Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA): New 2027 Rates

Editor’s note: As of Aug. 1, 2026, Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance no longer covers programs provided through high schools. Read more.

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program provides post-secondary education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ program offers up to 36 months of education benefits.

If you first enrolled in classes before Aug. 1, 2018, you are entitled to a maximum of 45 months of benefits.

These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course.

Dependents using the DEA benefit are entitled to resident tuition at public schools in the U.S. They may not use both DEA and the Fry Scholarship at the same time.

Eligibility for Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA)

To be eligible, you must be the child or spouse of:

• A veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability
• A veteran who died from any cause while having a VA-recognized, service-connected disability
• A service member missing in action or captured in the line of duty
• A service member who VA determines has a service-connected permanent and total disability and at the time of determination is a military member 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

DEA Rules for Children

Children must be from age 18 to 26 to receive this benefit if they became eligible for DEA by turning 18, graduating from high school or earning a GED before Aug. 1, 2023. Those who became eligible or turned 18 years old or completed high school on or after Aug. 1, 2023, can be any age to use these benefits.

You can’t get this benefit while on active duty. VA can extend your period of eligibility by the number of months and days equal to the time spent on active duty. This extension cannot go past your 31st birthday.

Children can’t receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) at the same time as receiving DEA.

DEA Rules for Spouses

If you are a spouse and the event that qualified you for DEA (death of the veteran) occurred before Aug. 1, 2023, your benefits end 10 years from the date VA finds you eligible or from the date of death.

However, if you are a surviving spouse of a service member who died or became permanently and totally disabled on active duty, your benefits may end 20 years from the date of death. If you divorce the veteran, your benefits end on the date of divorce. If you remarry before age 57, your eligibility ends on the date of remarriage.

If the event took place on or after that date, there is no time limit to use benefits.

Spouses can receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) at the same time as receiving DEA.

DEA Rates

These rates are effective Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027.

*Or the cost of your tuition and fees, whichever is less.

If you are enrolled in an apprenticeship or on-the-job training program, your payments will be based on how long you have been in the program.

Special restorative training is paid at the rate of $1,621.00/month.

Apply online using the VA website.

— Additional reporting by Jim Absher.

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