(a) Interruption to conserve entitlement generally prohibited. No one may interrupt a certified period of enrollment for the purpose of conserving entitlement. A school may not certify a period of enrollment for a fractional part of the normal term, quarter or semester if the individual actually is enrolled and is pursuing his or her program of education for the entire term, quarter or semester.

(b) Exceptions. The Department of Veterans Affairs will charge entitlement for the entire period of enrollment certified if the individual otherwise is eligible for benefits, except when benefits are interrupted under any of the following conditions:

(1) Enrollment actually is terminated.

(2) Enrollment is canceled and the individual has not negotiated an educational benefits check for any part of the certified period of enrollment.

(3) The individual:

(i) Interrupts his or her enrollment at the scheduled end of any term, quarter, semester or school year within the certified period of enrollment; and

(ii) Has not negotiated any check for educational benefits for the succeeding term, quarter, semester or school year.

(4) The individual requests interruption or cancellation for any break when a school was closed during a certified period of enrollment and payments were continued under an established policy based upon an Executive order of the President or due to an emergency situation. This exception applies whether or not the individual has negotiated a check for educational benefits for the certified period.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3241, 3680)