Exemptions and Waivers

Financial Aid

Exemptions and Waivers are reductions in tuition/tuition and fees. There is NO monetary value assigned to exemptions or waivers, and students will not receive a refund from an exemption/waiver.

Requests for ALL exemptions and waivers, as well as any required documentation, must be submitted to enroll@uttyler.edu prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Students who completely withdraw from classes prior to the census date each semester will be responsible for any balances on their student account.

*All UT Tyler students receiving an exemption or waiver who have not filed the FAFSA must now complete a Statement of Selective Service Registration Status located in the financial aid forms library. Please submit the form to the One-Stop or enroll@uttyler.edu*

*Flat-rate tuition programs are not eligible to receive exemptions or waivers.

Exemptions

Exemptions are a type of financial assistance allowing certain Texas residents to attend a public college or university in Texas without paying tuition, or in some cases, tuition and fees. Specific eligibility requirements and required documentation under these provisions may be obtained from CollegeForAllTexans.com. Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Adopted Students Formerly in Foster or Other Residential Care

To provide college financial assistance to students who once were in foster or other residential care and have been adopted.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Blind/Deaf Student Exemption Program

To help enable blind and deaf students to attend public colleges or universities in the state of Texas.

Vision-related disabilities are determined eligible by Vocational Rehabilitation Services Offices through the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). Students must contact their local TWC office to apply.

Hearing disabilities 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.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Children of Disabled or Deceased Firemen, Peace Officers, Game Wardens, and Employees of Correctional Institutions

To Provide a benefit to the children of persons who have been disabled or killed in the line of duty while serving the community.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Children of Professional Nurse Faculty and Staff

To provide an exemption of tuition to eligible students to encourage their parents to continue employment as professional nurse faculty or staff members in the State of Texas. 

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Clinical Preceptors and Their Children

To provide a partial exemption (up to $500/semester) from the payment of tuition to eligible persons employed as clinical preceptors and to their children in order to encourage the preceptors to continue their employment and induce others to seek such employment in the state of Texas.

Students must submit the completed Preceptor Exemption application form and the Clinical Preceptor application. Incomplete/Unsigned forms are not accepted. New forms must be submitted each semester prior to the census date.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Note- RN-BSN flat-rate tuition programs are not eligible to receive exemptions or waivers.

Combat Exemption for Children of Military Service Members

To provide an education benefit to a child or stepchild of a member of the Armed Forces who is deployed to active duty in a combat zone outside the United States.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Firefighters Taking Fire Science Courses

To provide tuition assistance to eligible employed and volunteer firefighters in the state of Texas enrolled in college-level fire science courses (limited to 1. BS, Criminal Justice 2. BAAS or 3. Master of Public Administration)

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Foster Care Students

To provide college financial assistance to students who were in foster care when they turned 18 years of age.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Highest Ranking High School Graduate

To provide an award to students graduating top in their classes in high school. Valid only for first two semesters of enrollment.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Military: Hazlewood Exemption for Texas Veterans & their Dependents

To provide an education benefit to honorably discharged or separated Texas veterans. Students should contact the Military and Veterans Success Center to establish eligibility.

*There has been a change in the citizenship requirement for the Hazlewood Exemption Program. It is no longer required that the applicant be a U.S. citizen. The applicant must be a permanent resident of the state of Texas. The change is effective as of Spring 2008.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Military: Children of U.S. Military Missing in Action or Prisoners of War

To provide an education benefit to the children of persons listed as Missing in Action or Prisoners of War by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Military: Texas National Guard Tuition Assistance Program

To provide an exemption from the payment of tuition to certain members of the Texas National Guard, Texas Air Guard, or the State Guard.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Peace Officers Disabled in the Line of Duty

To provide a benefit to persons who were injured in the line of duty while serving as peace officers.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Peace Officers Enrolled in Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice Courses

To encourage persons employed as peace officers to take college courses designed to help them in their work.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Senior Citizen, 65 or Older, Free Tuition for 6 Credit Hours

To encourage senior citizens to continue their education and keep involved with local colleges and universities.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Senior Citizen, 65 or Older, Free Tuition for Auditing Classes

To encourage senior citizens to continue their education and keep involved with local colleges and universities.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Surviving Spouse and Dependent Children of Certain Deceased Public Servants (Employees)

To provide free tuition and fees, free textbooks, and possibly free room and board to certain students whose parent or spouse was killed in the line of duty while employed in certain public service positions.

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

TANF Exemption Program

As of Fall 2020, this program is not currently funded.

TAPS for Tuition Program

To provide students who play taps at military funerals with a voucher for tuition reduction. 

Requests for exemption of tuition and/or certain fees must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Waivers

Waivers pertain to certain students who are not Texas residents. Requests for waiver of non-resident tuition must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

100 Mile Waiver for Residents of Arkansas, Louisiana or Oklahoma Enrolled in Texas Public Universities (Bordering State Waiver)

**As of the 2020-2021 Academic Year, student must request waiver by emailing enroll@uttyler.edu prior to census date.**

This tuition waiver only applies to individuals who are residents of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

The 100 Mile Waiver of non-resident tuition charges only applies to the statutory tuition rate and not the designated tuition rate. Additionally, per state regulations the 100 Mile Waiver rate must be at least $30 dollars more per hour than the Texas Resident rate. For information on the current statutory tuition rate, you may view the Tuition and Fee Schedule for the academic year.

Requests for waiver of non-resident tuition must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Competitive Scholarship Waiver

**As of the 2020-2021 Academic Year, student must request waiver by emailing enroll@uttyler.edu prior to census date.**

To allow a public institution to grant a waiver of nonresident tuition charges to individuals who receive scholarships totaling at least $1,000 awarded by their institution in competition open both to residents and to nonresidents.

Requests for waiver of non-resident tuition must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Academic Common Market (ACM) Waiver

Texas is one of sixteen states participating in the Academic Common Market, an interstate agreement for sharing state-supported graduate programs. Residents of member states who are accepted for admission into selected out-of-state graduate programs may enroll on an in-state rather than out-of-state tuition basis. Information about UT Tyler graduate programs selected for the ACM by other states is available from the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Requests for waiver of non-resident tuition must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Economic Development and Diversification Waiver

In-state Tuition Incentive may be offered by the Economic Development & Tourism division of the Office of the Governor to qualified businesses that are in the decision-making process to relocate or expand their operations into Texas. The incentive allows employees and family members of the qualified businesses to pay the Texas resident tuition rate at a Texas public institution of higher education without first establishing residency. Employees and family members moving to Texas after the incentive designation expires must reside in Texas for a 12-month period before being able to pay the Texas resident tuition rate.

Requests for waiver of non-resident tuition must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Military

Please select the link above to review all waivers available to members of the United States Military. Please contact the Military and Veterans Success Center for more information on establishing eligibility.

Requests for waiver of non-resident tuition must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant Waiver

To permit an individual employed at least half time (20 hours/ week) by a public institution of higher education as a research or teaching assistant, and his/her spouse and children, to enroll in public institutions in Texas while paying the resident tuition rate.

Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant Waiver Request Form –signed PDF must be submitted to enroll@uttyler.edu prior to Census Date.

Requests for waiver of non-resident tuition must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Waiver for College Faculty and their Dependents

To provide a waiver of nonresident tuition to teachers and professors employed at least half-time on a regular monthly salary basis by any Texas public college or university. Such waiver is also applicable to the spouse and dependent children of the teacher or professor.

Requests for waiver of non-resident tuition must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.

Waiver Program for Registered Nurses Enrolled in Postgraduate Nursing Degree Programs

To provide a waiver of nonresident tuition for registered nurses enrolled in graduate nursing programs offered by public institutions in Texas.

 Requests for waiver of non-resident tuition must be completed prior to the census date each semester. The census dates for each semester are listed on the Registrar's Office Website.