Veterans Assistance

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Lamar State College Port Arthur supports Veterans and their eligible spouses/dependents through the Financial Aid Office. The Office assists Veterans and qualifying family members attending Lamar State College Port Arthur by answering questions concerning Federal Benefits (GI Bill®) and State Benefits (Hazlewood). The Office certifies enrollments for the Department of Veterans Affairs, awards Hazlewood benefits, and monitors the degree plans an academic progress of veterans, their spouses, and their dependents. 

GI 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

 
Bill Benefits & Intended Recipients
Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) offers higher education and training benefits to Veterans, Service members, and their families who served after Sept. 10, 2001.
Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship A scholarship for children and spouses of an active-duty service member who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001.
Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapter 30) assists active duty and Reservists with the pursuit of higher education degrees, certificates, and other education and training.
Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve  (Chapter 1606) provides education and training benefits to eligible members of the Selected Reserve.
Other VA Education & Training Programs

Offer various education and training benefits or increased benefits to certain Reservists and Veterans and their survivors and dependents:
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Applying for your VA education benefits can be done in just a few steps:

  • Apply online.
  • Visit your nearest VA regional office to apply in person.
  • Consult with the VA Certifying Official. Our office has application forms and can help you apply.
  • Call 1-888-GI BILL-1 (888-442-4551) to have the application mailed to you.

After you apply, use VA’s interactive map to find out how quickly your regional office is processing education claims. Your education benefits are processed at one of three specialized regional claims processing centers in Buffalo, NY; Muskogee, OK; and St. Louis, MO.

Once processed, the VA will send you either a Certificate of Eligibility or Denial Letter.

The documents you will need to bring in can depend on which type of Benefits you applied for and will be receiving.

Please make an appointment with the Financial Aid Office to turn in documents.

Generally, your Certificate of Eligibility is mailed to you. However, if you have not received it or have lost it, you should be able to access the information on the E-Benefits website.

Tuition Assistance benefits are a way for the military services to provide education benefits to Servicemembers on Active Duty. Tuition Assistance benefits are administered by each branch of service (each branch determines their own award amounts, eligibility, restrictions, and application process) and are typically earned based on service.

The Financial Aid Office does not handle these benefits. Please contact your military counselor.

The Hazlewood Act is a State of Texas benefit that provides qualified Veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition exemption, including most fee charges, at public institutions of higher education in Texas. This does NOT include living expenses, books, or supply fees. The Texas Hazlewood Exemption Act is for Texas veterans who reside within the state of Texas.

Learn more about the 3 types of Hazlewood benefits available

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The documents you will need to bring in can depend on which type of Benefits you are applying for.

Please make an appointment with the Financial Aid Office to turn in documents.

To renew your benefits every semester you will need to bring in the following documents:

Hazlewood recipients will only be awarded benefits for courses that fit the requirements of the LSCPA degree plan for their major field of study. Hazlewood regulations prohibit payment for repeated courses (“A” through “D” grades) unless the school will not allow the student to continue in their field of study due to the grade received, Hazlewood will pay for the course if this is the case. Hazlewood will not pay for any courses and/or labs that are not required for your approved degree program.

Legacy recipients will receive an exemption for the number of degree certified hours reported by the institution for that term or semester. Maximum degree certified hours awarded to the Legacy recipient will be dependent upon the degree or certificate program in which the student is enrolled for that term or semester and shall be consistent with the program length as defined within the school catalog as approved by the regional accreditation commission. *If a child to whom hours have been delegated fails to use all of the assigned hours, a Veteran may re-assign the unused hours that are available to another child. Only one child will use Hazlewood Legacy benefits at a time.

Hazlewood recipients must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress to receive their benefits. Transfer students must have a transfer GPA of a 2.0 or higher to receive benefits.

Hazlewood recipients may 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 Hazlewood benefits. Veterans or Dependents of Veterans must show proof that they do not qualify for Post 9/11 Chapter 33 benefits.

 

 

 

 

Eva Hiner-Weatherly
Financial Aid Advisor
VA Certified Official
Notary
409-984-6204
hinerea@lamarpa.edu

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