ANNVILLE, PA — A sharp rise in college-age children of post-9/11 veterans has prompted Pennsylvania to boost funding for a long-standing tuition assistance program aimed at families still bearing the costs of America’s longest war.
State officials said the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Educational Gratuity Program received a funding increase in the 2025–26 budget as applications have doubled over the past two years, driven largely by children of Global War on Terror veterans now reaching college age.
The program provides tuition assistance to children of honorably discharged wartime veterans who are totally and permanently disabled due to service-related injuries, as well as children of service members who died during a period of war or armed conflict.
Over the last two years, applications climbed from 195 to 390, a 100 percent increase, according to DMVA. Officials expect demand to continue rising as more families impacted by the 20-year conflict seek higher education support.
The state budget signed by Governor Josh Shapiro in November increased program funding from $320,000 to $350,000, an adjustment officials say will help cover current applicants while preparing for further growth.
“As a new generation of students becomes eligible for educational support, we are reminded that our commitment to veterans and their families must endure long after the battles have ended,” said Maj. Gen. John Pippy, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of DMVA. He said access to higher education remains one of the most meaningful ways to honor military sacrifice and invest in the future of veterans’ children.
The Global War on Terror spanned two decades, making it the longest period of war in U.S. history, exceeding the combined lengths of World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. State officials say the long tail of that conflict is now being felt in education systems as children of veterans come of age.
Under the Educational Gratuity Program, eligible students between ages 16 and 23 may receive up to $4,000 total, distributed as $500 per semester across eight terms. Applicants must have lived in Pennsylvania for at least five years prior to applying, attend a school within the Commonwealth, and demonstrate financial need.
The program is administered through county veterans affairs offices, where eligible families can begin the application process at no cost.
State officials said the funding increase is intended to ensure the program remains responsive as demand accelerates, reinforcing Pennsylvania’s long-term commitment to veterans and their families.
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