Updated

The University of Memphis will offer free tuition to children and spouses of fallen service members, The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported.

The new policy goes a step further than the Folds of Honor scholarship, which offers $5,000 to students under the age of 24, whose parent or spouse was severely injured or killed while on active duty.

Children and spouses that have not remarried can now qualify, regardless of age.

Memphis’ average tuition is about $9,700 a year, not including externalities. These additional fees can be covered with additional scholarships, university President David Rudd said.

“Our commitment is to cover any gap that exists as a result and to relieve them of that burden,” Rudd, who will sign the deal in a few weeks, said. “This sacrifice is remarkable and we need to recognize this.”

The new policy takes effect this fall.