Candidates must be either the child or the spouse of a person who the VA determines has a service-connected permanent and total disability and at the time of the VA’s determination is a member of the Armed Forces who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical care, services or treatment, and is likely to be discharged or released from service for this service-connected disability; OR is permanently and totally disabled as a result of, or dies of, a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out of or be aggravated by active duty.
Dependent’s Education Assistance (DEA) provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, or who died while on active duty or as a result of a service related condition. 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. Award amount is based on current VA pay rate for full-time or part-time enrollment.