equivalent to 4 years of full-time
8
enrollment, including summer terms.
9

(1) 72 credit hours (or 60% of the maximum payable
10

benefit) for 12 or more months but less than 18 months of
11

active duty service;

12

(2) 84 credit hours (or 70% of the maximum payable
13

benefit) for 18 or more months but less than 24 months of
14

active duty service;
15

(3) 96 credit hours (or 80% of the maximum payable
16

benefit) for 24 or more months but less than 30 months of
17

service;
18

(4) 108 credit hours (or 90% of the maximum payable
19

benefit) for 30 or more months but less than 36 months of
20

service; or
21

(5) 120 credit hours (or 100% of the maximum payable
22

benefit) for 36 or more months of service.

23

A qualified applicant who has previously received benefits
24
under this Section for a non-mandatory fee shall continue to
25
receive benefits covering such fees while he or she is
26
enrolled in a continuous program of study. The qualified

HB5502
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LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1
applicant shall no longer receive a grant covering
2
non-mandatory fees if he or she fails to enroll during an
3
academic term, unless he or she is serving federal active duty
4
service.
5

(d) A
person

qualified applicant
who has been or is to be
6
awarded assistance under this Section shall receive that
7
assistance if the
person

qualified applicant
notifies his or
8
her postsecondary institution of that fact by the end of the
9
school term for which assistance is requested.
10

(e) Assistance under this Section is considered an
11
entitlement that the State-controlled college or public
12
community college in which the
person

qualified applicant
is
13
enrolled shall honor without any condition other than the
14
person's

qualified applicant's
maintenance of minimum grade
15
levels and a satisfactory student loan repayment record
16
pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 20 of this Act.
17

(f) The Commission shall administer the grant program
18
established by this Section and shall make all necessary and
19
proper rules not inconsistent with this Section for its
20
effective implementation.
21

(g) All applications for assistance under this Section
22
must be made to the Commission on forms that the Commission
23
shall provide. The Commission shall determine the form of
24
application and the information required to be set forth in
25
the application, and the Commission shall require
qualified

26
applicants to submit with their applications any supporting

HB5502
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LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1
documents that the Commission deems necessary. Upon request,
2
the Department of Veterans Affairs shall assist the Commission
3
in determining the eligibility of applicants for assistance
4
under this Section.
5

(h) Assistance under this Section is available as long as
6
the federal government provides educational benefits to
7
veterans. Assistance must not be paid under this Section after
8
6 months following the termination of educational benefits to
9
veterans by the federal government, except for persons who
10
already have begun their education with assistance under this
11
Section. If the federal government terminates educational
12
benefits to veterans and at a later time resumes those
13
benefits, assistance under this Section shall resume.
14

(i) Beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year, a grant
15
awarded under this Section may be transferred to a qualified
16
dependent if the qualified dependent's spouse or parent meets
17
all of the following qualifications:
18

(1) He or she is a qualified applicant under
19

subsection (a) or (b).
20

(2) He or she has served at least 6 years of federal
21

active duty service and at least 2 years of Reserve or
22

Individual Ready Reserve service.
23

(3) He or she has no federal veterans' educational
24

benefits or no federal veterans' educational benefits
25

dedicated only to the payment of tuition and fees, such as
26

Chapter 31 or 33 benefits, for an enrolled term or

HB5502
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LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1

semester that exceed the value of a grant under this
2

Section.
3

(4) He or she is a resident of Illinois during the term
4

of the qualified dependent's enrollment unless the veteran
5

has been recalled to active duty outside the State or has
6

rejoined the military and is outside the State pursuant to
7

military orders. However, a veteran who has a
8

service-connected disability rating, as determined by the
9

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, of 90% to 100% or is
10

unemployable based on a total disability, as determined by
11

the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is not required
12

to maintain Illinois residency while his or her qualified
13

dependent receives benefits under this subsection.
14

A qualified dependent of a person who was killed in the
15
line of duty, was a prisoner of war, was missing in action, had
16
a service-connected disability rating, as determined by the
17
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, of 90% to 100%, was
18
unemployable based on a total disability, as determined by the
19
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or died as a result of
20
injury or illness directly related to his or her military
21
service is eligible for a grant transfer of no less than 120
22
credit hours under this subsection if the spouse or parent
23
would have otherwise met the qualifications under this
24
subsection. A dependent who is a natural born or legally
25
adopted child of a veteran may still qualify for a grant under
26
this subsection if he or she marries or if his or her parents

HB5502
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LRB104 17823 LNS 31257 b
1
divorce.
2

Benefits under this Section may not be used simultaneously
3
by both the veteran and his or her qualified dependent. A
4
veteran may revoke or otherwise change the transfer of his or
5
her benefits to a qualified dependent under this subsection at
6
any time but may not transfer his or her benefits to the same
7
qualified dependent again once those benefits have been
8
revoked for that qualified dependent. Benefits under this
9
Section may not be transferred to a qualified dependent if he
10
or she is receiving grant assistance under Section 30-14.2 of
11
the School Code.
12

A veteran may transfer benefits under this subsection to
13
multiple qualified dependents; however, the total number of
14
credit hours of assistance transferred may not exceed 120
15
credit hours, and a veteran may transfer benefits to only one
16
qualified dependent at a time.
17
(Source: P.A. 104-234, eff. 8-15-25.)

18

Section 99.
Effective date.
This Act takes effect July 1,
19
2026.

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