38 U.S.C. § 3501 — Definitions

**(a)** For the purposes of this chapter and chapter 36 of this title— (1) The term “eligible person” means any of the following: (A) A child of a person who, as a result of qualifying service— (i) died of a service-connected disability; or (ii) has a total disability permanent in nature resulting from a service-connected disability, or who died while a disability so evaluated was in existence. (B) The surviving spouse of any person who died of a service-connected disability sustained during a period of qualifying service. (C) The spouse or child of any member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty who, at the time of application for benefits under this chapter is listed, pursuant to [section 556 of title 37](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title37-section556&num=0&edition=prelim) and regulations issued thereunder, by the Secretary concerned in one or more of the following categories and has been so listed for a total of more than ninety days: (i) missing in action, (ii) captured in line of duty by a hostile force, or (iii) forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power. (D) (i) The spouse of any person who has a total disability permanent in nature resulting from a service-connected disability sustained during a period of qualifying service, or (ii) the surviving spouse of a veteran who died while a disability so evaluated was in existence. (E) The spouse or child of a person who— (i) at the time of the Secretary’s determination under clause (ii), is a member of the Armed Forces who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical care, services, or treatment; (ii) the Secretary determines has a total disability permanent in nature incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval, air, or space service; and (iii) is likely to be discharged or released from such service for such disability. (2) The term “child” includes individuals who are married and individuals who are above the age of twenty-three years. (3) The term “duty with the Armed Forces” as used in [section 3512 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section3512&num=0&edition=prelim) means (A) active duty, (B) active duty for training for a period of six or more consecutive months, or (C) active duty for training required by [section 12103(d) of title 10](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section12103/d&num=0&edition=prelim). (4) The term “guardian” includes a fiduciary legally appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction, or any other person who has been appointed by the Secretary under [section 5502 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section5502&num=0&edition=prelim) to receive payment of benefits for the use and benefit of the eligible person. (5) 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 the requirements for the attainment of a predetermined and identified educational, professional, or vocational objective. Such term also includes any preparatory course described in [section 3002(3)(B) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section3002/3/B&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 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)) and 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)). (6) The term “educational institution” means any public or private secondary school, vocational school, correspondence school, business school, junior college, teachers’ college, college, normal school, professional school, university, or scientific or technical institution, or any other institution if it furnishes education at the secondary school level or above. 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). (7) The term “special restorative training” means training furnished under subchapter V of this chapter. (8) The term “total disability permanent in nature” means any disability rated total for the purposes of disability compensation which is based upon an impairment reasonably certain to continue throughout the life of the disabled person. (9) The term “training establishment” means any establishment providing apprentice or other training on the job, including those under the supervision of a college or university or any State department of education, or any State apprenticeship agency, or any State board of vocational education, or any joint apprenticeship committee, or the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training established pursuant to the Act of August 16, 1937, popularly known as the “National Apprenticeship Act” ([29 U.S.C. 50](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title29-section50&num=0&edition=prelim) et seq.), or any agency of the Federal Government authorized to supervise such training. (10) 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 by the secretary of education (or comparable official) of the country or other jurisdiction in which the institution is located. (11) The term “standard college degree” means an associate or higher degree awarded by (A) an institution of higher learning that is accredited as a collegiate institution by a recognized regional or national accrediting agency; or (B) an institution of higher learning that is a “candidate” for accreditation as that term is used by the regional or national accrediting agencies; or (C) 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). (12) The term “qualifying service” means service in the active military, naval, air, or space service after the beginning of the Spanish-American War that did not terminate under dishonorable conditions. **(b)** If an eligible person has attained the person’s majority and is under no known legal disability, all references in this chapter to “parent or guardian” shall refer to the eligible person. **(c)** Any provision of this chapter which requires any action to be taken by or with respect to the parent or guardian of an eligible person who has not attained such person’s majority, or who, having attained such person’s majority, is under a legal disability, shall not apply when the Secretary determines that its application would not be in the best interest of the eligible person, would result in undue delay, or would not be administratively feasible. In such a case the Secretary, where necessary to protect the interest of the eligible person, may designate some other person (who may be the eligible person) as the person by or with respect to whom the action so required should be taken. **(d)** No eligible person may be afforded educational assistance under this chapter unless such person was discharged or released after each period such person was on duty with the Armed Forces under conditions other than dishonorable, or while such person is on duty with the Armed Forces.