Once the veteran has transferred or assigned benefits to a spouse or child, the student is directly responsible for applying for the benefit. Additionally, the student must request benefit certification for each semester they wish to use military education benefits.
Our office routinely sends important information and notification to the student’s UTSA email address. Each student is responsible for monitoring the email address they have provided.
What does the benefit cover?
| Benefit | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Chapter 33 GI Bill® |
Tuition & Standard Fees (up to the percentage the student is eligible for) Book Stipend Monthly Housing Allowance |
| Chapter 35 Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) |
Stipend paid to student while in class. |
| Hazlewood (Legacy Child) | 150 credit hours of tuition and most fees (one student per semester). |
| Hazlewood (Spouse/Dependent) | Each dependent receives their own 150 credit hours of tuition and most fees. |
Important Topics
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
In order for our staff to discuss information with anyone other than the student, we must have received authorization from the student via their myUTSA Account. Once logged into their myUTSA Account, the authorization can be found under the tab titles “FERPA Release.”
The Federal law, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), protects the privacy of the student education records and guarantees students access to their own records.
FERPA DOES NOT authorize:
- anyone other than the student to log into the student’s accounts
- anyone other than the student to make any changes to their request for benefits processing
More information about FERPA can be found on the U.S. Department of Education website.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
The Center for Military Affiliated Students assists with processing and questions regarding VA benefits, the Hazlewood Exemption, GI Bill benefits, and CH 31 VR&E. All other financial aid, scholarships, and loan questions can be addressed at the One Stop Enrollment Center.
VetSuccess on Campus
The VetSuccess on Campus program or VSOC is a collaborative effort between The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with the purpose of providing a supportive on-campus environment for student veterans. VA has placed two full-time Vocational Counselors on the UTSA Campus to assist Veterans, active duty military and their eligible family members who attend or plan to attend UTSA.
Please note that VSOC counselors are employees of the US Department of Veterans Affairs and are not UTSA employees, so they are unable to answer questions related to UTSA-specific processes.
For more information, assistance or to schedule an appointment, contact your VetSuccess on Campus Counselors at UTSA.
Drops and Withdrawals
Students must contact our office when dropping a class, withdrawing from a class, or any schedule changes made after they have requested certification for the given semester. Failure to contact our office can result in benefit overpayments which can generate debts assigned to the student that may impact the ability to register for subsequent semesters.
Census Date Policy
- The VMA Census Date Policy complies with the Public Law that went into effect August 1, 2021 (PL 116-315 Section 1010, Isakson and Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020). For chapter 33 beneficiaries, schools are required to submit both an original enrollment certification and a second enrollment verification to ensure the beneficiary is progressing in their training. Schools are required to submit an initial enrollment certification for each beneficiary, and a subsequent enrollment certification (verification) after the school’s drop-add period.
- Summer terms will be billed after the last UTSA census date during the summer semester. Please reference the Summer Academic Calendar for the term needed for additional information.
- A hold will be placed on the student account after the initial certification. This will prevent the student from being dropped for non-payment and be exempted from any late fees across the UTSA payment deadlines while awaiting the tuition and fee payment from the VA.
- Registration should still be available during the student’s registration window, as long as no outstanding debt is owed from past semesters.
- If eligible, the monthly housing allowance (MHA) from the VA should be issued as normal while awaiting payment from the VA.
- An automated email will be sent to the student’s UTSA email address confirming the initial certification was submitted. A second automated email will be sent verifying tuition and fees have been requested from the VA for payment to the university.
- The Hazlewood Exemption will be reflected on the account when the payment from the VA is posted for students using partial or exhausting their Chapter 33 benefit while utilizing the Hazlewood Exemption concurrently.
- Students who receive scholarships, grants, or any type of financial aid will not receive a refund until the payment from the VA is posted to the student account, unless otherwise indicated.
