(a) General. A veteran shall be granted an extension of the applicable delimiting period, as otherwise determined by §21.5041 of this part provided—

(1) The veteran applies for an extension.

(2) The veteran was prevented from initiating or completing the chosen program of education within the otherwise applicable delimiting period because of a physical or mental disability that did not result from the willful misconduct of the veteran. VA will not consider the disabling effects of chronic alcoholism to be the result of willful misconduct. See §21.5021(v).

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 105, 3232, 3462; Pub. L. 99-576, Pub. L. 100-689)

(b) Application. The veteran must apply for the extended period of eligibility in time for VA to receive the application by the later of the following dates:

(1) One year from the last date of the delimiting period otherwise applicable to the veteran under §21.5401 of this part, or

(2) One year from the termination date of the period of the veteran's mental or physical disability.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3232, Pub. L. 99-576)

(c) Qualifying period of disability.

(1) A veteran's extended period of eligibility shall be based on the period of time that the veteran himself or herself was prevented by reason of physical or mental disability, not the result of the veteran's willful misconduct, from initiating or completing his or her chosen program of education.

(2) VA will not consider the disabling effects of chronic alcoholism to be the result of willful misconduct provided the last date of the time limit for filing a claim for the extension determined under §21.5030(c)(3) of this part occurs after November 17, 1988.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 105; Pub. L. 100-689)

(3) Evidence must be presented which clearly establishes that the veteran's disability made pursuit of his or her program medically infeasible during the veteran's original period of eligibility as determined by §21.5041 of this part. A period of disability following the end of the original disability period will not be a basis for extension.

(4) VA will not consider a veteran who is disabled for a period of 30 days or less as having been prevented from enrolling or reenrolling in the chosen program of education or was forced to discontinue attendance, because of the short disability.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3232, Pub. L. 99-576)

(d) Commencing date. The veteran shall elect the commencing date of an extended period of eligibility. The date chosen—

(1) Must be on or after the original date of expiration of eligibility as determined by §21.5041 of this part, and

(2) Must be on or before the 90th day following the date on which the veteran's application for an extension was approved by VA, if the veteran is training during the extended period of eligibility in a course not organized on a term, quarter or semester basis, or

(3) Must be on or before the first day of the first ordinary term, quarter or semester following the 90th day after the veteran's application for an extension was approved by VA if the veteran is training during the extended period of eligibility in a course organized on a term, quarter or semester basis.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3232; Pub. L. 99-576)

(4) For a veteran whose entitlement to an extended period of eligibility is dependent upon the disabling effects of chronic alcoholism, may not begin before November 18, 1988.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 105, 3232; Pub. 99-576, Pub. L. 100-689)

(e) Determining the length of extended periods of eligibility. A veteran's extended period of eligibility shall be based upon the qualifying period of disability, and determined as follows:

(1) If the veteran is in training in a course organized on a term, quarter or semester basis, his or her extended period of eligibility shall contain the same number of days as the number of days from the date during the veteran's original delimiting period that his or her training became medically infeasible to the earliest of the following dates:

(i) The commencing date of the ordinary term, quarter or semester following the day the veteran's training became medically feasible,

(ii) The veteran's delimiting date as determined by §21.5041 of this part, or

(iii) The date the veteran resumed training.

(2) If the veteran is training in a course not organized on a term, quarter or semester basis, his or her extended period of eligibility shall contain the same number of days as the number of days from the date during the veteran's original delimiting period that his or her training became medically infeasible to the earlier of the following dates:

(i) The date the veteran's training became medically feasible, or

(ii) The veteran's delimiting date as determined by §21.5041 of this part.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3232; Pub. L. 99-576)

(f) Discontinuance. If the veteran is pursuing a course on the date an extended period of eligibility expires (as determined under this section), VA will discontinue the educational assistance allowance effective the day before the end of the extended period of eligibility.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3232; Pub. L. 99-576)

[53 FR 34496, Sept. 7, 1988, as amended at 55 FR 31582, Aug. 3, 1990]