Illinois Statutes Chapter 330. Veterans and Service Members § 105/1. Educational opportunities for orphan children of deceased war veterans; free tuition; limitation

§ 1. The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs shall provide, insofar as moneys are appropriated for those purposes, for matriculation and tuition fees, board, room rent, books and supplies for the use and benefit of any natural child, adopted child, minor child who is under a court-ordered guardianship for at least 2 continuous years prior to application, or step-child of an eligible veteran or serviceperson, if the child is not under 10 and not over 18 years of age, except extension of time may be granted for a child to complete high school but in no event beyond the 19th birthday, who has for 12 months immediately preceding his or her application for these benefits had his or her domicile in the State of Illinois. The child must provide proof of compliance with Illinois compulsory attendance requirements as provided in Section 26-1 of the School Code.

“Eligible veteran or serviceperson” means any veteran or serviceperson, including an Illinois National Guard member, who is on active duty or is active on a training assignment, who has been declared by the U.S. Department of Defense or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to be a prisoner of war or missing in action, or has died as the result of a service-connected disability, or has become a person with a permanent disability from service-connected causes with 100% disability and who (i) at the time of entering service was an Illinois resident, or (ii) was an Illinois resident within 6 months after entering such service, or (iii) is a resident of Illinois at the time of application for the grant and, at some point after entering such service, was a resident of Illinois for at least 15 consecutive years. No more than $250.00 may be paid under this Act for any one child for any one school year.