*Reprinted from The VA Dependents Education Assistance Program website
'GI Bill®' is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Mor information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents that meet specific criteria. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. Effective October 1, 2013 some DEA beneficiaries may be eligible for 81 months of GI Bill® benefits if they use the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance program in conjunction with an entitlement from other VA education programs. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.
Eligibility
You must be the son, daughter, or spouse of:
- A veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out of active service in the Armed Forces.
- A veteran who died from any cause while such permanent and total service-connected disability was in existence.
- A service member missing in action or captured in the line of duty by a hostile force.
- A service member forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power.
- A service member who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability. This change is effective December 23, 2006.
- For more information about the period of eligibility for this benefit program, please visit the GI Bill® website.
How to Apply
If you have never used these benefits before, you will need to apply to use them.
- Paper:
- Obtain and complete VA Form 22-5490
- Send it to the VA regional office:
VA Regional Office
P.O. Box 8888
Muskogee, OK 74402-8888
- Electronic:
- Login or create an account on the eBenefits website and select the “Apply for Benefits” link for the online application, VA Form 22-5490. When you have completed the form, select “submit” to submit it electronically.
If you have used these benefits before at another school, you will need to fill out the following:
- Paper:
- Dependents' request for change of program or place of training VA Form 22-5495.
- Send it to the VA regional office:
VA Regional Office
P.O. Box 8888
Muskogee, OK 74402-8888
- After you have been admitted to the university and have registered for classes, you will need to submit your eligibility letter to the School Certifying Official for Veterans Education Benefits, Jaime Espinoza.
- You will then need to complete the
The school certifying official, Jaime Espinoza, can be reached at 909-537-7196 or by e-mail at jespinoza@csusb.edu.
What it Pays for
For College and Vocational Schools monthly payments are based on the number of units/hours you are enrolled in. This is also referred to as training time: Full time, three-quarter time and half-time. When you train at less than half-time, you'll be paid tuition and fees. But if tuition and fees amount to more than you would be paid at the half-time rate (or the quarter-time rate if you're training at quarter-time or less), your payments will be limited to the half-time (or the quarter-time rate).
Your monthly allowance will start being sent to you the month after you begin school. It will be your responsibility to pay the school directly for your tuition and fees when they are due.
For additional information and current payment rates, please visit the GI Bill® website or call 1-800-827-1000.