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Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program
(DEA)
Dependents' Educational Assistance provides education and training opportunities
to eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 45 months
of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate
programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you
may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses
may be approved under certain circumstances.
You must be the son, daughter, or spouse of:
- A veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled as the result
of a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out of active
service in the Armed Forces.
- A veteran who died from any cause while such service-connected disability
was in existence.
- A servicemember missing in action or captured in line of duty by a hostile
force.
- A servicemember forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign
government or power.
- A servicemember who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability. This change is effective December 23, 2006.
If you are a son or daughter and wish to receive benefits for attending school
or job training, you must be between the ages of 18 and 26. In certain instances,
it is possible to begin before age 18 and to continue after age 26. Marriage
is not a bar to this benefit. If you are in the Armed Forces, you may not receive
this benefit while on active duty. To pursue training after military service,
your discharge must not be under dishonorable conditions. VA can extend your
period of eligibility by the number of months and days equal to the time spent
on active duty. This extension cannot generally go beyond your 31st birthday,
there are some exceptions.
If you are a spouse, benefits end 10 years from the date VA finds you eligible
or from the date of death of the veteran. If the VA rated the veteran permanently and totally disabled with an effective date of 3 years from discharge a spouse will remain eligible for 20 years from the effective date of the rating. This change is effective October 10, 2008 and no benefits may be paid for any training taken prior to that date.
For surviving spouses (spouses of servicemembers who died on active duty) benefits end 20 years from the date of death.
You should make sure that your selected program is approved for VA training.
If you are not clear on this point, VA will inform you and the school or company
about the requirements.
Obtain and complete VA Form 22-5490, Application for Survivors' and Dependents'
Educational Assistance. Send it to the VA regional office with jurisdiction
over the State where you will train. If you are a son or daughter, under legal
age, a parent or guardian must sign the application.
If you have started training, take your application to your school or employer.
Ask them to complete VA Form 22-1999, Enrollment Certification, and send both
forms to VA.
For additional information see Survivors'
and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program -Pamphlet or contact your
local VA Regional Office for additional assistance by dialing our toll-free
number, 1-888-442-4551.
Programa de Asistencia Educativa Información en Español | Download Free Adobe Acrobat Reader for PDF Files |
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