Nebraska First Responder Pledge

Available to:

First-Year
In-State
Transfer

A resident tuition waiver after other scholarships and grants for Nebraska law enforcement officers, firefighters or firefighter-paramedics, and their dependent children.

A first responder is defined as (a) a person who is responsible for the prevention or detection of crime or the enforcement of the penal, traffic or highway laws of the State of Nebraska or any political subdivision of the state for more than 100 hours per year and who is authorized by law to make arrests or (b) a firefighter or firefighter-paramedic who is a member of a paid fire department of a municipality or a rural or suburban fire protection district in Nebraska, including a municipality having a home rule charter or a municipal authority created pursuant to a home rule charter that has its own paid fire department, and for whom firefighting is a full-time career

Award

Waiver of resident tuition after other scholarships and grants for up to five years, including summers.

Completion of form required to confirm first responder affiliation via the first responder’s supervisor and residency verification by the Nebraska Department of Revenue.

If the tuition waiver recipient fails to annually file a tax return to prove residency in the State of Nebraska for the five-year period following the use of the tuition waiver or fails to remain a resident for the five-year period following the use of the tuition waiver, the recipient agrees to repay the University of Nebraska System for the amount of tuition that was waived.

Deadline

Priority: November 1

Review Basis

Nebraska First Responders review is based on an annual application, including completion of a verification of satisfactory performance form and verification with the Nebraska Department of Revenue showing proof of employment and proof of Nebraska residence each year. First responders will also need to file annually for their dependent to receive the tuition waiver and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to remain eligible.

A law enforcement officer must pursue studies leading to a degree that relates to a career in law enforcement. A firefighter or firefighter-paramedic must pursue studies leading to a degree in science or medicine that relates to a career in professional firefighting.

Eligible Undergraduate Majors

Law Enforcement

Firefighters and Firefighter-Paramedics

Dependent children of first responders can choose any undergraduate major offered at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Renewability

Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress and reapply each year with supporting documentation. Frequently asked questions are available at the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid FAQs page. View full eligibility and renewal policies.

Transferability

Eligibility for this program is based on the Nebraska First Responder Recruitment and Retention Act and participating institutions.

Note: The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based upon any protected status. Scholarships are subject to change each year for new incoming students. As a public tuition benefit under Nebraska State Statute 4-110, individuals awarded these funds must be citizens of the United States or if a qualified alien have been verified as lawfully present in the United States (Nebraska State Statutes 4-111 and 4-112).