# 38 CFR § 21.5742: Entitlement

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5742

## Section

- **Citation:** 38 CFR § 21.5742
- **Heading:** Entitlement
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** September 22, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 38—Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief > CHAPTER I—DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS > PART 21—VETERAN READINESS AND EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION > Subpart H—Educational Assistance Test Program > Eligibility and Entitlement

## Text

(a) Educational assistance. A veteran or servicemember shall be entitled to one standard academic year (or the equivalent) of educational assistance for each year of service following the first enlistment beginning after November 30, 1980 (up to a maximum of four years). If the veteran or servicemember completes two years of active duty in the term of enlistment, but fails to complete the enlistment or fails to complete four years of active duty in an enlistment of more than four years, his or her entitlement to educational assistance shall be calculated as follows:
(1) VA shall determine the number of years, months and days in the veteran's qualifying period of service by subtracting the entry on duty date from the release from active duty date. Any deductible time under § 3.15 of this chapter (during the period of service on which eligibility is based) will be excluded from the calculation.
(2) VA shall convert the number of years determined in paragraph (a)(1) of this section to months by multiplying them by 12.
(3) VA shall convert the number of days determined in paragraph (a)(1) of this section to 0 months if there are 14 days or less, and to 1 month is there are more than 14 days.
(4) VA shall determine the number of total months by adding the number of months determined in paragraph (a)(1) of this section (exclusive of years and days) to the number of months determined in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, and the number of months in paragraph (a)(3).
(5) VA shall multiply the number of total months in paragraph (a)(4) of this section by 75.
(Authority: 10 U.S.C. 2142(a)(2))
(b) Subsistence allowance. A veteran or servicemember shall be entitled to nine months of subsistence allowance for each standard academic year of entitlement to educational assistance. For each period of entitlement to educational assistance which is shorter than a standard academic year, a veteran or servicemember will be entitled to one month of subsistence allowance for each month of entitlement to educational assistance. This entitlement shall not exceed nine months.
(Authority: 10 U.S.C. 2144)
[51 FR 27026, July 29, 1986, as amended at 51 FR 29471, Aug. 18, 1986]

## Nearby sections

- [38 CFR § 21.5720 § 21.5720 Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5720.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5725 § 21.5725 Obtaining benefits.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5725.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5730 § 21.5730 Applications, claims, and time limits.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5730.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5740 § 21.5740 Eligibility.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5740.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5741 § 21.5741 Eligibility under more than one program.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5741.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5742 § 21.5742 Entitlement.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5742.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5743 § 21.5743 Transfer of entitlement.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5743.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5744 § 21.5744 Charges against entitlement.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5744.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5745 § 21.5745 Period of entitlement.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5745.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5800 § 21.5800 Courses.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5800.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5810 § 21.5810 Certifications of enrollment.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5810.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5812 § 21.5812 Reports of withdrawals and terminations of attendance and changes in training time.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5812.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5816 § 21.5816 False or fraudulent claims.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5816.md)
- [38 CFR § 21.5820 § 21.5820 Educational assistance.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5820.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-38-21.5742. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.