Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Rates

Updated: January 17, 2024
In this Article

    Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program rates for the 2023-2024 year are effective from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024. 

    Your class start date – not the end date – determines which year’s charts you should use, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. For example, if your class starts in August 2023, you will receive the 2023-2024 rate.

    Every year, these rates increase to offset the costs of education as they rise from inflation. The benefits for most survivors and dependents last up to 36 months of schooling. If the dependent first accessed the benefits before Aug. 1, 2018, then they will last up to 45 months.

    The DEA program provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents and survivors of certain veterans. Dependents of veterans who died in the line of duty or have a service-connected “permanent and total” VA disability rating are eligible for DEA benefits.

    Here are the rates, according to the VA.


    Rate Charts for 2024

    (Effective Oct. 1, 2023-Sept. 30, 2024)

    Institutional Training

    TRAINING TIMEMONTHLY RATE
    Full time$1,488
    3/4 time$1,176
    1/2 time$862
    Less than 1/2 time and more than 1/4 time$862 or cost of tuition/fees, whichever is less
    1/4 time or less$372 or cost of tuition/fees, whichever is less

    Correspondence programs: Eligible spouses and surviving spouses receive an allowance of 55% of the fee for the number of lessons completed and serviced by the school. This allowance is paid quarterly.

    Co-operative training: The entitlement is charged at the rate of one month for each $1,488 paid. This does not apply to farm co-operatives.

    ** Tuition and fees only. Payment cannot exceed the listed amount.

    Apprenticeship and On-the-job Training**

    TRAINING PERIODMONTHLY RATE
    Months 1 to 6$945
    Months 7 to 12$710
    Months 13 to 18$466
    More than 19 months$237

    Non-college degree programs**

    TRAINING TIMEMONTHLY RATE
    Full time$1,488
    3/4 time$1,176
    1/2 time$862
    Less than 1/2 time, but more than 1/4 time$862 or cost of tuition/fees, whichever is less
    1/4 time or less$372 or cost of tuition/fees, whichever is less

    Special Restorative Training

    TRAINING PERIODMONTHLY RATE
    Full time$1,488
    Accelerated Charges, tuition/fee costs over...$392
    Entitlement Reduced 1 day for Each$49.60 (1/30 of the full-time rate)

    Written by Veteran.com Team

    The editorial team here at Veteran.com works to help the U.S. military community discover the many military benefits available to them. Our team is supported by our Veteran Review Board and its Standard of Care, which all content on Veteran.com is reviewed to meet.