VA will measure a college level course in an institution of higher learning on a credit-hour basis provided all the conditions under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section are met. See also §21.4273.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688)

(a) Degree courses—accredited or candidate. VA will measure a degree course on a credit-hour basis when—

(1) An institution of higher learning offers the course; and

(2) A nationally recognized accrediting association either—

(i) Accredits the institution of higher learning, or

(ii) Recognizes the institution as a candidate for accreditation; and

(3) The credits earned in the course can be applied towards an associate, baccalaureate or higher degree which is—

(i) Appropriate to the level of the institution of higher learning's accreditation, or

(ii) Appropriate to the level of the institution of higher learning's candidacy for accreditation; and

(4) The course is offered on a semester-hour or quarter-hour basis, and

(5) The degree to which the course credits are applicable either—

(i) Is granted by the institution of higher learning offering the course,

(ii) Is a part of a concurrent enrollment as described in §21.4233(b), or

(iii) Is being pursued by a nonmatriculated student as provided in §21.4252(l)(1), (2) or (3).

(b) Degree courses—nonaccredited. VA will measure on a credit-hour basis a degree course which does not meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section when—

(1) The course is offered on a semester- or quarter-hour basis, and

(2) The course leads to an associate, baccalaureate, or higher degree, which is granted by the school offering the degree under authority specifically conferred by a State education agency, and

(3) The school will furnish a letter from a State university or letters from three schools that are full members of a nationally recognized accrediting association. In each letter the State university or accredited school must certify either:

(i) That credits have been accepted on transfer at full value without reservation, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a baccalaureate or higher degree for at least three students within the last 5 years, and that at least 40 percent of the subjects within each curriculum, for which credit-hour measurement is sought, has been accepted without reservation by the certifying State university or accredited school, or

(ii) That in the last 5 years at least three students, who have received a baccalaureate or higher degree as a result of having completed the nonaccredited course, have been admitted without reservation into a graduate or advanced professional program offered by the certifying State university or accredited school.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(b))

(c) [Reserved]

(d) Course measurement general. When an undergraduate course qualifies for credit-hour measurement, VA will measure it according to the table contained in §21.4270(c) of this part.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(a); Pub. L. 99-576)

(e)-(f) [Reserved]

(g) Course measurement; nonstandard terms.

(1) When a term is not a standard semester or quarter as defined in §21.4200(b), the Department of Veterans Affairs will determine the equivalent for full-time training by:

(i) Multiplying the credits to be earned in the term by 18 if credit is granted in semester hours, or by 12 if credit is granted in quarter hours, and

(ii) Dividing the product by the number of whole weeks in the term.

(2) In determining whole weeks for this formula VA will—

(i) Determine the number of days from the beginning to the end of the term as certified by the educational institution, substracting any vacation period of 7 days or more;

(ii) Divide the number of days in the term by 7;

(iii) Disregard a remainder of 3 days or less, and

(iv) Consider 4 days or more to be a whole week.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(b))

(3) The quotient resulting from the use of the formula is called equivalent credit hours. VA treats equivalent credit hours as credit hours for measurement purposes.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(b))

(h)-(i) [Reserved]

(j)  Course measurement; credit course taken under special circumstances. If a course is acceptable for credit, but the educational institution does not award credit to the veteran or eligible person because he or she has not met college entrance requirements or for some other valid reason, the Department of Veterans Affairs will measure the course as though it were pursued for credit, provided the veteran or eligible person performs all of the work prescribed for other students who are enrolled for credit.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688(b))

(k)  Course measurement; noncredit courses. (1) Except for courses leading to a secondary school diploma or equivalent, the Department of Veterans Affairs will measure noncredit courses given by an institution of higher learning on a quarter- or semester-hour basis if the institution considers them to be the equivalent, for other administrative purposes, of undergraduate courses that lead to a standard college degree at the institution of higher learning.

(2)  The Department of Veterans Affairs shall measure other noncredit courses under the appropriate criteria of §21.4270.

(3)  Where a school requires a veteran or eligible person to pursue noncredit deficiency, remedial or refresher courses in order to meet scholastic or entrance requirements, the school will certify the credit-hour equivalent of the noncredit deficiency, remedial or refresher courses in addition to the credit hours for which the veteran or eligible person is enrolled. The Department of Veterans Affairs will measure the course on the total of the credit hours and credit-hour equivalency.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3688)

[31 FR 6774, May 6, 1966, as amended at 32 FR 13407, Sept. 23, 1967; 41 FR 47930, Nov. 1, 1976; 43 FR 35307, Aug. 9, 1978; 43 FR 49982, Oct. 26, 1978; 48 FR 37992, Aug. 22, 1983; 50 FR 21605, May 28, 1985; 51 FR 6412, Feb. 24, 1986; 54 FR 13065, Mar. 30, 1989; 54 FR 33894, Aug. 17, 1989; 61 FR 6784, Feb. 22, 1996; 72 FR 16977, Apr. 5, 2007]