To
provide partial support to those seeking to advance their education
who are qualifying spouses, surviving spouses, or children of deceased
or disabled veterans who, as a result of their military service,
have a permanent and total (100 percent) service- connected disability,
or of service personnel who have been listed for a total of more
than 90 days as currently missing in action, or as currently prisoners
of war.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Direct Payments for Specified Use. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Assistance
is in the form of monthly payments for a period up to 45 months
to be used for tuition, books, subsistence, etc. The spouse has
10 years from the date of the veteran's disability rating or the
date of notification that the veteran had a permanent and total
service-connected disability, or any date between the two, her or
his choice. When the veteran dies while a permanent and total service-connected
disability was in existence, the surviving spouse has 10 years from
the date of death. In all other cases the surviving spouse has 10
years from the date of death or the date of notification that the
death was service-connected, or any date between the two, her or
his choice. In the case of a spouse of a serviceperson who has been
listed for a total of more than 90 days as currently missing in
action or as currently a prisoner of war, education must be completed
within 10 years from the date the serviceperson was listed as missing
in action or listed as a prisoner of war. In the case of a child,
eligibility generally exists between ages 18 and 26. The marriage
of a child will not bar benefits but the remarriage of a surviving
spouse will cause a surviving spouse's benefits to terminate. Special
assistance for the educationally disadvantaged is provided without
charge to entitlement for spouses, surviving spouses, and children.
Benefits may be paid for courses that prepare eligible persons to
take college or graduate school entrance examinations. Benefits
may also be paid for any test that is necessary for licensing and
certification needed to enter, maintain, or advance into employment
in certain civilian occupations.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: Spouses, surviving spouses, and
children between age 18 and 26 of veterans who died from service-connected
disabilities, of living veterans whose service-connected disabilities
are considered permanently and totally disabling, of those who died
from any cause while such service-connected disabilities were in
existence, of servicepersons who have been listed for a total of
more than 90 days as currently missing in action, or as currently
prisoners of war.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: Spouses, surviving spouses, and
children of veterans who died or who are permanently and totally
(100 percent) disabled due to military service. Also eligible
are the spouses, surviving spouses and children of service persons
who have been listed for a total of more than 90 days as currently
missing in action, or currently prisoners of war, permanently
and totally disabled or deceased veterans.
Credentials/Documentation:
Military discharge certificate, death certificate or official
document verifying POW status or MIA status, marriage certificate,
and birth certificate(s).
Pre-application
Coordination: None. This program is excluded
from coverage E.O. 12372.
Application
Procedure: An application, VA Form 22-5490
for a child, spouse or surviving spouse may be obtained from any
VA Regional Office and submitted to the appropriate VA Regional
Processing Office.
Award
Procedure: Awards are authorized at the regional
processing office.
Deadlines:
None, but the period of eligibility for a spouse generally extends
no later than the 10 years from the date the veteran was notified
of the service-connected total (100%) and permanent disability,
or from the date the serviceperson was listed for a total of more
than 90 days as currently missing in action or listed as a prisoner
of war. The period of eligibility for a surviving spouse generally
extends no later than 10 years from the date VA notifies the surviving
spouse that the death was service-connected.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: At least 59.2
percent of applications are processed within 90 days or less.
Appeals:
Appeals are available through a special board; response time is
220 days.
Renewals:
Generally, eligibility for a child terminates at age 26. In some
instances, it may be extended. For example, in the case of service
in the Armed Forces, eligibility will end 8 years after the first
discharge or release from service; but in no event, beyond age
31.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: Not applicable.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Not applicable.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Monthly certification of enrollment and pursuit for courses not
leading to a college degree must be executed by the beneficiary.
For college students, verification of pursuit is required near the
end of the enrollment period.
Audits:
None.
Records:
None.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 36-0137-0-1-702.
Obligations:
(Direct Payments) FY 01 $141,131,000; FY 02 est $179,043,000;
and FY 03 est $191,287,000.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
Per month, institutional training: full time, $670; three-quarters
time, $503; half-time, $335. Benefits may be paid for up to a
maximum of 45 months. Tutorial assistance up to a maximum of $1,200.
Work-Study Allowance: Payment based on the higher of the Federal
minimum wage or the State minimum wage where work is performed.
In fiscal year 2001, there were 44,820 participants. Estimates for
subsequent periods are: fiscal year 2002, 48,907 participants, and
fiscal year 2003, 52,120 participants.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
38 CFR 21.3001 - 21.3344; "Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents,"
VA Pamphlet 80-01-1, $5.00, available from Superintendent of Documents,
P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. The stock number is:
051-000-0224-5.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: See Appendix IV of the Catalog
for Veterans Benefits Administration field offices.
Headquarters
Office: Department of Veterans Affairs, Central
Office, Washington, DC 20420. Telephone: (202) 273-7132.
