Veterans Affairs

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso would like to welcome our veterans. We appreciate your service and sacrifice, and look forward to assisting you in reaching your academic goals.

The Veterans Affairs Office is here to assist our students with their VA educational benefits, both federal and state. We are here to ensure that all the necessary documents are submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs and to certify students' enrollment.

All students must complete the VA Benefit Request Form Online at the beginning of each semester once they have registered for classes. This is how you notify our TTUHSC El Paso VA that you are registered and wish to use your benefits for the semester. Please note that it is the student's responsibility to submit and verify receipt of the form every semester or term. Your enrollment certification will not be submitted or processed without the form. Late certifications will result in delay of benefit payments, so it is vital that your certification request is submitted in a timely manner.

Allowing Veterans to Attend or Participate in Courses Pending VA Payment (38 USC 3679(e)

Background

Section 103 of Public Law (PL) 115-407, ‘Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018,' amends Title 38 US Code 3679 by adding a new subsection (e) that requires disapproval of courses of education, beginning August 1, 2019, at any educational institution that does not have a policy in place that will allow an individual to attend or participate in a course of education, pending VA payment, providing the individual submits a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33.

Pending Payment Compliance

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679(e), Texas Tech University adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post-9/11 G.I. Bill (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from VA.  Texas Tech University HSC El Paso will not:

  • Prevent the student's enrollment;
  • Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
  • Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
  • Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

  • Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class;
  • Provide a written request to be certified;
  • Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies

G.I. Bill is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Federal Veterans' Education Programs:

  • Ch. 30 - G.I. Bill® - Veterans who served on active duty and contributed $1200
  • Ch. 31 - Vocational Rehabilitation - Veterans with a service-connected disability approved for program by DVA.
  • Ch. 33 - Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® - Veterans who served at least 90 days on active duty after September 10, 2001
  • Ch. 32 - VEAP - Veterans who served 1/1/77-6/30/85 and made contributions.
  • Ch. 35 - Survivors and Dependents of 100% permanently disabled or deceased veterans.
  • Ch. 1606 - G.I. Bill® for Reservists and National Guard
  • Ch. 1607 - G.I. Bill® for Reservists and National Guard called to active duty since 9/11/01
  • Hazlewood Act

1. Veterans who wish to use their VA educational benefits for the first time should apply online at www.gibill.va.gov and complete Form 22-1990, Application for Educational Benefits, to receive a Certificate of Eligibility.

2. If educational benefits have previously been used, complete a Form 22-1995, Change of Program or Place of Training, online at www.gibill.va.gov to receive a Certificate of Eligibility.

3. Submit the following documents to the TTUHSC Veterans Affairs Office:

  • Certificate of Eligibility Letter
  • Certificate of Release of Discharge from Active Duty (DD-214)
  • VA Benefit Request Form
  • Military Transcript - Joint Services Transcript (JST), or Community College of the Air Force  transcript(s). See below for links.

1. Disabled veterans desiring to further their education under the VA Vocational Rehabilitation Program should contact their assigned Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.

2. Submit the following documents to the TTUHSC Veterans Affairs Office:

1. Veterans who wish to use their VA educational benefits for the first time should apply online at www.gibill.va.gov and complete a Form 22-1990, Application for Educational Benefits, to receive a Certificate of Eligibility.

2. If educational benefits have previously been used, complete a Form 22-1995, Change of Program or Place of Training, online at www.gibill.va.gov to receive a Certificate of Eligibility.

3. Submit the following documents to the TTUHSC Veterans Affairs Office:

Information on tuition and fees, housing, books and supplies under Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® Study Abroad Programs is available. For additional information regarding the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® and other programs, please visit gibill.va.gov/benefits/index.html.

1. Qualified dependents who wish to use their VA educational benefits for the first time should apply online at www.gibill.va.gov and complete a Form 22-5490, Application for Survivors and Dependents' Educational Assistance, to receive a Certificate/Letter of Eligibility.

2. If educational benefits have previously been used, complete a Form 22-1995, Change of Program or Place of Training, online at www.gibill.va.gov to receive a Certificate of Eligibility.

3. Submit the following documents to the TTUHSC Veterans Affairs Office:

  • Certificate of Eligibility Letter
  • Certificate of Release of Discharge from Active Duty (DD-214)
  • VA Benefit Request Form
 

The purpose of the Hazlewood Exemption (Hazlewood Act) is to provide an education benefit to honorably discharged or separated Texas veterans and to eligible dependent children and spouses of Texas veterans. The Hazlewood Act is a State of Texas law, which the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board oversees.

If you are the veteran:

  • Hazlewood Application Form - Please fill out this form to use Hazlewood benefits.
  • Continued Enrollment Form - This form will NOT be used for initial application for the Hazlewood Exemption, but may be used for enrollment of students subsequent to initial enrollment at the school in which the student is currently and consistently enrolled. If a break in enrollment or change of school occurs then the complete Hazlewood Exemption application must be completed.
  • DD-214 - for use in verifying your service-entry status, character of service, length of service, and dates of service. The Member–1 copy is not permissible copy because it does not contain Block 24, Character of Service in the Special Additional Information section (see sample DD-214, pg. 2 for this and all references to the form) which indicates if the veteran's service was honorable as required by statute.
  • VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE)(only if the veteran served after 09/10/2001) – to verify the value of your Ch. 33 or Ch. 31 federal veteran’s education benefits. Obtain a benefits letter from VA Education Center in Muskogee, Oklahoma. 1-888-GI-Bill-1 or 1-888-442-4551 or http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp
  • Proof of Online Database Registration – Veteran must register online in order to track hours used through the program. Once registered, applicants must login and print a verification page for the institution. https://www1.thecb.state.tx.us/apps/hsh/students/
  • Copy of a current utility or phone bill, OR two other documents. The veteran MUST reside in TX for Hazlewood to be used. 
  • Military Transcript - Joint Services Transcript (JST), or Community College of the Air Force  transcript(s).

If you are the legacy or dependent:

IMPORTANT: Legacy Students are allowed to use only 120 for an undergraduate degree. The remaining 30 hours can be used towards a graduate program.

  • Hazlewood Application Form - Please fill out this form to use Hazlewood benefits.
  • Continued Enrollment Form - This form will NOT be used for initial application for the Hazlewood Exemption, but may be used for enrollment of students subsequent to initial enrollment at the school in which the student is currently and consistently enrolled. If a break in enrollment or change of school occurs then the complete Hazlewood Exemption application must be completed.
  • Veteran's DD-214 - for use in verifying service-entry status, character of service, length of service, and dates of service. Member–1 copy is not permissible copy because it does not contain Block 24, Character of Service in the Special Additional Information section (see sample DD-214, pg. 2 for this and all references to the form) which indicates if the veteran's service was honorable as required by statute.
  • VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) (only if the veteran served after 09/10/2001) – to verify the value of your Ch. 33 or Ch. 35 federal veteran’s education benefits. Obtain a benefits letter from VA Education Center in Muskogee, Oklahoma. 1-888-GI-Bill-1 or 1-888-442-4551 or  http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp
  • Proof of Online Database Registration – Both veteran and dependents must register online in order to track hours used through the program. Once registered, applicants must login and print a verification page for the institution. https://www1.thecb.state.tx.us/apps/hsh/students/
  • To Qualify as a Spouse: The service member must be in one of the following categories. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces who were killed in action, died while in service, are missing in action, whose deaths are documented to be directly caused by illness or injury connected with service in the armed forces, or receive a total and permanent disability rating as a result of a disability or being individually unemployable. Please provide a copy of your marriage certificate.
  • If you are the biological child, please provide a copy of your birth certificate. If you are a step-child, you must also provide a copy of marriage certificate. If you are an adopted child or IRS dependent, please provide appropriate documentation. Recipient must be under the age of 26 on the first day of the term to apply for the Hazlewood Act.
  • Copy of a current utility or phone bill, OR two other documents. The veteran MUST reside in TX for Hazlewood to be used.

Additional Information

If you require a replacement DD214, you must contact the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) at 1-866-272-6272 (toll-free) or 314-801-0800.

Tuition and fees are submitted to the VA after the twelfth day of class.

Quick links

 

G.I. Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.