Becoming an Islander

The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides financial support for education and housing to 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.

» How to initiate your benefits
The procedure for initiating your benefits varies according to your situation. Please see below for further instructions.

• Servicemembers and veterans
  • You must file VA Form 22-1990 - Application for VA Education Benefits for active duty servicemembers and veterans applying for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.
• Dependents of servicemembers that qualify for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits
  • STEP 1: Servicemember or transferor of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits must apply via the Transferability Application on the Department of Defense web site. (NOTE: Must be accessed in Internet Explorer; will not load in other browsers)
  • STEP 2: Dependent(s) must submit a paper copy of VA Form 22-1990E - Application for Transfer of Entitlement (TOE) to the Department of Veterans Affairs in Muskogee, OK (refer to our Contact page for VA mailing address).

The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) is available for those who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces.

» How to initiate your benefits
To initiate benefits, you must file:

• VA Form 22-1990 - Application for VA Education Benefits, or
• VA Form 22-5490 - Application for Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Form

If you are transferring from another college or university, you must file:

• VA Form 22-1995 - Request for Cha nge of VA Education Program or Place of Training, or
• VA Form 22-5495 - Request for Change of VA Education Program or Place of Training (Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance)

The purpose of the Hazlewood Exemption (Hazlewood Act) is to provide an education benefit to honorably discharged or separated Texas veterans or to qualified dependent children.

» How to initiate your benefits
In accordance with the Texas Education Code, Section 54.203, Texas veterans and eligible dependents must apply for benefits each term. An exemption of tuition and fees, less the student services fee, is granted per term for Hazlewood eligible students, up to 150 credit cumulative hours. Students must submit the application, discharge papers and other qualifying documentation, and a letter from Muskogee, Oklahoma, VA Regional Processing Office stating that they have exhausted federal veterans' educational benefits. The Hazlewood file must be completed, and exemption requested in advance of the census date per term. The number of credit hours a student is registered for on the census date of a given term is the number of Hazlewood credit hours reported for the term to the Coordinating Board.

• Application for Veterans New to Hazlewood
  This form is for qualified Texas veterans that have exhausted federal MGIB benefits.

• Application for Dependents New to Hazlewood
  This form is for qualified dependents of Texas veterans that have exhausted MGIB CH 35 benefits.

• Application for Previous Hazlewood Recipients
  This form is for students eligible for the Hazlewood exemption. This application is required each term.

• Hazlewood Exemption Application for the Transfer of Unused Hazlewood Hours to Eligible Child
  This form is for a veteran parent to transfer unused Hazlewood hours to a qualified dependent child.

• Hazlewood Exemption Application for a Child Who Has Received Transferred Hours
  This form is for a qualified dependent child receiving the initial transfer of Hazlewood hours from a veteran parent.