The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program (also known simply as DEA) offers “education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition”. This program is also open to children or spouses of military veterans who “died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition” according to VA.gov.
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
To be eligible, you must be a spouse, son, or daughter (including stepchild or adopted child), of a:
- Veteran who is permanently and totally disabled as the result of, or dies of, a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out of or be aggravated by active duty.
- Veteran with a permanent and total service-connected disability who dies from any cause.
- Service member who is missing in action or is captured in the line of duty and is currently being held by a hostile force.
- Service member who is currently being forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power.
- A Servicemember 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 Dec. 23, 2006.
- Service member who:
- VA determines has a service-connected permanent and total
disability; and - at the time of VA’s determination is member of the Armed Forces 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
- VA determines has a service-connected permanent and total
- Generally eligibility is from age 18 to 26 for a son or daughter and marriage does not affect eligibility.
Forever GI Bill® & DEA Changes
Under the new Forever GI Bill there will be two changes to the DEA program.
Change 1: Months of entitlement reduced
The number of months of entitlement will be changed from 45 months to 36 months which will now be consistent with other GI Bill programs that provide 36 months of eligibility educational assistance. This change will take effect on August 1, 2018 and will apply to those who become eligible on or after that date.
Change 2: Increased DEA Payments
The monthly payment for educational assistance under the DEA program will be increased by $200 a month. The change will take effect on October 1, 2018 and will apply to everyone.
DEA Vs the Fry Scholarship
The Department of Veterans Affairs states that the two programs cannot be used concurrently. Those who may be eligible for both programs must choose “irrevocably” between one program and the other.
Fry Scholarship Vs DEA Comparison
| Features | DEA | Fry Scholarship |
| Benefit Payments | Monthly amount paid directly to the student. The current monthly payment for full-time training is $1,024 | Tuition & Fee Payment (Paid to School) – Full in-state tuition costs covered for training pursued at public institutions. Up to $22,805.34 per year at private institutions.
Books and Supplies Stipend (Paid to Student) – Up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies. Paid to the student proportionately for each term. Monthly Housing Allowance (Paid to Student) – Stipend based on local BAH for E-5 with dependents and paid monthly. Online students receive half of the BAH national average |
| Duration of Benefits | Surviving Spouses of those who died in the line of duty may use benefits for up to 20 years from the Servicemember’s date of death. | 15 years from the Servicemember’s date of death (or, in accordance with Section 401 of Public Law 114-315, if the death of death is prior to January 1, 2006, then benefits are extended until January 1, 2021) |
| Maximum Months of Benefits | 45 months | 36 months |
| Concurrent Receipt of DIC and Education Benefit for Spouse | Yes | Yes |
| Programs Covered | College, Business, Technical, or Vocational Programs Certification Tests Apprenticeship/On-the-Job Training Tutorial Assistance Work-study |
College, Business, Technical, or Vocational Programs Certification Tests Apprenticeship/On-the-Job Training Vocational flight training Tutorial Assistance Work-study |