Military & Veteran Students

The Montgomery GI Bill® is for individuals who have served on Active Duty for the first time after July 1, 1985, and who agreed to have their pay reduced by $100 for 12 months. Veterans must have received an honorable discharge and active-duty personnel must have served at least two years to be eligible to use their benefits. Benefits are provided up to 36 months and generally must be used within 10 years of discharge from active duty. This bill can be applied for prior to discharge. The monthly benefit paid is based on the length of service, category, and Department of Defense (DoD) put kickers into your MGIB Fund (if applicable).

An application for VA benefits (VA Form 22-1990) must be completed and is also available online https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/. A monthly W.A.V.E. (Web Automated Verification of Enrollment) verification is needed to receive payments. For more information on automated verification of enrollment, please go to https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/index.do.

The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program is authorized by Congress under Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 31. Eligibility for VR&E VetSuccess Services mandates the veteran has received, or will receive a discharge that is other than dishonorable and have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10%, or a memorandum rating of 20% or more from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). Eligible veterans may be allowed up to 48 months of full-time benefits. Veterans generally have 12 years from the date they are notified of their entitlement to the program. Application for Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) VetSuccess services is also required.

For more detailed information and VA Form 28-1900, Disabled Veterans Application for Vocational Rehabilitation, please go to https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/index.asp.

To obtain more detailed information on VetSuccess Services program, please go to https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/vsoc.asp.

Effective August 2009, the Post 9/11 GI Bill® was enacted for individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. The Post-9/11 GI Bill® is effective for training on or after August 1, 2009. This benefit will pay tuition and fees directly to the college. Additionally, students will receive a payment of up to $1,000 annually (divided by academic term) for books and supplies. They will also receive a monthly living allowance based on the Department of Defense Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rate for E-5’s with dependents within the same zip code as the student’s school (LSC-O’s zip code is 77630). The amount of this benefit varies from 40% to 100% depending on length of service.

An application for VA benefits (VA Form 22-1990) must be completed and is also available online https://www.va.gov.

To obtain more detailed information on the benefits of this program, please go to https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/.

The Dependents’ Educational Assistance program provides educational and training benefits for dependents and spouses of veterans who died or are 100 percent permanently disabled due to service-connected causes. Survivors and dependents are allowed 45 months of full-time benefits. Spouses have 10 years from the date of the veteran's effective date of permanent and total disability rating or the veteran's death. Dependents' benefits end on their 26th birthday or eight years from the veteran's effective date of permanent or total disability rating or the veteran's death, but not after the dependent's 31st birthday. Application requirements include an application for VA Benefit Form (22-5490), DD214 member4, or Death Certificate (veteran) and Birth certificate (child) or Marriage license (spouse). A Certificate of Eligibility will also be required from the VA.

For more detailed information on the benefits of this program, please go to www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.

Montgomery GI Bill® - Selected Reserves (Chapter 1606) benefits are available to reservists who enlist, reenlist, or extend an enlistment in the Selected Reserve for not less than six years on or after July 1, 1985. Benefit entitlement ends 14 years from the date of eligibility for the program, or on the day personnel leaves the Selected Reserve. For officers, the six-year period is in addition to any other obligated period of service. Eligibility for the program requires that the reservists have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent. In addition, the reservist must have completed Initial Active Duty Training (IADB). Finally, a reservist must be participating in training at the time benefits are used. A reservist is allowed 36 months of full-time benefits.

An application for VA benefits must be completed (VA Form 22-1990) and is also available online at https://www.va.gov. A monthly W.A.V.E (Web Automated Verification of Enrollment) verification is needed to receive payments. For more information on automated verification of enrollment, please go to https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/index.do.

The Reserve Educational Assistance Program is a Department of Defense program designed to provide educational assistance to members of the reserve components ordered to active duty in response to a war or a national emergency declared by the President or Congress. These components include Army Reserve, Naval Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, Army IRR, Air Force IRR, Navy IRR and Marine Corps IRR. A member ordered to active service while serving in the reserve component remains entitled to benefits under REAP only by continuing to serve in the reserve component. Entitlement under REAP is 36 months. There is a 48-month limitation when combining this benefit with one or more education programs.

An application for VA benefits must be completed (VA Form 22-1990) and is also available online https://www.va.gov. A monthly W.A.V.E (Web Automated Verification of Enrollment) verification is needed to receive payments. For more information on automated verification of enrollment, please go to https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/index.do.

Certification Request for Military Benefits Form

The Hazlewood Exemption is for qualified veterans and dependents of certain disabled or deceased veterans and exempts students from paying tuition and required fees (not including Student Services Fee).

Eligible veterans, their children and spouses may receive an exemption from the payment of all tuition, dues, fees, and other required charges, including fees for correspondence courses, but excluding deposit fees, student service fees, and any fees or charges for books, lodging, board, or clothing for up to 150 semester credit hours. Awards may not be used to pay tuition and relevant fees for continuing education classes unless the college receives state tax support for the classes, or the governing board has specifically approved this benefit.

To apply for Hazlewood benefits or to transfer unused benefits to an eligible dependent, applicants must submit a completed application/release form to the Financial Aid office at LSC-O. Please select the proper form from the list below:

• Veterans Using the Exemption for the First Time
• Eligible Children and Spouses Who Have Never Used the Exemption
• Veterans, Children, or Spouses Who Previously Received the Exemption
• Veterans Transferring Unused Hours to an Eligible Child (click on appropriate form):
  • Transfer of Unused Hazlewood Hours to Eligible Child
  • Application Packet for a Child Who Has Received Transferred Hours

In addition to the appropriate Hazlewood application, a copy of the veteran’s DD214 (member4) and proof of eligibility or ineligibility for GI/Montgomery benefits (Chapter 31, 33/Post 911) by requesting an education benefits letter from the VA office in Muskogee, OK at (888)-442-4551 or benefits.va.gov/gibill/ will be required. Birth certificate, adoption certificate, marriage certificate, and tax returns are required documentation for dependent child and/or spouse.

Students wanting to apply for this exemption must submit an application each semester.  The Texas Hazlewood Application must be submitted annually (each academic year). Students may submit the Texas Hazlewood Act Exemption Application for Continued Enrollment in subsequent terms when there is no break in enrollment, the full application must be submitted if there is a break in enrollment.

For more detailed information on the Hazlewood Exemption and a list of frequently asked questions, go to https://www.tvc.texas.gov/education/hazlewood/.

If a member of the Armed Forces of the United States is stationed outside Texas and the member's spouse or child establishes residence in Texas by residing in Texas and by filing with the Texas institution of higher education at which the spouse or child plans to register a letter of intent to establish residence in Texas, the institution of higher education shall permit the spouse or child to pay the tuition, fees, and other charges provided for Texas residents without regard to length of time that the spouse or child has resided in Texas.

This benefit Provides an education benefit to a child, or stepchild, of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces who is deployed to active duty in a combat zone outside the United States.
For more detailed information, eligibility requirements, and application process, please go to http://www.collegeforalltexans.com/apps/financialaid/tofa2.cfm?ID=580.