The Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-76), also known as the HEROES Act of 2003, provides financial and administrative relief for active-duty members of the military, including members of the National Guard who were called to active service by the President or Secretary of Defense for a period of more than 30 consecutive days. The HEROES Act also provides relief for people who live or work in a disaster area or who suffer economic hardship because of a war, military operation or national emergency. (National emergencies must have been declared by the President. But, natural disaster areas, which can include earthquakes, mudslides, tornadoes, floods and hurricanes, may be declared by a federal, state or local official.)
The law, which was made permanent by P.L. 110-93, allows the U.S. Department of Education to waive or modify statutory and regulatory provisions concerning federal student aid for affected individuals in connection with a war, military operation or national emergency.
The U.S. Department of Education has published more than a dozen waivers in the Federal Register, volume 68, number 239, pages 69312-69318.
These waivers give college financial aid administrators significant flexibility in addressing the needs of affected individuals.
Members of the military who are serving on active duty and members of the National Guard serving on a qualifying duty should notify their education and consumer lenders as well as colleges about their service to ensure that they receive all of the benefits to which they are entitled. They should provide a copy of documentation of their status with the request for financial relief.
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