For training that occurs prior to August 1, 2011—

1. (a) Payments of educational assistance are based on pursuit of a program of education. In order to receive educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 33, an eligible individual must—

   1. (1) Be pursuing an approved program of education;
   2. (2) Be pursuing refresher, remedial, or deficiency courses as these courses are defined in § 21.7020(b);
   3. (3) Be pursuing other preparatory or special education or training courses necessary to enable the individual to pursue an approved program of education;
   4. (4) Have taken an approved licensing or certification test, for which he or she is requesting reimbursement; or

   5. (5) Be an individual who has taken a course for which the individual received tuition assistance provided under a program administered by the Secretary of a military department under 10 U.S.C. 2007(a) or (c), for which the individual is requesting educational assistance for the amount of established charges not covered by military tuition assistance.

      (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3313, 3323(a), 3689)

2. (b) Approval of the selected program of education. Subject to paragraph (a), VA will approve a program of education under 38 U.S.C. chapter 33 selected by the individual if:

   1. (1) The program meets the definition of a program of education in § 21.9505;
   2. (2) Except for a program consisting of a licensing or certification test, the program has an educational, vocational, or professional objective as described in § 21.7020(b)(13) or (22);
   3. (3) The courses, subjects, or licensing or certification tests in the program are approved for VA training; and

   4. (4) Except for a program consisting of a licensing or certification test designed to help the individual maintain employment in a vocation or profession, the individual is not already qualified for the objective of the program.

      (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3034(a), 3323(a), 3471, 3689)

3. (c) Change of program. In determining whether an individual may change his or her selected program of education, VA will apply the provisions of § 21.4234.

4. (d) Programs not authorized under 38 U.S.C. chapter 33. If an individual elected to receive benefits under 38 U.S.C. chapter 33 by relinquishing eligibility under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, or 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 1607, and the eligible individual requests educational assistance for a program of education that is not authorized to be available to the individual under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. chapter 33, but is available under the chapter the individual relinquished, VA will provide educational assistance at the rate payable under the provisions of the relinquished chapter to the eligible individual for pursuit of any program of education that meets the approval criteria under—

   1. (1) 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, if the individual was eligible under that chapter;
   2. (2) 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, if the individual was eligible under that chapter; or

   3. (3) 10 U.S.C. chapter 1607, if the individual was eligible under that chapter.

      (Authority: Pub. L. 110-252, 122 Stat. 2377)

[74 FR 14671, Mar. 31, 2009, as amended at 90 FR 5341, Jan. 16, 2025]