Free Tuition, Eligibility, Legacy Transfer, and Application Steps
Texas Hazlewood Act: Free Tuition For Veterans And Dependents In 2026
Texas Veterans Commission — Hazlewood Act
Texas Education Code § 54.341
VA.gov — GI Bill Benefits
The Texas Hazlewood Act waives tuition and most mandatory fees for up to 150 credit hours at any Texas public college, university, or technical school. Eligible Veterans, spouses, and children qualify. The benefit does not expire, does not require repayment, and can be transferred to one dependent child through the Hazlewood Legacy Act. Use your GI Bill first — it expires — then apply Hazlewood for remaining hours.
Next step:
Check Your VA Loan Eligibility
Who Qualifies
- Veterans: Honorable discharge, 180+ days active duty (not training), Texas resident or enlisted in Texas.
- Spouses: Spouse of a Veteran who was killed, missing, or rated 100% disabled from service-connected conditions.
- Children: Biological, adopted, or stepchildren of qualifying Veterans through the Hazlewood Legacy Act transfer.
- Residency: Must be classified as a Texas resident by the institution at the time of enrollment each semester.
What It Covers
- Credit hours: Up to 150 semester credit hours of tuition and most mandatory fees at Texas public institutions.
- Not covered: Books, housing, meals, optional fees, lab supplies, and private or out-of-state institutions are excluded.
- No repayment: Hazlewood is an outright exemption — there is no repayment obligation or loan component.
- No expiration: Unlike the GI Bill, Hazlewood hours do not expire and can be used at any point in your life.
Legacy Transfer
- One child only: Veterans can transfer unused Hazlewood hours to one dependent child through the Legacy Act.
- GI Bill first: The child must have exhausted or been ineligible for federal GI Bill benefits before using Legacy hours.
- Age and enrollment: The child must be 25 or younger at the start of the semester and enrolled at a Texas public school.
- Separate application: Legacy requires its own application form filed each semester at the enrolling institution.
How To Apply
- Required documents: DD-214, Texas residency proof, Hazlewood application form (TVC-ED-1), and school enrollment.
- Filed each semester: You must submit the Hazlewood application to your school every semester you want the benefit.
- School VA office: The school’s Veterans affairs certifying official processes the exemption after verifying your eligibility.
- Processing time: Allow 2-4 weeks for initial verification; subsequent semesters process faster with records on file.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many credit hours does Hazlewood cover?
Can I use Hazlewood and the GI Bill together?
Does the Hazlewood Act expire?
The Bottom Line Up Front
The Texas Hazlewood Act gives qualifying Veterans and their dependents up to 150 credit hours of free tuition at any Texas public institution — no repayment, no expiration. It covers tuition and most mandatory fees but not books, housing, or optional charges. Use your GI Bill first (it expires and includes housing allowance), then switch to Hazlewood for remaining hours. Veterans can transfer unused hours to one child through the Legacy Act. The benefit is filed each semester through the school’s Veterans affairs office.
The Hazlewood Act is one of the strongest state-level education benefits in the country, and it stacks with other Texas advantages including zero state income tax and full property tax exemptions for disabled Veterans. Texas Veterans who combine Hazlewood tuition waivers with GI Bill housing allowance, then use a VA-backed mortgage after graduation, create a financial trajectory that is difficult to match in any other state.
- Up to 150 semester credit hours of tuition and mandatory fee waivers at any Texas public college, university, or technical school — no dollar cap, no repayment
- Eligible Veterans must have an honorable discharge, 180+ days of active duty service, and current Texas residency or Texas enlistment
- Spouses of Veterans who were killed in action, missing in action, or rated 100% disabled from service-connected conditions qualify independently
- The Hazlewood Legacy Act allows Veterans to transfer unused hours to one biological, adopted, or stepchild — the child must exhaust GI Bill eligibility first
- Hazlewood does not expire, unlike the GI Bill — Veterans can use it at any age, making it valuable for career changes and continuing education decades after service
Who Is Eligible For The Hazlewood Act
Eligibility hinges on three factors: service type, discharge character, and Texas residency. Veterans, certain spouses, and dependent children each have different qualification paths.
Veteran eligibility requires all three:
- Honorable discharge from active duty Military service — general under honorable conditions or below generally does not qualify without a discharge upgrade
- At least 180 days of active duty service, excluding training time — initial entry training and basic training days do not count toward the 180-day requirement
- Texas residency at the time of enrollment, or enlistment in Texas — the institution determines residency status based on state criteria each semester
Spouses qualify if the Veteran was killed in the line of duty, is classified as missing in action, or has a 100% service-connected disability rating. Children qualify through the Legacy Act transfer, which requires the Veteran parent to designate one child and the child to have exhausted or be ineligible for federal GI Bill benefits before using Legacy hours.
What The Hazlewood Act Covers — And What It Does Not
Hazlewood covers tuition and most mandatory fees — the charges every student must pay to enroll. It does not cover optional fees, books, housing, meals, lab supplies, or private institution tuition. The benefit applies only at Texas public institutions: community colleges, state universities, and technical schools in the Texas public higher education system.
| Covered | Not Covered |
|---|---|
| Tuition at Texas public institutions | Books and course materials |
| Most mandatory enrollment fees | Housing and meal plans |
| Up to 150 semester credit hours | Optional student fees |
| Undergraduate and graduate programs | Lab supplies and equipment |
| Technical and vocational programs | Private or out-of-state schools |
The 150-hour cap is cumulative across all Texas public institutions. Hours attempted under Hazlewood at one school count toward the cap even if you transfer to another. Track your remaining hours through the Texas Veterans Commission or your school’s VA certifying official to avoid running out mid-degree.
At the University of Texas at Austin, in-state tuition and fees run approximately $11,000-$13,000 per year for a full-time undergraduate. Over a 4-year, 120-credit-hour degree, Hazlewood saves roughly $44,000-$52,000 in tuition alone. At a Texas community college, the savings are lower per semester but the 150-hour cap stretches further, potentially covering an associate degree plus transfer credits toward a bachelor’s.
Hazlewood Legacy Act: Transferring Hours To Your Child
The Hazlewood Legacy Act lets Veterans transfer their unused Hazlewood hours to one dependent child. This is one of the most valuable features of the program — but it comes with strict rules.
- You can designate only one child to receive your unused hours — once designated, you cannot change the recipient to a different child
- The child must have applied for and either exhausted or been determined ineligible for federal education benefits (GI Bill) before using Legacy hours
- The child must be 25 years old or younger at the start of the semester in which they use Legacy benefits, and must meet Texas residency requirements
- The Veteran does not need to have used any Hazlewood hours personally — the full 150-hour balance can transfer to the designated child
Legacy requires a separate application from the standard Hazlewood form. The Veteran completes TVC-ED-1a (Legacy application) designating the child, and the child submits it with enrollment documentation to their school each semester. Planning matters — once a child is designated, the decision is permanent.
Hazlewood vs GI Bill: Which To Use First
Use the GI Bill first. This is not optional advice — it is strategic planning based on what each program provides and how they interact.
| Feature | GI Bill (Post-9/11) | Hazlewood Act |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition coverage | Full in-state or up to national max | Tuition + mandatory fees only |
| Housing allowance | Yes (E-5 BAH by ZIP) | No |
| Books stipend | Up to $1,000/year | No |
| Expiration | No (post-2013 separations) | Never expires |
| Credit hour cap | 36 months (not hours) | 150 credit hours |
| Applies at | Any approved school nationally | Texas public institutions only |
| Monthly verification | Required (since Jan 2026) | Not required |
The GI Bill provides housing allowance and a books stipend that Hazlewood does not. Using the GI Bill first maximizes your total benefit value — you get tuition plus living expenses during those months. After exhausting GI Bill entitlement, switch to Hazlewood for remaining credit hours. The combination can fund a bachelor’s degree plus a master’s degree or professional certification at zero tuition cost.
How To Apply For Hazlewood Benefits
You apply directly through the school you plan to attend, not through the VA or the Texas Veterans Commission. The application must be filed each semester.
- Obtain your DD-214 showing honorable discharge and at least 180 days of active duty service — this is the primary eligibility document for every Hazlewood application
- Download and complete the Hazlewood Exemption Application (TVC-ED-1) from the Texas Veterans Commission website or your school’s Veterans office
- Provide Texas residency documentation — driver’s license, voter registration, utility bills, or lease agreement showing current Texas address
- Submit the completed application with supporting documents to your school’s Veterans affairs certifying official before the semester enrollment deadline
- For Legacy transfers, the Veteran completes TVC-ED-1a designating the child, and the child submits it along with proof of GI Bill exhaustion or ineligibility
Initial applications take 2-4 weeks for verification. Subsequent semesters process faster because your records are already on file. File early each semester — late applications may not be processed before tuition is due, requiring you to pay upfront and request a refund after approval.
The Bottom Line
The Texas Hazlewood Act is one of the strongest education benefits any state offers to Veterans. Up to 150 credit hours of free tuition at any Texas public institution, no expiration, no repayment, and transferable to one child. Use your GI Bill first for the housing allowance, then switch to Hazlewood for remaining hours. File the application each semester, track your hours, and plan the Legacy transfer early if you intend to pass the benefit to a child. Combined with Texas’s zero income tax and VA loan advantages, the Hazlewood Act makes Texas one of the most financially favorable states for Veteran families pursuing education and homeownership.
Veterans enrolled in Texas colleges who are also considering home purchases should coordinate their timing carefully. GI Bill housing allowance provides income during school that lenders can count toward qualification. After graduation, transition to employment income and use your VA loan entitlement for a zero-down purchase. The Hazlewood savings on tuition means less student debt — and less debt means better debt-to-income ratios when you apply for a mortgage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Hazlewood for graduate school?
Yes. Hazlewood covers both undergraduate and graduate programs at Texas public institutions. The 150-hour cap applies cumulatively across all degree levels, so plan your usage to cover both if needed.
Does Hazlewood cover online classes?
Yes, as long as the online program is offered by a Texas public institution and you meet residency requirements. The exemption covers the same tuition and fees for online courses as for in-person classes.
Can I transfer Hazlewood hours to more than one child?
No. The Legacy Act allows transfer to only one dependent child. Once you designate a recipient, the decision is permanent and cannot be changed to a different child.
What if I have a general under honorable discharge?
A general under honorable conditions discharge generally does not qualify for Hazlewood. You may need to pursue a discharge upgrade through your branch’s Board for Correction of Military Records before applying.
Do I need to be a Texas resident to use Hazlewood?
Yes. You must be classified as a Texas resident by the enrolling institution. Alternatively, if you enlisted in Texas, you may qualify regardless of current residency — verify with the Texas Veterans Commission.
Can I use Hazlewood at a private Texas university?
No. Hazlewood applies only to Texas public institutions — public universities, community colleges, and state-funded technical schools. Private institutions and out-of-state schools are excluded.
Does Hazlewood cover books and housing?
No. Hazlewood covers tuition and most mandatory fees only. Books, housing, meals, optional fees, and lab supplies are not covered. Pair Hazlewood with scholarships, grants, or part-time employment to cover those costs.
What is the age limit for Hazlewood Legacy?
The dependent child must be 25 years old or younger at the start of the semester in which they use Legacy benefits. There is no age limit for the Veteran using Hazlewood directly.
