Military Student Success Center
Your Path Begins at UTEP
The Military Student Success Center (MSSC) at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is your designated starting point if you desire to pursue a college degree. UTEP boasts a stellar nationwide reputation and offers the lowest out-of-pocket tuition cost of any national research university. The MSSC and their dedicated staff (many of whom are veterans and students) are here to help personnel in any branch of the service to reach their educational goals.
The MSSC serves the military-affiliated community of El Paso, Fort Bliss and beyond as the epicenter for success at The University of Texas at El Paso. Through collaborative effort, the MSSC ensures student success by achieving academic, social and professional development from admissions to graduation.
The University of Texas at El Paso is taking measures to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and faculty during the COVID-19 outbreak. On Tuesday, March 24 th, the City of El Paso issued a shelter-at-home ordinance to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. All COVID-19 updates can be found at www.utep.edu/coronavirus.
MSSC Operations through recent UTEP Coronavirus Update:
As of March 23, 2020 the Military Student Success Center (MSSC) has transitioned to working remotely due to the health and safety of our staff.
No physical office visit will be supported until further notice.
If you have any documents that need to be turned in for your education benefits, please scan or take a picture with your phone and email them to mssc@utep.edu.
For general information, you can reach us through any of our communication platforms:
- Phone lines: (915) 747-5342
- Email: mssc@utep.edu
- Schedule an appointment (click here)
If you call our office number (915-747-5342), you will need to leave a detailed voice message with the following:
- Full name
- Student ID
- Preferred email
- Reason for call
You will receive a return email from a MSSC staff member in regards to your phone call .
Continuining students for Summer/Fall 2020:
If you have any documents that need to be turned in for your education benefits, please scan or take a picture with your phone and email them to mssc@utep.edu.
VA: Please email an updated Letter of Eligibility for any new or continuous enrollment.
Effective 27 MAR 2020, UTEP will be only offering online courses for Summer terms. If you had previously registered for a face to face Summer course, please engage with Records ( records@utep.edu ) on if that class will be restructured to online. Reminder that V.A. will only pay for courses that are required for your degree plan.
*Update: V.A. will pay for courses being offered online due to COVID-19 with Senate Bill 3503, signed into law March 21, 2020. If courses were originally offered as resident, the VA will pay your standard MHA rate as if you were face to face. If you courses were not originally listed as resident, then you will only be paid the online housing rate.
For rates, please visit: https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/resources/benefits_resources/rate_tables.asp#Ch30
Hazlewood students :
DoD Tuition Assistance:
Please contact the MSSC Fort Bliss Counselor, Darren Pursel, at dpursel@utep.edu.
New student for Summer/Fall 2020 (OR have taken more than a year off):
- Complete our Virtual Orientation and submit to us the completion certificate that is produced at the end
- Submit your required VA/Hazlewood documents at time of sign in OR return after a later time to submit
- You will be contacted by a represented upon your completion of the Orientation
