Texas Hazlewood Act: 150 Free College Hours for Veterans (2026)

The Texas Hazlewood Act is one of the most generous state veteran education benefits in the country. Under Texas Education Code Chapter 54, eligible Texas veterans receive up to 150 credit hours of tuition-free education at any Texas public college, university, or community college. That's enough for a full bachelor's degree and then some — at no tuition cost. And through the Hazlewood Legacy Act, veterans who have unused credit hours can transfer them to their dependent children. This guide explains every detail: who qualifies, what it covers, how the Legacy Act works, how to interact with the federal GI Bill, and how to apply each semester.

What Is the Hazlewood Act?

The Hazlewood Act has been Texas law since 1923 — one of the original veteran education benefits in the United States, named after Congressman Clyde Hazlewood. It is codified in Texas Education Code (TEC) Chapter 54, Subchapter C. The law waives tuition and required fees at Texas public institutions of higher education for eligible veterans, up to 150 credit hours over the course of the veteran's lifetime.

Unlike federal GI Bill benefits, which are administered by the VA and provide a housing allowance and book stipend, the Hazlewood Act is purely a tuition waiver — it eliminates tuition and required fees, but does not provide additional living expenses or supply funds. For many veterans, using Hazlewood for tuition while using Post-9/11 GI Bill housing allowance (BAH) is the most financially advantageous strategy — but they cannot use both for the same hours.

Who Qualifies for the Hazlewood Act

To qualify as a veteran under the Hazlewood Act, you must meet all of the following criteria:

Service Requirements

• Served in the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or their reserves)
• Served for at least 181 days of active duty (excluding training) — or less if discharged for a service-connected disability
• Received an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions

Texas Residency Requirements

You must meet one of the following residency criteria:

• You were a Texas resident at the time you entered military service, OR
• You have been a Texas resident for at least 12 months immediately before the date of enrollment at a Texas institution

Financial and Academic Requirements

• You are not using federal VA education benefits (GI Bill chapter) for the same hours you are claiming under Hazlewood
• You are not in default on any federal student loan
• You have remaining Hazlewood hours (i.e., have not exhausted your 150-hour lifetime cap)

What Hazlewood Covers (and Doesn't)

Covered

• Tuition — the base cost per credit hour charged by the institution
• Required fees — fees that all enrolled students are required to pay (student services fee, technology fee, etc.)

Not Covered

• Room and board — on-campus or off-campus housing is not covered
• Textbooks and supplies — books, lab equipment, and course materials are not covered
• Optional fees — parking permits, gym membership, optional insurance, and similar fees are not covered
• Graduate thesis or dissertation fees — some specialized graduate program fees may not qualify
• Private universities — Hazlewood only applies at Texas public institutions (UT, Texas A&M, community colleges, etc.)
• Out-of-state schools — even if you are a Texas veteran, Hazlewood only applies in Texas

The 150 Credit Hour Limit

Hazlewood benefits are capped at a lifetime maximum of 150 credit hours. Every credit hour you take under Hazlewood counts against this cap, regardless of whether you passed the course, withdrew, or transferred institutions.

Hours That Count Against Your Cap

• Every course you enroll in and receive a grade (pass or fail)
• Courses you withdraw from after the institution's census date (the date that determines whether a dropped course counts)
• Repeated courses (if you retake a course you failed, both attempts count)
• Transfer credits that appear on your transcript from courses taken under Hazlewood at a previous institution

Hours That Do Not Count

• Courses dropped before the census date (typically the 12th class day of the semester)
• Prior education taken without Hazlewood benefits
• Credit hours paid by a non-Hazlewood source (GI Bill, PELL Grant, personal payment) — those don't reduce your Hazlewood cap if you paid for them separately

Hazlewood Legacy Act: Transferring Hours to Your Children

The Hazlewood Legacy Act, enacted in 2009, allows veterans to transfer unused Hazlewood credit hours to their dependent children. This is one of the most valuable education benefits available — a veteran who has completed their own education can pass the remaining hours to a son or daughter, effectively giving them a tuition-free college education.

Legacy Act Eligibility for the Veteran

To transfer hours under the Legacy Act, the veteran must:

• Meet all standard Hazlewood eligibility requirements
• Have unused Hazlewood hours remaining (you cannot transfer hours you've already used)
• Be a Texas resident at the time of the child's enrollment (the veteran's residency requirement is reassessed)

Legacy Act Eligibility for the Child

The dependent child must meet the following requirements:

• Be a Texas resident
• Be a dependent of the veteran (claimed as a dependent on federal taxes, or legally adopted)
• There is no maximum age limit — adult children of any age can receive transferred hours if they are dependents
• Be enrolled at a Texas public institution of higher education
• Not be in default on any federal student loan
• Not be using the same hours under federal GI Bill benefits

How Many Hours Can Be Transferred

A veteran can transfer any or all of their remaining unused Hazlewood hours to eligible dependent children. The transferred hours come from the veteran's 150-hour pool — the veteran and all children together share the 150-hour lifetime cap. If a veteran used 60 hours themselves, they have 90 hours to potentially transfer. Those 90 hours can be split among multiple children or used entirely by one child.

How to Apply Each Semester

Hazlewood benefits are not automatically applied — you must apply to your school's Veterans Affairs office every semester. Most schools require applications 2–4 weeks before the semester begins.

1. Locate your school's Veterans Affairs (VA) office: Every Texas public college and university has a dedicated veterans affairs or military services office that administers Hazlewood benefits. Search your school's website for "veterans affairs" or "military services." This is different from the federal VA — it is your school's internal office.
2. Submit your DD-214: On your first application, you will need to provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) proving your service and discharge character. This is a one-time requirement — you typically don't need to resubmit DD-214 every semester if you remain at the same school.
3. Complete the Hazlewood application: Each school has its own Hazlewood exemption application form. It typically asks for your personal information, service information, and certification that you are not using GI Bill benefits for the same hours and are not in federal loan default. Fill it out fully and accurately.
4. Reapply every semester: Hazlewood benefits must be renewed each semester — they do not automatically continue. Submit your application each fall, spring, and any summer sessions in which you enroll. Missing the deadline may mean paying out of pocket and requesting reimbursement, which some schools handle differently.
5. For Legacy Act transfers: Both the veteran and the child must complete paperwork. The veteran signs a form authorizing the transfer, and the dependent child submits their own application to the school's VA office. Coordinate with the school early — Legacy Act processing sometimes takes longer than standard Hazlewood applications.

Which Schools Honor the Hazlewood Act

The Hazlewood Act applies at all Texas public institutions of higher education, including:

• All University of Texas System campuses (UT Austin, UT Dallas, UT San Antonio, etc.)
• All Texas A&M System campuses (Texas A&M, TAMUK, TAMSA, etc.)
• Texas Tech University and its campuses
• University of Houston and its campuses
• Texas State University
• All Texas community college districts (Austin Community College, San Antonio College, Dallas College, Houston Community College, etc.) — more than 50 community college districts statewide
• All other public universities: Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State, TWU, UT Tyler, etc.

The Hazlewood Act does not apply at:

• Private universities (Baylor, TCU, Rice, SMU, Trinity, etc.)
• Out-of-state institutions
• Online-only or out-of-state institutions with Texas campuses (consult with the school)

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) maintains the official list of participating institutions at thecb.state.tx.us. When in doubt, call the school's veterans affairs office directly.

Interaction with the Federal GI Bill

The Hazlewood Act and the federal GI Bill (Post-9/11, Chapter 33; Montgomery GI Bill, Chapter 30; etc.) are complementary but cannot cover the same credit hours simultaneously. You cannot use both to pay for the same course. However, there are strategic ways to use both programs to maximize your total benefits.

Common Strategy: Hazlewood for Tuition + GI Bill for Housing

The most common approach for Texas veterans who qualify for both is:

• Use Hazlewood to pay for tuition and required fees (which eliminates that cost entirely)
• Use the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) to receive the monthly housing allowance (BAH) and the annual books/supplies stipend ($1,000/year) — without billing VA for tuition

When you use Hazlewood for tuition, you tell VA that your school is covering tuition so VA should not pay tuition. VA then pays only the housing allowance and book stipend. The net result: $0 tuition out of pocket + housing allowance + book stipend — which is better than GI Bill alone if Hazlewood covers full tuition at your school.

Hours Count Either Way

Remember: if you use Hazlewood for a course, those hours count against your 150-hour Hazlewood lifetime cap. If you use GI Bill for a course, those hours count against your GI Bill entitlement (typically 36 months). Plan your course of study with both caps in mind, especially if you are pursuing graduate education or multiple degrees.