38 U.S.C. § 3452 — Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter and chapter 36 of this title— **(a)** (1) The term “eligible veteran” means any veteran who— (A) served on active duty for a period of more than 180 days, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955, and before January 1, 1977, and was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable; (B) contracted with the Armed Forces and was enlisted in or assigned to a reserve component prior to January 1, 1977, and as a result of such enlistment or assignment served on active duty for a period of more than 180 days, any part of which commenced within 12 months after January 1, 1977, and was discharged or released from such active duty under conditions other than dishonorable; or (C) was discharged or released from active duty, any part of which was performed after January 31, 1955, and before January 1, 1977, or following entrance into active service from an enlistment provided for under subparagraph (B), because of a service-connected disability. (2) The requirement of discharge or release, prescribed in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1), shall be waived in the case of any individual who served more than 180 days in an active-duty status for so long as such individual continues on active duty without a break therein. (3) For purposes of paragraph (1)(A) and section 3461(a), the term “active duty” does not include any period during which an individual (A) was assigned full time by the Armed Forces to a civilian institution for a course of education which was substantially the same as established courses offered to civilians, (B) served as a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies, or (C) served under the provisions of [section 12103(d) of title 10](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section12103/d&num=0&edition=prelim) pursuant to an enlistment in the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard or as a Reserve for service in the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, or Coast Guard Reserve unless at some time subsequent to the completion of such period of active duty for training such individual served on active duty for a consecutive period of one year or more (not including any service as a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies). **(b)** The term “program of education” means any curriculum or any combination of unit courses or subjects pursued at an educational institution which is generally accepted as necessary to fulfill requirements for the attainment of a predetermined and identified educational, professional, or vocational objective. Such term also means any curriculum of unit courses or subjects pursued at an educational institution which fulfill requirements for the attainment of more than one predetermined and identified educational, professional, or vocational objective if all the objectives pursued are generally recognized as being reasonably related to a single career field. Such term also means any unit course or subject, or combination of courses or subjects, pursued by an eligible veteran at an educational institution, required by the Administrator of the Small Business Administration as a condition to obtaining financial assistance under the provisions of section 7(i)(1) of the Small Business Act ([15 U.S.C. 636(i)(1)](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section636/i/1&num=0&edition=prelim)). Such term also includes licensing or certification tests, the successful completion of which demonstrates an individual’s possession of the knowledge or skill required to enter into, maintain, or advance in employment in a predetermined and identified vocation or profession, provided such tests and the licensing or credentialing organizations or entities that offer such tests are approved by the Secretary in accordance with [section 3689 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section3689&num=0&edition=prelim). Such term also includes any course, or combination of courses, offered by a qualified provider of entrepreneurship courses. Such term also includes national tests for admission to institutions of higher learning or graduate schools (such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Law School Admission Test (LSAT), Graduate Record Exam (GRE), and Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)), national tests providing an opportunity for course credit at institutions of higher learning (such as the Advanced Placement (AP) exam and College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)), and national tests that evaluate prior learning and knowledge and provides 11 So in original. Probably should be “provide”. an opportunity for course credit at an institution of higher learning. **(c)** The term “educational institution” means any public or private elementary school, secondary school, vocational school, correspondence school, business school, junior college, teachers’ college, college, normal school, professional school, university, or scientific or technical institution, or other institution furnishing education for adults. Such term includes any entity that provides training required for completion of any State-approved alternative teacher certification program (as determined by the Secretary). Such term also includes any private entity (that meets such requirements as the Secretary may establish) that offers, either directly or under an agreement with another entity (that meets such requirements), a course or courses to fulfill requirements for the attainment of a license or certificate generally recognized as necessary to obtain, maintain, or advance in employment in a profession or vocation in a high technology occupation (as determined by the Secretary). Such term also includes any qualified provider of entrepreneurship courses. **(d)** The term “dependent” means— (1) a child of an eligible veteran; (2) a dependent parent of an eligible veteran; and (3) the spouse of an eligible veteran. **(e)** The term “training establishment” means any of the following: (1) An establishment providing apprentice or other on-job training, including those under the supervision of a college or university or any State department of education. (2) An establishment providing self-employment on-job training consisting of full-time training for a period of less than six months that is needed or accepted for purposes of obtaining licensure to engage in a self-employment occupation or required for ownership and operation of a franchise that is the objective of the training. (3) A State board of vocational education. (4) A Federal or State apprenticeship registration agency. (5) The sponsor of a program of apprenticeship. (6) An agency of the Federal Government authorized to supervise such training. **(f)** The term “institution of higher learning” means a college, university, or similar institution, including a technical or business school, offering postsecondary level academic instruction that leads to an associate or higher degree if the school is empowered by the appropriate State education authority under State law to grant an associate or higher degree. When there is no State law to authorize the granting of a degree, the school may be recognized as an institution of higher learning if it is accredited for degree programs by a recognized accrediting agency. Such term shall also include a hospital offering educational programs at the postsecond­ary level without regard to whether the hospital grants a postsecondary degree. Such term shall also include an educational institution which is not located in a State, which offers a course leading to a standard college degree, or the equivalent, and which is recognized as such by the secretary of education (or comparable official) of the country or other jurisdiction in which the institution is located. **(g)** The term “standard college degree” means an associate or higher degree awarded by (1) an institution of higher learning that is accredited as a collegiate institution by a recognized regional or national accrediting agency; or (2) an institution of higher learning that is a “candidate” for accreditation as that term is used by the regional or national accrediting agencies; or (3) an institution of higher learning upon completion of a course which is accredited by an agency recognized to accredit specialized degree-level programs. For the purpose of this section, the accrediting agency must be one recognized by the Secretary of Education under the provisions of [section 3675 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section3675&num=0&edition=prelim). **(h)** The term “qualified provider of entrepreneurship courses” means any small business development center described in section 21 of the Small Business Act ([15 U.S.C. 648](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title15-section648&num=0&edition=prelim)), insofar as such center offers, sponsors, or cosponsors an entrepreneurship course, as that term is defined in section 3675(c)(2).