§7622 — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

To join the Tuition Reimbursement Program, a person must be a full-time Department employee permanently assigned to a Department health-care facility and must be enrolled at a school the Secretary has approved in a nursing degree program: either an associate or higher nursing degree, or a master’s or doctoral nursing degree. Besides the priorities listed in section 7603(d), the Secretary will favor students whose studies will quickly increase the number of registered nurses. The Secretary then gives priority first to full-time Nursing Service employees in the Veterans Health Administration and then to people who already got tuition reimbursement before. Reimbursement cannot be more than $2,000 per year (adjusted under section 7631). The agreement between the Secretary and a participant (and the other required rules in section 7604) must say the Secretary will pay tuition after the participant successfully completes required courses or prerequisite courses if the school sends a letter saying those courses are needed. The participant must stay a full-time Department employee at a health-care facility while enrolled and must continue full-time work in the Veterans Health Administration for one year after finishing the course paid for. The Secretary may also arrange for schools to teach courses at Department facilities and may pay a school up to the number of students in the course times the per-student reimbursement.

Title 38, §7622

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)To be eligible to participate in the Tuition Reimbursement Program, an individual must be a full-time employee in the Department permanently assigned to a Department health-care facility and must be enrolled in a course of training offered by an institution approved by the Secretary leading toward completion of (1) an associate or higher degree in nursing, or (2) a masters degree or doctoral degree in nursing.

(b)In selecting applicants for acceptance in the Tuition Reimbursement Program, the Secretary (in addition to according priorities as set forth in section 7603(d) of this title) shall give special consideration and emphasis to individuals pursuing a course of study which will expedite an increase in the number of registered nurses employed by the Department. The Secretary shall then give priority, in the following order, to—

(1)individuals who have been employed as full-time employees in the Nursing Service in the Veterans Health Administration; and

(2)individuals who have previously received tuition reimbursement under the Tuition Reimbursement Program.

(c)An agreement between the Secretary and a participant in the Tuition Reimbursement Program shall (in addition to the requirements set forth in section 7604 of this title) contain the following:

(1)The Secretary’s agreement to provide the participant with tuition reimbursement following successful completion (as determined, pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary, by the educational institution involved) of (A) a course or courses required for the course of study described in subsection (a) of this section, or (B) a course or courses taken as necessary prerequisites for degree program enrollment if a letter regarding the potential enrollment of the participant from an appropriate official of the institution involved includes a statement specifying such prerequisites.

(2)The participant’s agreement—

(A)to maintain employment, while enrolled in the course of training being pursued by such participant, as a full-time Department employee in the Veterans Health Administration permanently assigned to a Department health-care facility; and

(B)to continue to serve as a full-time employee in the Veterans Health Administration for one year (hereinafter in this subchapter referred to as the “period of obligated service”) after completion of the course for which the participant received tuition reimbursement.

(d)Tuition reimbursement provided to a participant in the Tuition Reimbursement Program may not exceed $2,000 per year (adjusted in accordance with section 7631 of this title).

(e)The Secretary may arrange with an educational institution pursuant to which such an institution would provide a course or courses at a Department health-care facility to participants in the Tuition Reimbursement Program. Under such an arrangement, the Secretary may agree to pay to the institution an amount not in excess of an amount determined by multiplying the number of participants in such a course by the amount of tuition reimbursement each participant would receive for enrolling and successfully completing such course.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Subsecs. (b)(1), (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 103–446, § 1201(b)(1), substituted “Veterans Health Administration” for “Department of Medicine and Surgery”. Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 103–446, § 1201(b)(2), substituted “the Veterans Health Administration” for “such Department”. 1991—Pub. L. 102–40, § 402(b)(1), renumbered section 4322 of this title as this section. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(3), (4), substituted “Department” for “Veterans’ Administration” in two places. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” in two places in introductory provisions. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(3), (4), substituted “Department” for “Veterans’ Administration” in introductory provisions. Pub. L. 102–40, § 402(d)(1), substituted “7603(d)” for “4303(d)”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” in introductory provisions and in par. (1) and “Secretary’s” for “Administrator’s” in par. (1). Pub. L. 102–40, § 402(d)(1), substituted “7604” for “4304” in introductory provisions. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(3), (4), substituted “Department” for “Veterans’ Administration” in two places in par. (2)(A). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 102–54 amended subsec. (d) as in effect immediately before the enactment of Pub. L. 102–40 by inserting an open parenthesis before “adjusted in”. Pub. L. 102–40, § 402(d)(1), substituted “7631” for “4331”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” in two places. Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(3), (4), substituted “Department” for “Veterans’ Administration”.

§7622 Eligibility; application; agreement

Summary

Title 38, §7622

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata