Chapter 35 

CHAPTER 35 - DEPENDENTS EDUCATION ASSISTANCE

(Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA)):

If you’re the child or spouse of a Veteran or service member who has died, is captured or missing, or is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability.

DEA is a STIPEND ONLY (NOT TUITION) and is paid to the student to be used as they choose.  

One of these descriptions must be true for the Veteran or service member:

• The Veteran is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability, -OR-

• The Veteran died as a result of a service-connected disability, -OR-

• The service member died in the line of duty, -OR-

• The service member is missing in action or was captured in the line of duty by a hostile force for more than 90 days, -OR-

• The service member was forcibly detained (held) or interned in the line of duty by a foreign entity for more than 90 days, -OR-

• The service member is in the hospital or getting outpatient treatment for a service-connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability

SPOUSE

• You can get both DEA and VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payments.

• If you get divorced, you’ll no longer be eligible for DEA benefits.

• If you join the military, you can’t use this benefit while you’re on active duty. And if you want to use this benefit after you leave the service, you can’t have a dishonorable discharge.

• If the Veteran dies and you remarry, you’ll no longer be eligible for the DEA benefits that you qualified for through that eligible Veteran. There are 2 exceptions listed here. If you remarry after the Veteran dies, the VA will restore your remaining DEA benefits if either of these describes your situation:

• Your new marriage was on or after January 1, 2004, and you were at least 57 years old, -OR-

• Your new marriage ends due to death or divorce

TIME LIMITS

• If the event that qualified you for DEA happened before August 1, 2023, there’s a time limit to use your benefits:

• In most cases, your benefits end after 10 years.

• If we rated the Veteran as permanently and totally disabled, and the Veteran later dies, you’ll get another 10 years of eligibility. 

• If the service member died on active duty, your benefits end after 20 years.

• If we rated the Veteran as permanently and totally disabled, with an effective date that’s within 3 years after discharge from active duty, in most cases your benefits end 20 years from that effective date. 

• If the event that qualified you for DEA happened on or after August 1, 2023, there’s no time limit to use your benefits.

CHILD (BIOLOGICAL, STEP or ADOPTED)

If you became eligible before August 1, 2023, one of these must be true for you to use these benefits:

• You’re 18 years old, -OR-

• You completed high school or have a GED

If you became eligible or turned 18 years old OR completed high school on or after August 1, 2023, you can be any age to use these benefits.

TIME LIMITS

There’s NO TIME LIMIT if one of these is true:

• You became eligible for DEA benefits on or after August 1, 2023, -OR-

• You turned 18 years old on or after August 1, 2023, -OR-

• You completed high school or received your GED on or after August 1, 2023

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Generally, you have up to 8 years to use your benefits before you turn 26 years old, if all of these are true:

• You became eligible for DEA before August 1, 2023, -AND-

• You turned 18 before August 1, 2023, -AND-

• You completed high school before August 1, 2023

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• In some cases, the 8-year time limit doesn’t end when you turn 26 years old. If any of these describe your situation, you may still be able to use DEA benefits after you turn 26 years old:

• You became eligible for DEA when you were between 18 and 26 years old, -OR-

• Your parent died when you were between 18 and 26 years old, -OR-

• You joined the military. In this case, you can use your DEA benefits up to 8 years from your discharge date as long as you’re under 31 years old.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• You can be married or unmarried.

• If you join the military, you can’t use this benefit while you’re on active duty. And if you want to use this benefit after you leave the service, you can’t have a dishonorable discharge.

• If you’re receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), you’ll need to give up those payments when you start to use DEA.

To apply, the spouse or child will submit either VBA Form 22-5490 or apply online on the VA website (no log in required).