LOOKING FOR FEDERAL BENEFITS

LOOKING FOR STATE BENEFITS

SCHOOL SEEKING VA APPROVAL

EMPLOYER SEEKING VA APPROVAL

View All Education Events

View All Education Media

How do I apply for GI Bill® benefits?

If you’re a service member, veteran, or family member interested in education and training opportunities, you can apply for your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and manage your current VA benefits at: https://www.vets.gov/education/apply/.

How can I find out which chapter of benefits is best for me at a specific school?

You may be eligible for several types of VA education and training benefits, but you have to consider several things before you apply for the GI Bill® program.  The Post-9/11 GI Bill® is the best option for some, but for other students it would be the Montgomery GI Bill®.  To make things easier to decide which education and training benefits are best for you it is recommended to use the comparison tool at https://www.vets.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool/.

If I do not want to go to a college or university and I am unable to transfer my benefit to my dependents. Is there another way of using my GI Bill®?

You can use the GI Bill® benefits to cover a VA approved OJT or Apprenticeship program. More information on OJT/APP, including a list of currently approved programs, can be found at the following link: https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/onthejob_apprenticeship.asp.

I have additional questions about the GI Bill®?

Additional resources can be found at the following link https://www.tvc.texas.gov/education/gi-bill-main/.

Are there any other education benefits that I may qualify for other than the GI Bill®?

The State of Texas has an education benefit called the Texas Hazlewood Act.

What is the Hazlewood Act?

The Hazlewood Act is a State of Texas benefit that provides qualified Veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition exemption, including most fee charges, at public institutions of higher education in Texas. This does NOT include living expenses, books, or supply fees.

I am a Veteran. How do I determine if I am eligible for the Hazlewood ?

A Veteran must:

• At the time of entry into active duty of the U.S. Armed Forces, (DD Form 214 required) & (40 TAC §461.40)
  • designated Texas as Home of Record;
  • or entered the service in Texas;
  • or was a Texas resident;
• Have received an honorable discharge or separation or a general discharge under honorable conditions as indicated on the Veteran’s Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,
• Served at least 181 days of active duty service (excluding training);
• Currently reside in Texas; (40 TAC §461.40) & (40 TAC §461.70)

• Have no federal Veteran’s education benefits, or have no federal Veterans education benefits dedicated to the payment of tuition and fees only (such as Chapter 33 or 31; for term or semester enrolled that do not exceed the value of Hazlewood benefits;

• Not be in default on a student loan made or guaranteed by the State of Texas;

• Enroll in classes for which the college receives tax support (i.e., a course that does not depend solely on student tuition and fees to cover its cost), unless the college’s governing board has ruled to let Veterans receive the benefit while taking non-funded courses; and

• Meet the GPA requirement of the institution’s satisfactory academic progress policy in a degree or certificate program as determined by the institution’s financial aid policy and, as an undergraduate student, not be considered to have attempted an excessive amount of credit hours.

  For more information, contact educationservices@tvc.texas.gov
  The institution of higher education (IHE) is the final decision making authority on student eligibility.

I am a Child (Legacy). How do I determine if I am eligible for the Hazlewood ?

Eligible Veterans may assign or transfer unused hours of exemption eligibility to a child under certain conditions as drawn from the Hazlewood Act Statute and 40 Texas Administrative Code §461

·         A Child (Legacy Act) must:

·         Be classified by the institution as a Texas resident; (40 TAC §461.70)

·         Be the biological child, stepchild, adopted child, or claimed as a dependent in the current or previous tax year;

·         Be 25 years old or younger on the first day of the semester or term for which the exemption is claimed (unless granted an extension due to a qualifying illness or debilitating condition); and

·         Have no federal Veteran’s education benefits, or have no federal Veterans education benefits dedicated to the payment of tuition and fees only (such as Chapter 33 or 31; for term or semester enrolled that do not exceed the value of Hazlewood benefits; (40 TAC §461.70) & (40 TAC §461.90)

·         Not be in default on a student loan made or guaranteed by the State of Texas;

·         Enroll in classes for which the college receives tax support (i.e., a course that does not depend solely on student tuition and fees to cover its cost), unless the college’s governing board has ruled to let Veterans receive the benefit while taking non-funded courses; and

·         Meet the GPA requirement of the institution’s satisfactory academic progress policy in a degree or certificate program as determined by the institution’s financial aid policy and, as an undergraduate student, not be considered to have attempted an excessive amount of credit hours.

Legacy recipients will receive an exemption for the number of degree certified hours reported by the institution for that term or semester. Maximum degree certified hours awarded to the Legacy recipient will be dependent upon the degree or certificate program in which the student is enrolled for that term or semester and shall be consistent with the program length as defined within the school catalog as approved by the regional accreditation commission. (40 TAC §461.30)

*If a child to whom hours have been delegated fails to use all of the assigned hours, a Veteran may re-assign the unused hours that are available to another child. Only one child will use Hazlewood Legacy benefits at a time.

I am a Spouse/Dependent. How do I determine if I am eligible for the Hazlewood ?

A Spouse / Dependent must:
be the spouse/dependent of an eligible veteran who is determined by the VA to be 100%, total and permanent, service-connected veteran or one who became totally disabled for purposes of employability as a result of a service-related injury or illness.  The spouse/dependent(s) of an eligible veteran who meets the requirements below are entitled to receive a 150 credit hours exemption, each, under certain conditions as drawn from the Hazlewood Act Statute and Texas Administrative Code §461:

·         Be a spouse / child of a Veteran who, at the time of entry into the U.S. Armed Forces, (DD Form 214 required) , (40 TAC §461.50) & (40 TAC §461.60)

• • • designated Texas as Home of Record,
    • or entered the service in Texas;
    • or was a Texas resident;

·         Be a spouse / child of a Veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces or the Texas National Guard who

• • • died as a result of service-related injuries or;
    • became totally and permanently disabled or meets the eligibility requirements for individual unemployability according to the disability ratings of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as a result of a service-related injury, or
    • Missing in action (MIA), or
    • Killed in action (KIA).

·         Have no federal Veterans education benefits, or have no federal Veterans education benefits dedicated to the payment of tuition and fees only (such as Chapter 33 or 31) for term or semester enrolled that do not exceed the value of Hazlewood benefits;

·         Be classified by the institution as a Texas resident;

·         Not be in default on a student loan made or guaranteed by the State of Texas;

·         Enroll in classes for which the college receives tax support (i.e., a course that does not depend solely on student tuition and fees to cover its cost), unless the college’s governing board has ruled to let Veterans receive the benefit while taking non-funded courses; and

·         Meet the GPA requirement of the institution’s satisfactory academic progress policy in a degree or certificate program as determined by the institution’s financial aid policy and, as an undergraduate student, not be considered to have attempted an excessive amount of credit hours. This requirement does not apply to the spouse / child of a MIA, KIA, or service-connected deceased Veteran.  (40 TAC §461.50) & (40 TAC §461.60)

If I have used Hazlewood in the past, how do I find out how many hours I have left to use?

Register and log in to your Hazlewood account.  You will see your “hours used” and subtract that number from 150 (the total any one student may receive).  If you do not see hours used, the school did not post your hours against the Hazlewood Act.  Call 877-898-3833 for assistance.

I can’t find the Hazlewood database registration link. Where is it?

You may visit https://hazlewood.tvc.texas.gov/students/Account/Register.

I have additional questions about the Hazlewood Act?

Additional resources can be found at the following link https://www.tvc.texas.gov/education/hazlewood/.