Exemptions
Exemptions are a type of financial assistance allowing some Texas residents to attend a public college or university in Texas without paying tuition or, in some cases, tuition and fees. Students will be required to verify their eligibility for these exemptions. All exemptions processed by the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) will be applied to tuition on the payment deadline. Please note all exemptions must be verified semester by semester unless otherwise noted. Senate Bill 1210 (83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session) adds a grade point average requirement for persons to receive continuation awards through the exemption program. The requirement at UTEP is a 2.0 GPA for undergraduate students, and a 3.0 GPA for graduate students. The Bill also establishes a limit to the total number of hours that a student may take and continue to receive awards through this program. The limit is 130 hours for undergraduate students, and not more than 150% of degree requirements for graduate students. These changes go into effect in fall 2014.
Students who are receiving a state exemption or waiver for tuition and fees are not eligible for any other institutional or state grants/scholarships being used to assist students in paying for tuition and fees, such as the Texas Grant and Paydirt Promise.
The following is a list of exemptions processed by OSFA.
- Hazlewood: verification of eligibility is processed by the Military Student Success Center (MSSC)
- Employee Education Assistance Program: verification of eligibility is performed by submitting the "Employee Education Assistance Reimbursement Request" form to Human Resources
- Blind/Deaf Exemption: verification of eligibility processed by the Center for Accommodations and Support Services (CASS)
- Foster Child Care Exemption: verification of eligibility is performed by a one-time submission of a letter from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services indicating a student is eligible for exemption to the OSFA
- Adoption Exemption: verification of eligibility is performed by a one-time submission of a letter from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services indicating a student is eligible for exemption to the OSFA
- Active Duty Policeman Exemption: verification of eligibility is performed by submitting the "Peace Officer Exemption Program" form to the OSFA
- Active Duty Firefighter Legacy: verification of eligibility is performed by submitting the "Active Duty Fireman" form to the OSFA
- Child of Police/Fireman Exemption: verification of eligibility is performed by submitting the "Peace Officer Exemption Program" to the OSFA
- Exemption for Clinical Preceptors and their children: verification of eligibility is performed by submitting the "Application for an Exemption through the Exemption Program for Clinical Preceptors and their children" form to the OSFA
- Exemption for children of Professional Nursing Program Faculty and Staff: verification of eligibility is performed by submitting the "Exemption Program for Children of Professional Nurse Faculty and Staff" form to the OSFA
- Senior Citizen, 55 and older, Tuition Reduction Program: verification of eligibility is performed by submitting proof of eligibility to the OSFA. The tuition reduction waiver is based on the student’s enrollment on the University’s census date.
Tuition reduction waiver for Texas resident undergraduate and graduate students:
Full-time: $2000
Three-quarter time: $1500
Halftime : $1000
Less than Halftime: $500
Tuition reduction waiver for Non-resident undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in 6 credit hours or more: $1000.
Texas Education Code:
Sec. 54.263. STUDENTS 55 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER; OPTIONAL WAIVER. (a) An institution of higher education may charge a student 55 years of age or older tuition and fees at rates that are lower than the rates otherwise provided by this chapter, under the condition that a student under 55 years of age will not be precluded from enrolling in a course for credit toward a degree or certificate. The institution may set additional qualifications that a student must meet to qualify for tuition and fees at rates set under this section and may set different rates for different programs, campuses, or courses. The institution may set rates under this section for resident students, nonresident students, or both, and may set different rates for resident students and nonresident students
For a complete listing of all exemptions offered by the state of Texas, please visit the College for all Texans website.
Students enrolled in the Executive MBA program cannot receive any exemptions for this degree due to the fact that this program does not receive tax support.
UTEP Federal School Code: 003661