Erika Vasquez, Contributing Writer
The military waiver program that provides financial support for students was noted as one of VCU’s financial “challenges” at a Feb. 2 Board of Visitors meeting — leaving a projected total of $94.3 million in unfunded waiver costs through 2027.
The Virginia Military Survivor and Dependent Education program has been around since 1930, and was originally created to provide public college tuition to the children of active-duty service members either killed in action or “permanently disabled” due to their service in World War I, according to VPM News.
The program has expanded since, and Virginia colleges must now waive up to eight semesters of tuition to spouses or children of military members or veterans who are considered 90% disabled, as a result of military service, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Additionally, the program provides up to a $2,000 annual stipend to offset the costs of room, board, books and supplies for eligible dependents of military service members.
The program has been a key source of financial assistance for many VCU students. Alex Paugh, a third-year information systems student, spoke to the impact it has had throughout his college career.
“The chapter 35 bill is helping a lot because it allows me to go through school with monthly stipends to help for food and anything else that I need including housing, as well as VMSDEP, which will help me in my life in the future going forward,” Paugh said.
VCU spokesperson Mike Porter stated the program’s participants had risen to more than 1,500 students in 2026, representing roughly 5% of VCU’S total student body.
Due to the expansion of participants, costs have now risen at an extreme rate, stirring an ongoing debate about the need for financial support. Porter noted that the yearly cost of the program has jumped from $2 million to $29 million in roughly eight years.
On Feb. 27, VCU chief financial officer Meredith Weiss said the funds were only available to 699 of the over 1,500 students who have applied to the VMSDEP, creating an annual gap of $16.3 million in 2025.
The program has added up to $94.3 million in unfunded waiver costs since 2018. Weiss continually emphasized the financial burden and pleaded for financial support from the state to solve the growing issue.
“It’s an exceptional program but it’s a bit of an expense — we need some help from the commonwealth because when we have to make up that gap it really does impact the entire student body through reductions,” Weiss said.
Weiss noted the impact the issue could then have on the student population when coupled with increased tuition, especially for those who are of “higher need.”
Emily McFarland, a first-year social work graduate student, said if it was not for the waiver, she would not have been able to attend VCU or pursue higher education. She said its absence would make education inaccessible for other program participants and for people from her southwest Virginia hometown of Tazewell.
“I absolutely could not afford to go to college or Richmond if I didn’t have the tuition payment and the rent payment, I can’t afford it,” McFarland said. “I mean, I guess I can take out student loans and then be in debt forever, but I don’t wanna do that.”