Title 38Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73

§3524 Discontinuance for unsatisfactory progress

Title 38 › Part PART III— - READJUSTMENT AND RELATED BENEFITS › Chapter CHAPTER 35— - SURVIVORS’ AND DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - PROGRAM OF EDUCATION › § 3524

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must stop an eligible person's education payments if the school says the person's attendance, conduct, or academic progress is unsatisfactory under the school's normal rules. Payments can restart only if the person will return to the same school and program and the school approves and certifies the reenrollment to the Department of Veterans Affairs, or if changing school or program, the original problem is fixed, the new program fits the person's aptitudes, interests, and abilities, and any program change meets the approval rules under section 3691 of this title.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §3524

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Secretary shall discontinue the educational assistance allowance on behalf of an eligible person if, at any time, the Secretary finds that according to the regularly prescribed standards and practices of the educational institution such person is attending, the person’s attendance, conduct, or progress is unsatisfactory. The Secretary may renew the payment of the educational assistance allowance only if the Secretary finds that—
(1)the eligible person will be resuming enrollment at the same educational institution in the same program of education and the educational institution has both approved such eligible person’s reenrollment and certified it to the Department of Veterans Affairs; or
(2)in the case of a proposed change of either educational institution or program of education by the eligible person—
(A)the cause of the unsatisfactory attendance, conduct, or progress has been removed;
(B)the program proposed to be pursued is suitable to the eligible person’s aptitudes, interests, and abilities; and
(C)if a proposed change of program is involved, the change meets the requirements for approval under section 3691 of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 1724 of this title as this section. Par. (2)(C). Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “3691” for “1791”. 1989—Pub. L. 101–237, § 423(b)(1)(A), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” wherever appearing. Pub. L. 101–237, § 412(b), substituted “attendance, conduct,” for “conduct”. Pars. (1), (2). Pub. L. 101–237, § 411(b), added pars. (1) and (2) and struck out former pars. (1) and (2) which read as follows: “(1) the cause of the unsatisfactory conduct or progress of the eligible person has been removed; and “(2) the program which the eligible person now proposes to pursue (whether the same or revised) is suitable to the person’s aptitudes, interests, and abilities.” 1980—Pub. L. 96–466 struck out provisions relating to the conditions upon which an eligible person’s progress would be considered unsatisfactory. 1977—Pub. L. 95–202 inserted provisions authorizing the Administrator to determine the veteran’s progress to be satisfactory even though the veteran will graduate within a length of time exceeding the approved length if the additional length of time is reasonable in accordance with

Regulations

. 1976—Pub. L. 94–502, § 310(15), substituted “such person is attending” for “he is attending”, “the Administrator finds that” for “he finds that”, and “the person’s” for “his” in two places. Pub. L. 94–502, § 307, inserted provision specifying progress as unsatisfactory when the veteran will not be able to graduate within the approved length of the course.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1980 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 96–466 effective Oct. 1, 1980, except as otherwise specifically provided, see section 802(c) of Pub. L. 96–466, set out as a note under section 3452 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1977 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 95–202 effective first day of first month beginning 60 days after Nov. 23, 1977, see section 501 of Pub. L. 95–202, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1976 AmendmentAmendment by section 307 and 310(15) of Pub. L. 94–502 effective Dec. 1, 1976, and Oct. 15, 1976, respectively, see section 703(b), (c) of Pub. L. 94–502, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 3693 of this title. Suspension of Implementation of 1976 AmendmentFor provisions directing the Administrator to suspend the implementation of the amendment to this section by section 307 of Pub. L. 94–502 in the case of any accredited educational institution which submits to the Administrator its course catalog or bulletin and a certification that the policies and

Regulations

described in cls. (6) and (7) of section 1776(b) [now 3676(b)(6) and (7)] of this title are being enforced by such institution, unless the Administrator finds that the catalog or bulletin fails to state fully and clearly the policies and

Regulations

, and for that suspension to continue until the Administrator submits the report required under section 305(b)(2) of Pub. L. 95–202, see section 305(b)(4)(A) of Pub. L. 95–202, set out as a note under section 3474 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 3524

Title 38Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73