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.
The Institution of Higher Education (IHE) is the final decision-making authority on student eligibility.
For more information, contact hazlewood@tvc.texas.gov
How to Apply
*Check college website for specific steps and deadlines to submit an application packet to their office.
The steps provided by the college should align with the following general process:
Be accepted as a student by a Texas-based public college/university
Register for a Hazlewood account on TVC website: Hazlewood Data Base Login
Complete and submit an application [PDF, 244.85 KB] packet to the college
a. application [PDF, 244.85 KB] form (use the school’s form if they have one)
b. veteran’s DD214
c. Certificate of Eligibility for VA Federal benefit (if applicable)
d. Individual colleges may have additional documents they require
*Check with your school on application [PDF, 244.85 KB] deadline policies. If you qualify for state education benefits earned through military service and your verification paperwork to the school is delayed, you may apply for up to a 60-day deferment of tuition and fees to avoid late charges and/or being dropped from classes by submitting a Deferment Request Form [PDF, 262.09 KB]
Hazlewood Links & Resources
Hazlewood Student Hours Database
Downloadable Forms
- Hazlewood Application [PDF, 334.12 KB]
- Revocation of Previously Assigned Hours [PDF, 223.06 KB]
- Application For Continued Enrollment [PDF, 251.67 KB]
- Deferment Request Form [PDF, 262.09 KB]
- Sample Documentation Checklist [PDF, 261.12 KB]
External Links
Statutes
Veteran Eligibility
A Veteran must:
1. Reside in Texas at the time of entry into active duty service, or enter service in Texas Hazlewood Act Statute and 40 Texas Administrative Code §461designated Texas as Home of Record;
a. The DD214 will show if the designated “Home of Record at Time of Entry” is a Texas address
b. The DD214 will show if “Place of Entry into Active Duty” was in Texas
c. If a DD214 does not show Texas in the fields mentioned above, a Veteran must provide documentation as evidence that the place of residence at time of entry was in Texas
2. Served at least 181 days of active duty service (excluding Initial Entry Training), as shown on a DD214 “Net Active Service This Period”
3. Have received an “Honorable” or a “General – Under Honorable Conditions” discharge/separation, as indicated on a DD214
4. Currently reside in Texas; (40 TAC §461.40) & (40 TAC §461.70)
5. Have no federal Veteran’s education benefits dedicated to the payment of tuition and fees only (such as Chapter 33 or 31); or have federal benefits for term or semester enrolled with a tuition benefit that does not cover the full cost of tuition;
6. Not be in default on a student loan made or guaranteed by the State of Texas;
7. 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), or a non-funded course that has been approved by the college’s governing board; and
8. 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.
Child (Legacy) Eligibility
Veterans meeting the Veteran Eligibility requirements listed in 1-4 of the previous “Veterans Eligibility” section may share unused hours of exemption with a qualifying child.
Under the Legacy Child rules, a child must meet the following requirements:
- 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 for term or semester enrolled dedicated to the payment of tuition and fees only (such as Chapter 33 or 31); or have federal benefits with a tuition benefit that does not cover the full cost of tuition;
- 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), or a non-funded course that has been approved by the college’s governing board; 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.
Spouse / Dependent Eligibility
Applicants qualifying under the Disability Hours category of Hazlewood are entitled to receive 150 credit hours of tuition exemption. Each dependent of an eligible veteran may qualify for their own benefit, under certain conditions as drawn from the Hazlewood Act Statute and Texas Administrative Code §461.
To qualify under the Disability Hours category, an applicant must be the spouse/dependent of an eligible veteran. Veteran eligibility requirements for this category of Hazlewood are listed below.
Veteran Eligibility, must meet requirements for #1 AND #2.
1. Reside in Texas at the time of entry into active duty of the U.S. Armed Forces OR enter the service in Texas. DD214 will show:
- Texas location in “Place of Entry into Active Duty” block
- Texas location in “Home of Record at Time of Entry” block
- If a DD Form 214 does not show Texas, must provide documentation proving that residence at time of entry was in Texas (40 TAC §461.50) & (40 TAC §461.60)
2. Have one of the following VA disability ratings:
- be determined by the VA to be 100%, total and permanent, service-connected disabled
- is awarded a rating for individual unemployability
- died as a result of service-related injuries or,
- Missing in action (MIA), or
- Killed in action (KIA).
(Additionally, the spouse/dependent of a member of the Texas National Guard who is either killed while on active duty in the service of Texas or the United States, OR who is awarded a VA rating of either 100% totally/permanently disabled or Individually Unemployable, may also be considered under this category of Hazlewood)
The spouse/dependent(s) of an eligible veteran under the disability category must meet the requirements below
- Have no federal Veteran education benefits dedicated to the payment of tuition and fees only (such as Chapter 33); or have federal benefits for term or semester enrolled with a tuition benefit that does not cover the full cost of tuition;
- 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), or a non-funded course that has been approved by the college’s governing board; 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)
Institutions of Higher Education
The Hazlewood Act may be used only at Texas public colleges and universities. To view a complete list of eligible institutions, visit the Texas Institutions of Higher Education page and review the schools listed under Texas Public Institutions.
⚠️ Important: Schools listed under Independent (Private) Institutions are not eligible for the Hazlewood Act exemption.
Hazlewood Act Submission Report Deadlines and DD214 Reporting Reminders:
Fall Semester – January 31st
Spring Semester – June 30th
Summer Semesters – September 30th
Beginning in October 2018, public institutions of higher education were notified of a new requirement to submit additional demographic data related to a veteran’s DD214 and the utilization of the Hazlewood Act by Texas veterans and their dependents. To meet this requirement, institutions may submit the additional data in one of two ways: Through a standalone DD214 Report, or By submitting the information as part of the combined .csv file, which integrates both the DD214 Report and the Student Usage Report into a single submission. We appreciate your continued cooperation in providing this required information and your ongoing support in ensuring accurate and compliant reporting with each submission.
Hazlewood Database for Institutions
Hazlewood Manuals and CSV Template
- Hazlewood Procedure Manual [PDF, 10.10 MB]
- Hazlewood Database Manual [PDF, 1.71 MB]
- CSV Format Record Template [XLSX, 14.78 KB]
Statutes
- Texas Education Code §54.341, Hazlewood Act
- Texas Education Code §54.2001, GPA and Excessive Hours
- 40 TAC §461, Hazlewood Act Administrative Rules
Outreach & Trainings
Are you a college or organization interested in Hazlewood Act training or collaborating on an outreach event? Whether you’re a new School Certifying Official (SCO) or simply looking for a refresher, we’re here to help ensure a smooth and compliant certification process.We offer both virtual and in-person training sessions and would welcome the opportunity to visit your institution, meet your team, and deliver a more personalized training experience tailored to your needs.📋 Fill out our form today to connect with us and schedule a training or outreach opportunity. TVC Hazlewood Outreach & Training Request
We welcome all Hazlewood Act certifying officials who have questions or concerns, please contact us at Veterans Education Services via e-mail at hazlewood@tvc.texas.gov or phone at 512-463-3168.
Thank you for your continued support of veterans and their families as they pursue their educational goals!