(a) General. An eligible spouse or surviving spouse shall make an application for an education loan in the manner prescribed and upon the forms prescribed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Department of Veterans Affairs must receive the application no later than the last date of the term, quarter, semester, or 6-month period to which all or part of the loan will apply. The application shall be certified by the school as to the date required from the school by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3471)

(b) Information. The application shall provide the Department of Veterans Affairs with the following information and such other information as may be reasonable upon specific request:

(1) A statement of nontaxable income for the student for the current tax year in which the application is received by the Department of Veterans Affairs; as well as a statement of adjusted gross income for the student for the current tax year in which the application for an education loan is received by the Department of Veterans Affairs less authorized deductions for exemptions, itemized or standard deduction, whichever is greater, and mandatory withholdings such as Federal and State income taxes, social security taxes, etc.

(2) The amount of all funds of the eligible spouse or surviving spouse on hand on the date of the application including cash on hand, money in a bank or savings and loan association account, and certificates of deposit.

(3) The full amount of the tuition for the course to be paid by the eligible spouse or surviving spouse during the period for which the loan is sought.

(4) The amount of reasonably anticipated expenses for room and board to be expended by the eligible spouse or surviving spouse during the period for which the loan is sought, including a reasonable amount, not to exeed 22.5 cents per mile, for commuting normal distances to classes if the student does not reside on campus. Applications may also provide the Department of Veterans Affairs with a statement of the amount of charges for room and board which the school would have made had the school provided the eligible spouse or surviving spouse with room and board. If the school does not provide room and board, the application may provide the Department of Veterans Affairs with a statement of charges for room and board which the eligible spouse or surviving spouse would have received had he or she been provided room and board at the nearest State college or State university which provides room and board.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3698(b))

(5) The anticipated reasonable cost of books and supplies required for the courses to be taken during the period for which the loan is sought.

[40 FR 31764, July 29, 1975, as amended at 44 FR 62507, Oct. 31, 1979; 48 FR 37996, Aug. 22, 1983; 49 FR 8920, Mar. 9, 1984; 61 FR 26116, May 24, 1996]