VA Ends DEA Benefits for High School Students

Joe Wallace

High school-age dependent children of qualifying veterans lose an important Chapter 35 benefit starting in August of 2026. VA.gov reports the Chapter 35 program will no longer support high school-level college prep or related options, as we discover below.

VA Ends DEA Benefits for High School Students

In an interview with Federal News Network, VA Secretary Doug Collins went on the record saying, “…we’re going to put the veteran first in anything that we do.”

But that apparently does not include high-school-age dependent children of veterans who qualify for the Chapter 35 program, Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance. The Doug Collins VA has announced an end to VA DEA payments for those enrolled in high school or college-prep programs.

Who Qualified?

Under Chapter 35, Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA or Chapter 35) program, eligible spouses and children of Veterans or service members who have a permanent and total service-connected disability, were missing in action or captured, died on active duty, or died from a service-connected condition can apply to receive an education stipend while they attend school, including qualifying college prep courses at the high school level.

But the high school-level college prep is no longer an option starting in August 2026. Public Law 117–328, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, changed the criteria for “educational institution” by deleting the phrase “secondary school” and replacing it with “post-secondary school,” according to VA.gov.

That change makes it impossible to use DEA benefits for high school coursework, GED training, or tutoring. That becomes effective August 1, 2026.

For Those Already Enrolled

Those who have enrolled in any of these prior to the deadline “will continue to receive DEA benefits through the end of the academic term. VA cannot continue DEA benefits for subsequent secondary academic terms even if required for graduation,” according to VA.gov. Is this what VA Secretary Doug Collins calls putting veterans first?

A press release on the VA official site notes that it is contacting beneficiaries and schools affected by the rule change.

What to Know About DEA Benefits

For children whose qualifying event (the veteran’s service-connected permanent and total disability rating or death) occurred on or after August 1, 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs has eliminated the age-26 time limit for DEA benefits.

That means qualifying dependent children no longer face an eight-year use-or-lose window or the upper age of 26 restriction to use their 36 months of DEA benefits. Older cases (with DEA eligibility before that date) are still required to use DEA benefits between the ages of 18 and 26.

Qualifying for DEA

VA.gov notes, “You may be eligible for these benefits if both you and the Veteran or service member meet certain eligibility requirements.”

• 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
• The service member was captured in the line of duty by a hostile force for more than 90 days, or
• The service member was forcibly detained in the line of duty by a foreign entity for more than 90 days, or
• The service member is in the hospital or getting outpatient treatment for a service-connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability.