An Education Benefit for Veterans' Families Is Ending. Here’s What to Know

Published Jun 22, 2026, 11:46 AM EDT

The VA’s Chapter 35 education benefits will no longer pay for high school coursework, GED training, tutoring or academic remediation.

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Published Jun 22, 2026, 11:46 AM EDT

A change included in a 2022 federal spending law is about to affect military families receiving Survivors’ and Dependents' Educational Assistance, or Chapter 35, for high school-age dependents. Starting Aug. 1, 2026, DEA benefits will no longer pay for any new secondary education program, including high school coursework, GED-level training, tutoring or academic remediation. The broader Chapter 35 DEA program is not ending. College programs, vocational training, apprenticeships and on-the-job training remain fully covered. What is ending is the specific use of DEA for high school-level education, which has allowed eligible 18-year-old dependents to receive approximately $1,400 per month while finishing high school — money that did not count against their 36-month DEA lifetime limit for college and career training. Read More: Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA)