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Free Tuition for the Child of a POW or Missing Servicemember — Nearly Every Fee Too

Texas exempts the child of a member classified by the Department of Defense as a PRISONER OF WAR OR MISSING IN ACTION from tuition, service fees, lab fees, building use fees AND ALL OTHER FEES, at Texas public institutions. The only things left payable are room, board, clothing fees and deposits. The status is tested AT THE TIME OF THE CHILD'S REGISTRATION, and the parent must be a Texas domiciliary — so a family whose member is still listed as missing is inside this, term by term.

Verified August 27, 2026

What this benefit is

Texas exempts the child of a member classified by the Department of Defense as a PRISONER OF WAR OR MISSING IN ACTION from tuition, service fees, lab fees, building use fees AND ALL OTHER FEES, at Texas public institutions. The only things left payable are room, board, clothing fees and deposits. The status is tested AT THE TIME OF THE CHILD'S REGISTRATION, and the parent must be a Texas domiciliary — so a family whose member is still listed as missing is inside this, term by term.

What it's worth: Tuition and all fees waived except room, board, clothing fees and deposits

  • Exempts TUITION, SERVICE FEES, LAB FEES, BUILDING USE FEES AND ALL OTHER FEES.
  • STILL PAYABLE: room, board, clothing fees and deposits.
  • The parent must be classified by the DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE as a PRISONER OF WAR OR MISSING IN ACTION.
  • THE STATUS IS TESTED AT THE TIME OF THE CHILD'S REGISTRATION — so it is assessed term by term while the classification stands.
  • The parent must be a TEXAS DOMICILIARY.
  • NO DEATH IS REQUIRED. A family whose member is still missing is inside this.
  • Statutory basis: Tex. Educ. Code §54.343.

Who is entitled to it

  • You are a servicemember's child.
  • The parent holds one of those classifications.
  • The parent was classified a prisoner of war.
  • The parent is listed as missing in action.
  • You are enrolled or applying.
  • Texas public institutions.

Not sure whether that describes you?

Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.

How to claim it

  1. 1Apply through the institution, citing Tex. Educ. Code §54.343 rather than Hazlewood — they are different exemptions.
  2. 2Have the Department of Defense classification documentation.
  3. 3Because the status is tested at registration, confirm it each term rather than assuming it carries.
  4. 4Ask for the full fee list to be exempted, not just tuition — the statute reaches almost everything.
  5. 5Check whether Hazlewood also applies to you; the two are separate and one may reach further.
Form
Application through the institution's registrar or veterans office
File with
Your Texas public institution
Apply each term
Your institution re-checks this every term.
Worth knowingTexas already has a large family of Hazlewood records in this corpus. This is not one of them and has its own test — check both.

Sources

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.