In accordance with North Carolina Session Law 2015-116 (Senate Bill 478), provisions are available to make certain veterans/federal program recipients eligible for in-state tuition if all of the following criteria are met:
For veterans, the 12-month residency requirement for in-state tuition is waived for any veteran who meets all of the following criteria:

• Served active duty for at least 90 days in the Armed Forces, the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• Was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.
• Qualifies for and use federal educational benefits under either the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty Education Program or the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance.
• Qualifies for admission to the community college.
• Enrolls within 3 years of the veteran’s discharge or release.
• The veteran’s abode is North Carolina, meaning the veteran must actually live in NC, whether temporarily or permanently.
• Provide the college with a letter of intent to establish legal residence in North Carolina.

For other individuals, the 12-month residency requirement is waived if the person meets all of the following criteria:

• The person is the recipient of a veteran’s federal educational benefits under either 38 USC Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty Education Program) or 38 USC Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 Educational Assistance).
• The person qualifies for admission and enrolls in a community college within 3 years of the veteran’s discharge or release from the Armed Forces, the Commissioned Corps of the U. S. Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• The person qualifies for admission and enrolls in a community college within 3 years of the veteran’s discharge or release from the Armed Forces, the Commissioned Corps of the U. S. Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• The person’s abode is North Carolina, meaning the person must actually live in NC, whether temporarily or permanently.
• The person provides the institution of higher education with a letter of intent to establish legal residence in North Carolina.

After the expiration of the three-year period, any enrolled veteran or other enrolled individual eligible for the educational benefits listed above and from whom the 12-month residency requirement was waived will continue to be eligible for the in-state tuition rate so long as the veteran or qualified individual remains continuously enrolled at the same institution of higher education.
S.L. 2015-116 applied to qualifying veterans and other individuals listed above who enroll in institutions of high education for any academic quarter, term or semester that begins on or after July 1, 2015.