UCLA
Veteran Resource Center

CalVet Fee Tuition Waiver

Overview

If you plan to use the CalVet College Fee Waiver, you must first apply through any California County Veteran Services Office (CVSO): calvet.ca.gov. You are not limited to your local CVSO. The waiver requires a new application every academic year. Once approved, submit your eligibility documents to UCLA for processing. After the State confirms eligibility, the UC system also reviews whether the waiver applies to your specific program and student status.

Priority deadline

The priority deadline to submit your Certificate of Eligibility and/or new CalVet Fee Waiver Award Letter (with 16-digit code) through the corresponding VA or CalVet BaMBI portal before the start of the academic year for the fall term is August 15, before classes start for the fall term in September.

For example, for Fall 2026, the priority deadline is August 15, 2026. Meeting this deadline ensures that your waiver can be processed and applied before UCLA’s fall quarter fee payment deadline in mid-September 2026.

Submissions received after August 15 will still be accepted throughout the academic year, but processing may be delayed. Late submissions may not:

  • Be processed before UCLA’s fall fee payment deadline

  • Be included in the first round of VA certifications

  • Be reflected in your financial aid award before disbursement

Students remain responsible for paying any outstanding charges on their BruinBill until the waiver is applied.

In addition to the August 15 deadline, students should note:

  • September 15: Any waiver submission for the prior academic year made after this date will not be approved. For example, CalVet Fee Waiver requests for the 2025–2026 academic year (covering Fall 2025, Winter 2026, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026) must be submitted no later than September 15, 2026.

  • End of Academic Year: At UCLA, the academic year officially starts with the fall term and ends with the conclusion of Summer Sessions. After the end of summer sessions, CalVet Fee Waivers for the prior academic year cannot be applied retroactively.

  • Late Waiver Submissions in the Current Academic Year: Students have one full academic year to turn in their current waiver. If a waiver is submitted later in the current academic year, it can still be applied to prior terms within that year.

    • Example: A student who submits a 2025–2026 CalVet Waiver in Spring 2026 can have it applied to Fall 2025, Winter 2026, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026 only.

UC system requirements

To use the CalVet waiver at any UC campus, a student must:

  • Be a matriculated, degree-seeking UC student

  • Be classified as a California resident for "UC tuition purposes" via the Statement of Legal Residence (SLR) with the UCLA Registrar: SLR Process

  • Be enrolled in a state-supported program (all degree-seeking undergraduate programs at UCLA’s main campus are state-supported)

Not eligible:

Visiting or Guest Students

If you are a visiting student from another UC campus at UCLA or are a current UCLA student planning to attend another university as a guest student while using the CalVet Fee Tuition Waiver, you must complete the UC Parent School Letter along with your CalVet waiver submission. This form ensures proper coordination between different campuses and UCLA for tuition coverage.

Covered vs. not covered fees

Covered (state-supported programs):

  • UC Tuition

  • Student Services Fee

  • Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition (PDST) for some graduate/professional programs

Not covered:

  • UCSHIP (UC Student Health Insurance Plan)

  • Campus-based fees

  • Course materials, lab fees, and other miscellaneous charges

See UCLA’s fees section for details on tuition and Student Services Fees. All incoming students are charged the same base tuition and Student Services Fee, which vary depending on whether you are enrolled as an undergraduate, graduate, or professional student.

Summer and travel programs

If you enroll in:

  • UCLA Travel Study

  • UCLA Global Internship Programs

  • UCLA Summer Institutes

The CalVet waiver does not apply automatically. These programs bill separately and are not part of regular Summer Sessions. To request use of CalVet for one of these, submit the UCLA Summer Benefits Request Form.

UCEAP students: Contact UCEAP directly. Do not submit the UCLA summer benefits form; our office does not process CalVet benefits for UCEAP.

Important limitations

The CalVet waiver cannot be applied to self-supporting graduate degree programs (for example, all UCLA MBA programs). See the current list of self-supporting programs. The waiver cannot be used for any degree program on this list.

Retroactive waivers

Under California Education Code § 66025.3, CalVet waivers cannot be applied retroactively once the academic year ends, except in limited circumstances defined by California Military and Veterans Code § 890.3(a)(1).

Retroactive benefits are only permitted if:

  • Your application was originally denied solely because the veteran’s VA disability or death claim was still pending, and

  • You submitted a CalVet Fee Tuition Waiver application to the CVSO during that academic year (even though you knew it would be denied), and

  • You received a denial letter from the CVSO documenting the pending VA claim.

If the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs later approves the pending claim and issues a service-connected disability rating, you may return to the CVSO with:

  1. Your VA award letter, and

  2. Your original CalVet Fee Waiver denial letter(s).

The CVSO can then review your case for retroactive approval.

Important: To qualify, you must have applied for the CalVet Fee Waiver with the CVSO during each academic year you are seeking retroactive benefits. Without a timely application and denial on file, the waiver cannot be granted after the academic year has ended.

Looking ahead

  • Coverage periods: CalVet waivers apply to a full academic year cycle, beginning in the fall and continuing through the following summer. For example, the 2025–2026 academic year includes Fall 2025, Winter 2026, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026.

  • Upcoming cycles: Waiver processing for the 2026–2027 academic year will begin after tax season in mid-April 2026.

  • Priority processing: For 2026–2027, the priority submission deadline will be in August 15, 2026 to allow waivers to be processed before fall fee deadlines.

  • Student notifications: Reminder emails will be sent directly to students, and instructions will be posted on the UCLA Veterans website.

Understanding the two portals

Students sometimes confuse the CalVet Fee Waiver Portal with UCLA’s VA Benefits Request Portal. These serve different purposes:

  • UCLA CalVet Bruin and Military Benefit Intake (CalVet BaMBI) Portal – State benefit. Apply and submit annually. Waives UC Tuition, Student Services Fee, and (in some programs) PDST.

  • UCLA VA Bruin and Military Benefit Intake (VA BaMBI) Portal – UCLA form to initiate federal VA benefits certification. Submit one time only for your UCLA career (resubmit only if your VA benefit type changes).

Chapter 35 DEA vs. CalVet Fee Waiver

These are not the same: