Hazlewood Exemption
The Hazlewood educational benefit is available to all Texas veterans who have served at least 181 days on active duty and have been given an honorable or general (under honorable circumstances) discharge. The veteran must have entered military services while a resident of Texas and must be a Texas resident when applying.
Who can apply?
In addition, the veteran must NOT be eligible for any VA educational benefits (i.e. GI Bill) in order to obtain Hazlewood. Hazlewood will pay for all of your tuition and fees (with the exception of the student services fee and property deposit) for up to 150 credit hours total. For an average, full time Hazlewood student at UTSA, the out of pocket costs for a semester is about $162.00. Please keep in mind that Hazlewood does not pay for books, housing, parking fees or other non-tuition and fee expenses. Hazlewood eligible veterans are also eligible to simultaneously receive federal student aid by filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who have a defaulted student loan do not qualify for the exemption. Hazlewood can be used for both undergraduate and graduate work.
How does Hazlewood affect my financial aid?
- The Financial Aid processing time is two weeks and four weeks during peak times. Please apply for a tuition and fees emergency loan if you are submitting your application within 4 weeks of the first day of class. The emergency loan interest is not covered by the exemption.
- Your financial aid will be adjusted based on this exemption. Our office will notify fiscal services to apply the exemption. When it has been applied to your account after you register, you will see the exemption under fiscal services in your ASAP account. This will appear no sooner than 3 weeks before the first day of class.
- We can no longer retroactive applications to a previous semester.
To Complete a Hazlewood Application, you must complete the following four steps:
- A Hazlewood Application Form (must apply every semester).
- Visit the Hazlewood Database to access your Hazlewood Student History, print it out and submit it with your application (must submit every sememster along with application).
- A copy of your DD214 (member 4). You can obtain a copy from the National Personnel Records Center. You can confirm your request by calling NPRC at 314-801-0800 (This is not a toll free call). Be aware that getting a DD214 can take weeks or even months.
- A letter from the VA stating that you are not eligible for any VA educational benefits. This letter must come from the VA Muskogee Regional Office (phone number 1-888-442-4551) since that location is the only VA facility that has complete GI Bill eligibility data.
Applications can be submitted to Enrollment Services Center at either the 1604 or the downtown campus. Please only submit applications that are complete, with all the required documentation. Incomplete applications cannot be processed as state law requires all the above listed documentation as proof of eligibility.
You can obtain the VA letter by:
- Log into the VA website at www.gibill.va.gov
- Click on the Questions & Answers section.
- Click on the tab that says "Login".
- Login if you have an account or click on "Create a New Account" if you need to make a new account.
- Click on the "Ask a Question" tab and request that the VA send you a letter that states that you have no GI Bill/VA benefits remaining (This is also known as a Hazlewood letter.)
- Submit your request. You will receive a response from the VA via email in about 3 business days. The VA will send you a Hazlewood letter in the mail within 2-3 weeks
- If you have any problems or need to talk to a VA representative in Muskogee, please call 1-888-442-4551.