Chapter 35 - Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA)

Chapter 35, Title 38 U.S. Code
Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA)

Educational Assistance paid to dependents of Veterans who have a service connected permanent and total disability or died as a result of service connection. Persons who may be eligible are:

• A child (between ages 18 and 26, with some exceptions) of a veteran who is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition; or who died in service; or who died of a service-connected disability; or who died while evaluated as having total and permanent service-connected disability; or who is listed as a POW or MIA.
• The surviving spouse of a veteran who died of a service-connected disability, or died in service, or died while evaluated as having total and permanent disability resulting from a service-connected disability. Surviving spouses whose benefits stopped when they remarried can receive DEA benefits again if their remarriage ends by death or divorce, or they cease to live with the person to whom they presented themselves in public as married.

• A spouse of a veteran or serviceperson who has a total and permanent disability resulting from a service-connected disability; or who is listed as a POW or MIA.

• The spouse or child of a service member who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability.

More information on Dependents Educational Assistance can be found on the VA website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/survivor_dependent_assistance.asp