Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-102

§3521 Approval of Application

Title 38 › PART III — READJUSTMENT AND RELATED BENEFITS › CHAPTER 35 — SURVIVORS’ AND DEPENDENTS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE › SUBCHAPTER III — PROGRAM OF EDUCATION › § 3521

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must approve an application only if four things are true. The program is one the law treats as an eligible educational program; the person applying does not already have the education or training needed for the program’s goal; the school or training place follows the rules in this chapter and chapter 36 of this title; and going to the program would not break any rules in this chapter or chapter 36 of this title.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §3521

Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Secretary shall approve an application if the Secretary finds that—
(1)the proposed program of education constitutes a “program of education” as that term is defined in this chapter;
(2)the eligible person is not already qualified, by reason of previous education or training, for the educational, professional, or vocational objective for which the program of education is offered;
(3)the eligible person’s proposed educational institution or training establishment is in compliance with all the requirements of this chapter and chapter 36 of this title; and
(4)it does not appear that the enrollment in or pursuit of such person’s program of education would violate any provisions of this chapter or chapter 36 of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1991—Pub. L. 102–83 renumbered section 1721 of this title as this section. 1989—Pub. L. 101–237 substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” wherever appearing. 1986—Pub. L. 99–576 substituted “Approval of application” for “Final approval of application” in section catchline, struck out “finally” before “approve an application” in introductory provisions, struck out former cl. (1) which read “section 1720 of this title has been complied with;”, and redesignated cls. (2) to (5) as cls. (1) to (4), respectively. 1980—Pub. L. 96–466, among other changes, inserted provision conditioning approval of an application upon the educational institution’s or training establishment’s compliance with all the requirements of this chapter and chapter 36 of this title and substituted reference to the enrollment in or pursuit of such person’s program of education violating any provisions of this chapter or chapter 36 of this title for reference to the pursuit of such program violating any provision of this chapter. 1976—Pub. L. 94–502 substituted “if the Administrator finds” for “if he finds”.

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 1976 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 94–502 effective Oct. 15, 1976, see section 703(b) of Pub. L. 94–502, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 3693 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 3521

Title 38, Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102