Waivers and Exemptions

Highest Ranking High School Graduate

Documents 

Students must provide high school documents proving that they were top 10% of their class.

Eligibility Requirements

• Eligibility requirements include for the student to be a Texas resident, non-resident, or international students.
• Student should have graduated from an accredited high school in the State of Texas; and have graduated with the highest ranking in their high school.
• Covers tuition, not fees

Award Amount

Pays for tuition only for 2 regular terms. 

Blind and Deaf

Documents

Eligibility Requirements

• Student is determined eligible by Vocational Rehabilitation Services Offices through the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). Student must contact their local TWC office to apply.
• Texas residents with a hearing disability who meet certain criteria are determined eligible by Texas Health and Human Services (HHS). To apply, students must submit the Application for Certificate of Deafness for Tuition Waiver (Form 3900) to HHS.
• Student will be required to provide a certification of eligibility letter.

Eligible Students

• Are not required to demonstrate financial need.
• Must be registered with Selective Service or be exempt.
• Who meet the enrollment eligibility requirements can receive the exemption while attempting any program of study offered at an eligible institution (i.e., undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degree).
• Can continue to receive the exemption in subsequent semesters or terms only if the student is meeting the institution’s grade point average (GPA) requirement for financial aid.
• May not continue to receive the exemption while enrolled in undergraduate hours considered to be excessive.

Award Amount

Covers tuition and fees authorized by TEC for any eligible course attempted.

Adoption and Foster

Documents

Student must have the DFPS State College Tuition and Fee Waiver Form.

Eligibility Requirements

To find out whether you are eligible for this tuition exemption, contact the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and request Form 1810: DFPS Verification of the State College Tuition and Fee Waiver. The form is processed by either DFPS Adoption Eligibility staff or Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) staff.

Eligible students

• Are not required to be Texas residents when awarded, as long as they meet the DFPS program requirements.
• Are not required to demonstrate financial need.
• Must be registered with Selective Service, or be exempt.
• Must meet the enrollment eligibility requirements before the age of 25*. However, students are not required to receive the exemption before the age of 25.
• *Adopted students who were the subject of an adoption assistance agreement may enroll in an institution at any age.
• Can continue receiving the exemption even if they are not meeting the institution’s grade point average (GPA) requirement, as long as they are meeting institutional registration requirements.
• Can continue receiving the exemption even if they are enrolled in excessive hours (TEC, Section 54.014).
• Who meet the enrollment eligibility requirements can receive the exemption while attempting any program of study offered at an eligible institution (i.e., undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degree).

Award Amount

Tuition and fees authorized by TEC for any eligible course attempted.

Competitive Scholarship

Documents

Student must receive an athletic, institutional, and/or academic scholarships of $1,000 or more for an academic year for Fall and Spring. To receive the competitive scholarship for the Summer term, student must receive an athletic, institutional, and/or academic scholarships totaling $1,000. A male student must register with Selective Service or can fill out the Proof of Selective Service Exemption/Waiver Form to be exempt.

Eligibility Requirements

Nonresident or foreign students receiving a competitive scholarship of at least $1,000 (or a combination of scholarships totaling at least $1,000). Students must have competed with other students, including Texas residents, for the award. The student may receive a waiver of nonresident tuition for the period of time covered by the scholarship, not to exceed 12 months. Waivers may be received in any year in which the student meets the competitive scholarship requirements.

Award Amount

Covers out of state charges.

65+

Documents

Student must provide a copy of their driver’s license or state issued ID that proves based on DOB that they are 65+.

Eligibility Requirements

• Texas residents, nonresidents or foreign students
• Enroll at a college or university whose governing board has chosen to offer this program
• Enroll in a class that is not already filled with students who are paying full price for the courses. (If the class is too small to accommodate both regular students and senior citizens, the regular students must be given priority.)
• Enroll in classes for which the college receives tax support (i.e., a course that does not depend solely on student tuition and fees to cover its costs)
• A Grade Point Average requirement for persons to receive continuation awards through the program. The Bill also establishes a Limit to the Total Number of Hours, cumulative, that a student may take and continue to receive awards through this program.

Award Amount

Pays tuition for up to 6 hours per term.

Fallen Peace Office

Documents

Student must have proof of status to qualify.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for this exemption, the applicant must:

• Be a resident of the state of Texas who has resided in Texas for at least the 12 months immediately preceding the semester for which the exemption is sought;
• Be permanently disabled due to an injury suffered during the performance of a duty as either:
• A peace officer of Texas or of a political subdivision of Texas; OR
• A firefighter employed by Texas or by a political subdivision of Texas;
• Be unable to continue employment as a peace officer or firefighter because of the disability;
• Have filed a selective service statement of registration status and proof of status with their institution (not applicable if attending a public community college).

To continue receiving an exemption after initially being awarded, the student must:

• Meet all program eligibility requirements;
• Meet the institution’s financial aid GPA requirement;
• Not have attempted an excessive number of semester credit hours as an undergraduate student (see Texas Education Code, Section 54.014).
• Note: A student who does not meet the GPA requirement or excessive hour restriction may qualify for a hardship exception; contact your institution for more information.

Award Amount

The award exempts an eligible person from the payment of tuition and fees for a course for which space is available.

• Exemption from tuition is only for courses in which the institution receives formula funding (i.e., a course that does not depend solely on student tuition and fees to cover its costs).
• This exemption may not exceed 12 semesters or sessions while the student is an undergraduate or attending only undergraduate courses.
• At the graduate level this exemption can be used toward the completion of one master’s degree and the completion of one doctoral degree.

Peace Officer

Documents

Student needs to fill out the Application for Texas Peace Officer Exemption. Student will send supporting documents along with the form.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for this exemption, the applicant must:

• Be a peace officer employed by the state of Texas or by a political subdivision of the state of Texas;
• Be an undergraduate student enrolled in an eligible criminal justice or law enforcement-related degree or certificate program;
• Have filed a selective service statement of registration status and proof of status with their institution (not applicable if attending a public community college).

To continue receiving an exemption after initially being awarded, the student must:

• Meet all program eligibility requirements;
• Meet the institution’s financial aid satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirement;
• Not have attempted an excessive number of semester credit hours as an undergraduate student (see Texas Education Code, Section 54.014).

Award Amount

This award exempts an eligible person from the payment of tuition and laboratory fees for specific criminal justice or law enforcement courses.

• Exemption from tuition and lab fees is only for courses in which the institution receives formula funding (i.e., a course that does not depend solely on student tuition and fees to cover its costs).
• Courses not directly related to law enforcement or criminal justice are not eligible for reimbursement even though they may be required for completion of the certificate or degree, only CRIM and CCJO courses only.

Postgraduate Nurse

Documents

Student must have proof of status to qualify.

Eligibility Requirements

Students who:

• Are registered nurses;
• Are authorized to practice professional nursing in Texas;
• Enroll in a program designed to lead to a master's degree or other higher degree in nursing; and
• Intend to teach in a program in Texas designed to prepare students for licensure as registered nurses.
• Non-immigrant aliens are eligible for this program if they are authorized to practice professional nursing in Texas and have a BCIS status that will allow them to remain in Texas and work.

Amount Award

Pays out of state charges.

Hazelwood

Documents

Student needs to fill out the Texas Hazlewood Act Exemption Application. Student will send supporting documents along with the form.

Eligibility Requirements

A Veteran must:

• At the time of entry into active duty of the U.S. Armed Forces, (DD Form 214 required) & (40 TAC §461.40)
• designated Texas as Home of Record;
• or entered the service in Texas;
• or was a Texas resident;
• Have received an honorable discharge or separation or a general discharge under honorable conditions as indicated on the Veteran’s Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,
• Served at least 181 days of active duty service (excluding training);
• Currently reside in Texas; (40 TAC §461.40) & (40 TAC §461.70)
• Have no federal Veteran’s education benefits, or have no federal Veterans education benefits dedicated to the payment of tuition and fees only (such as Chapter 33 or 31; for term or semester enrolled that do not exceed the value of Hazelwood benefits;
• Not be in default on a student loan made or guaranteed by the State of Texas;
• Enroll in classes for which the college receives tax support (i.e., a course that does not depend solely on student tuition and fees to cover its cost), unless the college’s governing board has ruled to let Veterans receive the benefit while taking non-funded courses; and

• Meet the GPA requirement of the institution’s satisfactory academic progress policy in a degree or certificate program as determined by the institution’s financial aid policy and, as an undergraduate student, not be considered to have attempted an excessive amount of credit hours.

Award Amount

Pays for tuition and fees.

Educational Aid

Documents

Student needs to fill out the Educational Aide Exemption Application. Student will send supporting documents along with the form.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be a Resident of Texas.
• Be registered for the Selective Service or be exempt from this requirement.
• Be employed in some capacity by a public school district in Texas during the full term for which the student receives the award unless granted a hardship.
• Show financial need.
• Have been employed by a public school district in Texas working full-time, in a classroom directly with the students, in a teaching capacity as:
• An Educational Aide for at least one school year of the past five school years preceding the term or semester for which the student is awarded their initial exemption, or
• A substitute teacher for 180 days of the past five school years preceding the term or semester for which the student is awarded their initial exemption.
• Meet satisfactory academic progress requirements established by the college or university.
• Be enrolled in courses required for teacher certification in one or more areas that the Texas Education Agency has determined to be experiencing a critical shortage of teachers at public schools in Texas in accordance with Texas Administrative Code, 21.1083 (6).

Award Amount

Pays tuition and fees.

Clinical Preceptors and Their Children

Documents

Student must have a statement on file to qualify.

Eligibility Requirements

Clinical Preceptors who:

• are residents of Texas,
• unless attending a public community college (for which tuition is local revenue), have a statement on file with the institution of higher education indicating the student is registered with the Selective Service System as required by federal law or is exempt from selective service registration under federal law.
• are registered nurses,
• serve, on an average, at least one day per week under a written preceptor agreement with an undergraduate professional nursing program as a clinical preceptor for students enrolled in the program for:
• the time period the program conducts clinical during the semester or other academic term for which the exemption is sought; or
• the time period the program conducts clinical during a semester or other academic term that ended less than one year prior to the beginning of the semester or term in which the exemption is to be used.

AND

Persons who:

• are residents of Texas,
• unless attending a public community college (for which tuition is local revenue), have a statement on file with the institution of higher education indicating the student is registered with the Selective Service System as required by federal law or is exempt from selective service registration under federal law.
• have not been granted a baccalaureate degree, and
• are children of a Clinical Preceptor who serve, on an average, at least one day per week under a written preceptor agreement with an undergraduate professional nursing program as a clinical preceptor for students enrolled in the program for:
• the time period the program conducts clinical during the semester or other academic term for which the exemption is sought; or
• the time period the program conducts clinical during a semester or other academic term that ended less than one year prior to the beginning of the semester or term in which the exemption is to be used.
• A Grade Point Average requirement for persons to receive continuation awards through the program. The Bill also establishes a Limit to the Total Number of Hours, cumulative, that a student may take and continue to receive awards through this program. These changes go into effect in fall, 2014. Contact your institution for more information.

Award Amount

• The preceptor may receive up to $500 or actual tuition, whichever is less, for as long as he/she meets program requirements.
• The child of a preceptor may receive $500 or actual tuition charges, whichever is less, for up to 10 semesters or until the student receives his/her bachelor’s degree. Summer terms of less than nine weeks count as ½ a regular semester.

Teach and Research

Documents

The Teach and Research will apply to those who receive tuition remission by the Graduate Studies Department.

Eligibility Requirements

• Individuals who are teaching or research assistants, their spouses, or children;
• The teaching or research assistant must be employed at least half time by a public institution of higher education in Texas in a position related to his/her degree program under the rules and regulations established by the employer institution.

Award Amount

Pays out of state charges.