VA Education Benefits for Dependents and Survivors: A Comprehensive Guide to Available Programs

The decision to join the military comes with a variety of benefits for Servicemembers, Veterans, and retirees. However, some Servicemembers with families also consider military service for the VA survivor benefits their spouses and dependents can take advantage of. The Veterans Administration provides access to a variety of benefits for the dependents and survivors of Veterans and military personnel.

What Are VA Education Benefits for Dependents and Survivors?

Most people looking to join the military for educational benefits are aware of the various sections of the GI Bill, which provides education assistance, tuition reimbursement, and many other benefits to those who qualify, which is covered more in-depth at this link. However, the families of Servicemembers also have access to certain educational benefits through the VA through GI Bill transferability. VA education benefits for dependents depend on the qualifications and type of service of the sponsoring Servicemember. Veteran dependent education benefits might differ also based on whether or not the Servicemember has also utilized these benefits for himself before passing them on to a family member. The qualifications for dependents benefits are:

• You are the spouse or child of a Servicemember who has died, has a permanent disability, or is missing.
• Your sponsoring Servicemember has benefits they do not intend to use.
• You are the child of a Servicemember over the age of 18, but under 26, with a high school diploma or GED.
• You are the unmarried widow of a Servicemember. 

These programs provide assistance with tuition, books and educational materials, on-the-job training, certification programs, apprenticeships, and correspondence courses.

Chapter 35 VA Benefits: Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance

Chapter 35 VA Benefits, also known as the Survivor’s and Dependents Educational Assistance, are benefits awarded to the family members of Servicemembers who meet certain eligibility criteria. The program is designed to provide educational assistance to the family members of Veterans who have died, are missing, or are disabled due to a service-connected disability. A family member is eligible for DEA Chapter 35 benefits if one or more of the following are true:

• 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 children of Veterans must be between the ages of 18 and 26. 

You can learn more about the DEA Chapter 35 program at this link. Spouses and children must apply through the VA using VA Form 22-5490. The amount of benefits and the length of time you can receive Chapter 35 VA benefits depend on the date your education started. If your school or training started before August 1, 2018, you may be able to get benefits for up to 45 months. If your school or training started on or after August 1, 2018, you may be able to get benefits for up to 36 months.

The Fry Scholarship: A Special Benefit for Survivors of Fallen Service Members

The Fry Scholarship program, also known as the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship, is a program offered by the Veterans Affairs that provides educational benefits like tuition, housing, and books to the surviving spouses and children of service members who died on active duty after September 10, 2001. You can read more about it at this link.

Only dependents of Servicemembers who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, qualify for these Veteran dependent education benefits. It provides benefits such as tuition reimbursement, a housing allowance, and books and supplies stipends for up to 36 months. It too works in conjunction with other VA benefits.

GI Bill Transferability: Can Veterans Transfer Their Education Benefits to Dependents?

The GI Bill established several benefits for Veterans and Servicemembers returning from World War II and was then extended over the years. It consists primarily of three programs: the Post-9/11 GI Bill for active duty members who served after September 11, 2001; the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) for Veterans who served at least two years on active duty; and the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) for members of the Reserve. The Montgomery portions of the GI Bill cannot be used by anyone except the Servicemember, but the Post 9/11 portion can be transferred to the dependents of those who qualify. Dependents must meet the following criteria:

• You are the spouse or child of a qualifying Servicemember.
• You are the child who is over 18, has a high school diploma or GED, and is under 26.
• The Servicemember must be on active duty or in the Selected Reserve.
• The Servicemember must have served at least six years on the date of approval.
• The Servicemember must agree to serve an additional four years.
• The person receiving the benefits must be enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).
• The Servicemember can transfer up to 36 months of unused benefits.

You can read more about this process at this link. The sponsoring Servicemember must initiate the transfer of unused benefits while still on active-duty through milConnect, under the “Transfer of Education Benefits” (TEB). Once the transfer is approved, the dependent must complete VA Form 22-1990e, either online or by mail. You can also combine these benefits with other VA benefits for dependents.

Common Challenges When Accessing VA Education Benefits for Dependents

Occasionally, when trying to claim VA education benefits for dependents, family members might run into problems during the process. Veteran dependent education benefits are easy to apply for, but there are known challenges to the process involving bureaucratic hurdles, eligibility confusion, and delays. Before applying for any Veteran dependent education benefits, it is important to ensure that the applicant is registered in the DEERS system. Because of this, it is always best to apply for benefits well in advance of starting any classes. Some common challenges include:

• Delays due to incorrect information in the DEERS system
• Processing delays
• The educational institution you plan to attend is not familiar with utilizing VA educational benefits.
• The online system is occasionally inaccessible, confusing to navigate, or mismanaging eligibility requirements.
• Delays in sending payments and occasional overpayments, which must be reimbursed. 

Frequently Asked Questions