Title 10Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§2143 Educational assistance: amount

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART III— - TRAINING AND EDUCATION › Chapter CHAPTER 106A— - EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR PERSONS ENLISTING FOR ACTIVE DUTY › § 2143

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Pays certain school costs for people eligible under the program when they take classes at an accredited postsecondary school. It covers tuition, fees, books, lab charges, and shop costs for consumable materials, but only up to the usual expenses students at that school would have. An accredited institution is a civilian college, university, or trade/technical/vocational school in the U.S. (including DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands) that is accredited by a recognized agency. The Secretary in charge sets the yearly benefit amount when a person enlists under section 2142 and may set different amounts for different groups. The yearly benefit may not be more than $1,200, subject to adjustment under section 2145.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §2143

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Subject to subsection (b), an educational assistance program established under section 2141 of this title shall provide for payment by the Secretary concerned of educational expenses incurred for instruction at an accredited institution by a person entitled to such assistance under this chapter. Expenses for which payment may be made under this section include tuition, fees, books, laboratory fees, and shop fees for consumable materials used as part of classroom or laboratory instruction. Payments under this section shall be limited to those educational expenses normally incurred by students at the institution involved.
(b)(1)The Secretary concerned shall establish the amount of educational assistance for a standard academic year (or the equivalent) to which a person becomes entitled under this chapter at the time of an enlistment described in section 2142 of this title. Depending on the needs of the service, different amounts may be established for different categories of persons or enlistments. The amount of educational assistance to which any person is entitled shall be adjusted in accordance with section 2145 of this title.
(2)The amount of educational assistance which may be provided to any person for a standard academic year (or the equivalent) may not exceed $1,200, adjusted in accordance with section 2145 of this title.
(c)In this section, the term “accredited institution” means a civilian college or university or a trade, technical, or vocational school in the United States (including the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands) that provides education at the postsecondary level and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association or by an accrediting agency or association recognized by the Secretary of Education.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1987—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–180 inserted “the term” after “In this section,”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 2143

Title 10Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73