Education Programs and VA

Detailed federal program descriptions are available at the Department of Veterans Administration Education Benefits & Services home page at www.gibill.va.gov.

Federal Programs

Chapter 30: Montgomery G.I. Bill- Active Duty- Four eligibility categories

• Category I- involves veterans who began active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985.
• Category II- involves military retirees who entered the service (or agreed to delayed entry) before 01/01/1977 and who were eligible to receive chapter 34 benefits (Vietnam era education program on 12/31/1989)
• Category III- involves veterans that were voluntarily or involuntarily separated from the service because of a reduction in personnel.
• Category IV- involves veterans who converted their education benefits from chapter 32 to chapter 30.

Chapter 32: Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

Individuals must have initially entered active duty from 01/01/1977 to 06/30/1985 and must have enrolled and contributed to VEAP before 04/01/1987. VEAP is a voluntary contribution and matching program. The veteran's contributions were matched on a $2.00 for $1.00 basis by the Government.

Chapter 35: Dependent Educational Assistance (DEA)

Educational assistance paid to dependents of veterans. Persons who may be eligible are:

• A child (between ages 18 and 26, with some exceptions) surviving spouse of a veteran 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/MIA.
• A child of a veteran who is permanently and totally disabled due to a service related condition.
• A spouse of a veteran or service person who has a permanent disability resulting from a service-connected disability; or is listed as a POW/MIA.
• 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.

Chapter 1606: Montgomery G.I. Bill- Selected Reserve

Educational Program for active members of the Selected Reserve. Selected Reserve Components of the Ready Reserve include the Army, Naval, Air Force, Marine Corps,and Coast Guard Reserves, National and Air National Guards. Eligibility is determined by the Department of Defense or by the Department of Transportation
(Coast Guard), not by VA.

Chapter 1607: Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)

Department of Defense educational program for active members of the Reserve components call or ordered to active duty for at least 90 days after September 11th 2001. Eligibility is determined by the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security not by the VA.

State Programs

CalVet

Educational assistance in the form of a College Fee Waiver is available to dependents of service connected, disabled or deceased veterans under the provisions of the California Educational Code, Section 66025.3. This program is available in place of the Board of Governors's Fee Waiver Program
(BOGW).