(a) Advance payments and lump-sum payments. VA will apply the provisions of §21.4138(a) and (b) in making advance payments and lump-sum payments to veterans and servicemembers.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3034 and 3680)

(b) Accelerated payments. VA will apply the provisions of §§21.7151(a), (c), and 21.7154(d) in making accelerated payments.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3014A)

(c) Other payments. Except for an individual who is seeking tuition assistance top-up, an individual must be pursuing a program of education in order to receive payments of educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30. To ensure that this is the case, the provisions of this paragraph must be met.

(1) VA will pay educational assistance to a veteran or servicemember (other than one pursuing a program of apprenticeship, other on-job training, or a correspondence course; one seeking tuition assistance top-up;, one seeking reimbursement for taking an approved licensing or certification test; one who qualifies for an advance payment; one who qualifies for an accelerated payment; or one who qualifies for a lump sum payment) only after:

(i) The educational institution has certified his or her enrollment as provided in §21.7152; and

(ii) VA has received from the individual a verification of the enrollment.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3680(g), 3689)

(2) VA will pay educational assistance to a veteran pursuing a program of apprenticeship or other on-job training only after—

(i) The training establishment has certified his or her enrollment in the training program as provided in §21.7152; and

(ii) VA has received from the training establishment a certification of hours worked.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3034, 3680(g))

(3) VA will pay educational assistance to a veteran or servicemember who is pursuing a correspondence course only after-

(i) The educational institution has certified his or her enrollment;

(ii) VA has received from the veteran or servicemember a certification as to the number of lessons completed and serviced by the educational institution; and

(iii) VA has received from the educational institution a certification or an endorsement on the veteran's or servicemember's certificate, as to the number of lessons completed by the veteran or servicemember and serviced by the educational institution.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3034, 3680(b))

(4) VA will pay educational assistance to a veteran or servicemember as reimbursement for taking an approved licensing or certification test only after the veteran or servicemember has submitted to VA a copy of the veteran's or servicemember's official test results and, if not included in the results, a copy of another official form (such as a receipt or registration form) that together must include:

(i) The name of the test;

(ii) The name and address of the organization or entity issuing the license or certificate;

(iii) The date the veteran or servicemember took the test; and

(iv) The cost of the test.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3689)

(5) VA will pay educational assistance for tuition assistance top-up only after the individual has submitted to VA a copy of the form(s) that the military service with jurisdiction requires for tuition assistance and that had been presented to the educational institution, covering the course or courses for which the claimant wants tuition assistance top-up. If the form(s) submitted did not contain the amount of tuition assistance charged to the individual, VA may delay payment until VA obtains that information from the educational institution. Examples of these forms include:

(i) DA Form 2171, Request for Tuition Assistance—Army Continuing Education System;

(ii) AF Form 1227, Authority for Tuition Assistance—Education Services Program;

(iii) NAVMC 10883, Application for Tuition Assistance, and either NAVEDTRA 1560/5, Tuition Assistance Authorization or NAVMC (page 2), Tuition Assistance Authorization;

(iv) Department of Homeland Security, USCG CG-4147, Application for Off-Duty Assistance; and

(v) Request for Top-Up: eArmyU Program.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5101(a))

(d) Payment for intervals and temporary school closings. In administering 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, VA will apply the provisions of §21.4138(f) when determining whether an individual is entitled to payment for an interval or temporary school closing.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3034, 3680)

(e) Payee.

(1) VA will make payment to the veteran or servicemember or to a duly appointed fiduciary. The VA will make direct payment to the veteran or servicemember even if he or she is a minor.

(2) The assignment of educational assistance is prohibited. In administering this provision, VA will apply the provisions of §21.4146 to 38 U.S.C. chapter 30.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3034, 3680)

(f) Limitations on payments. VA will not apportion educational assistance.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3034, 3680)

(g) Payments of accrued benefits. Educational assistance remaining due and unpaid at the date of the servicemember's or veteran's death is payable under the provisions of §3.1000 of this chapter.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 5121)

(The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information collection provisions in this section under control numbers 2900-0178, 2900-0695, and 2900-0698)

[53 FR 1757, Jan. 22, 1988, as amended at 55 FR 28388, July 11, 1990; 56 FR 20136, May 2, 1991; 56 FR 31332, July 10, 1991; 57 FR 15025, Apr. 24, 1992; 61 FR 26117, May 24, 1996; 62 FR 55761, Oct. 28, 1997; 64 FR 52652, Sept. 30, 1999; 68 FR 35180, June 12, 2003; 72 FR 16982, Apr. 5, 2007; 73 FR 65269, Nov. 3, 2008; 85 FR 59192, Sept. 21, 2020]