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Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance, usually called DEA or Chapter 35, pays a monthly amount to the spouse or child of a veteran who is permanently and totally disabled from service-connected conditions, or who died because of one. The money can go toward college, a trade or vocational program, on-the-job training or an apprenticeship.
The short version
- For the spouse or child of a veteran rated permanent and total, or who died from a service-connected disability, and a few other situations.
- Up to 36 months of benefits for training that started on or after August 1, 2018.
- $1,621.00 a month for full-time college, October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027.
- If you became eligible on or after August 1, 2023, there is generally no time limit to use it.
- Apply online or with VA Form 22-5490.
On this page
Who qualifies for Chapter 35
One of these must be true of the veteran or service member:
- The veteran is permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability.
- The veteran died as a result of a service-connected disability.
- The service member died in the line of duty.
- The service member was missing in action, or captured or held by a hostile force or foreign entity, for more than 90 days.
- The service member is being treated for a service-connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for it.
If the veteran is not yet rated P&T, see permanent and total disability. That status is what opens this benefit, and CHAMPVA health coverage, for the family.
How much it pays
These are the monthly rates for college and university courses from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. VA pays you directly.
| Enrollment | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Full time | $1,621.00 |
| Three-quarter time | $1,281.00 |
| Half time | $939.00 |
| Less than half, more than quarter time | $939.00, or your tuition and fees if lower |
| Quarter time or less | $405.25, or your tuition and fees if lower |
Payments are prorated for partial months. Different rates apply to trade and vocational programs, on-the-job training and apprenticeships; VA lists them on its Chapter 35 rates page.
You can receive up to 36 months of benefits if your school or training started on or after August 1, 2018, or up to 45 months if it started earlier.
Rules for children
- You can be married or unmarried.
- You cannot use DEA while you are on active duty, and you cannot use it afterward with a dishonorable discharge.
- DIC and DEA: a child receiving DIC must give up those payments when they start using DEA.
- Age and time limits: if you became eligible, turned 18, or finished high school or a GED on or after August 1, 2023, you can use DEA at any age with no time limit. If all of those happened before August 1, 2023, you generally have 8 years to use it, ending by age 26, with some exceptions (for example, if you became eligible between 18 and 26, or served in the military).
Rules for spouses
- A spouse can receive DEA and DIC at the same time.
- Divorce ends DEA eligibility.
- A surviving spouse who remarries generally loses DEA, but gets it back if the new marriage ends, or if the remarriage happened on or after January 1, 2004 at age 57 or older.
- Time limits: if the qualifying event happened on or after August 1, 2023, there is no time limit. Before that date, the limit is usually 10 years, or 20 years in some cases, such as a service member who died on active duty.
The Fry Scholarship
Some children and spouses qualify for both DEA and the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship. Spouses must pick one and cannot switch later. Children may be able to use both, one at a time, within a combined limit. Compare them before you choose, because the Fry Scholarship pays differently.
How to apply
- Apply online at VA.gov, or fill out VA Form 22-5490, Dependents’ Application for VA Education Benefits.
- If you have chosen a school, mail the form to the regional processing office for the state where the school is. If not, use the office for the state where you live.
- Tell your school’s certifying official that you applied, and ask them to submit your enrollment to VA.
You must verify your enrollment to keep receiving payments. Use VA’s GI Bill Comparison Tool to check that your program is approved for VA benefits.
Common mistakes
- Not knowing the family qualifies. A P&T rating opens Chapter 35. Many families find out years late.
- A child keeping DIC without checking. Starting DEA ends a child’s DIC payments, so compare the two first.
- Enrolling in a program VA has not approved. Check the Comparison Tool or ask the school’s certifying official.
Related benefits
- CHAMPVA health coverage for the same family members
- DIC survivor benefits
- VR&E (Chapter 31), the veteran’s own training and employment program
- State veteran benefits, many with tuition waivers for dependents
Free printable checklist. Everything to gather before you file, what to bring to your C&P exam, and what to check in your decision, on two pages.
Last reviewed October 2026. This guide is general educational information, not legal or medical advice, and this site is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rules and rates change. Confirm details on VA.gov or with an accredited representative. See our disclaimer and editorial policy.