(a) Except as otherwise provided, authority is delegated to the Under Secretary for Benefits and to supervisory or adjudicative personnel within the jurisdiction of the Education Service, designated by him or her to make findings and decisions under 38 U.S.C. Chapters 34 and 36 and the applicable regulations, precedents and instructions, as to programs authorized by these paragraphs.

(b) Authority is delegated to the Under Secretary for Benefits and the Director, Education Service, to enter into agreements for the reimbursement of State approving agencies under § 21.4153.

(c) Authority is delegated to the Director, Education Service, to exercise the functions required of the Secretary for:

(1) Waiver of penalties for conflicting interests as provided by § 21.4005;

(2) Actions otherwise required of State approving agencies under § 21.4150(c);

(3) Approval of courses under § 21.4250(c)(2).

(d) The Under Secretary for Benefits is delegated responsibility for obtaining evidence of voluntary compliance for vocational rehabilitation, education and special restorative training to implement Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964. Authority is delegated to him or her and his or her designee to take any necessary action as to programs of vocational rehabilitation, education or special restorative training under 38 U.S.C. Chapters 31, 34, 35 and 36 for the purpose of securing evidence of voluntary compliance directly or through the agencies to whom the Secretary has delegated responsibility for various schools or training establishments to implement §§ 18.1 through 18.13 of this chapter.

(e) The Under Secretary for Benefits is delegated responsibility for obtaining evidence of voluntary compliance from recognized national organizations whose representatives are afforded space and office facilities in facilities under his or her jurisdiction.

(f) The Under Secretary for Benefits is delegated responsibility to enter into an agreement with the Federal Trade Commission to utilize, where appropriate, its services and facilities, consistent with its available resources, to carry out investigations and make determinations as to enrollment of an eligible veteran or eligible person in any course offered by an institution which utilizes advertising, sales, or enrollment practices of any type which are erroneous, deceptive, or misleading either by actual statement, omission, or intimation.

(g) Authority is delegated to the Executive Director, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Service to exercise the functions required of the Secretary for approval of courses under § 21.4250(c)(1).

(a) The decision of a duly constituted agency of original jurisdiction on which an action was predicated will be final and binding upon all field offices of the Department of Veterans Affairs as to conclusions based on evidence on file at that time and will not be subject to revision on the same factual basis except by duly constituted appellate authorities or except as provided in § 21.4003. (See §§ 19.192 and 19.183 of this chapter.)

(b) Current determinations of line of duty, character of discharge, relationship, and other pertinent elements of eligibility for a program of education or special restorative training, made by either an adjudicative activity or an insurance activity by application of the same criteria and based on the same facts are binding one upon the other in the absence of clear and unmistakable error.

The revision of a decision on which an action was predicated will be subject to the following sections:

(a) Clear and unmistakable error, § 3.105(a) of this chapter;

(b) Difference of opinion, § 3.105(b) of this chapter;

(c) Character of discharge, § 3.105(c) of this chapter;

(d) Severance of service connection, § 3.105(d) of this chapter;

(e) Veteran no longer totally and permanently disabled, § 21.4135(o).

For the purposes of this section, a person will be considered to be an “officer” of the State approving agency or VA when he or she has authority to exercise supervisory authority, and “educational institution” includes an organization or entity offering licensing or certification tests.

(a) A conflict of interest can cause the dismissal of a VA or State approving agency officer or employee and other adverse consequences. (1) An officer or employee of VA will be immediately dismissed from his or her office or employment, if while such an officer or employee he or she has owned any interest in, or received any wages, salary, dividends, profits, gratuities, or services from any educational institution operated for profit—

(i) In which a veteran or eligible person was pursuing a course of education under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, 35, or 36; or

(ii) Offering a licensing or certification test that is approved for payment of educational assistance under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, or 35 to veterans, reservists, or eligible individuals who take that test.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(3) or (c) of this section, VA will discontinue payments under § 21.4153 to a State approving agency when the Secretary finds that any individual who is an officer or employee of a State approving agency has, while he or she was such an officer or employee, owned any interest in, or received any wages, salary, dividends, profits, gratuities, or services from any educational institution operated for profit—

(i) In which a veteran or eligible person was pursuing a course of education or training under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, 35, or 36; or

(ii) Offering a licensing or certification test that is approved for payment of educational assistance under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, or 35 to veterans, reservists, or eligible individuals who take that test.

(3) VA will not discontinue payments to a State approving agency under paragraph (a)(2) of this section if the State approving agency, after learning that it has any officer or employee described in that paragraph, acts without delay to end the employment of that individual.

(4) If VA discontinues payments to a State approving agency pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of this section, VA will not resume these payments while such an individual is an officer or employee of the:

(i) State approving agency;

(ii) State Department of Veterans Affairs; or

(iii) State Department of Education.

(5) A State approving agency will not approve any course offered by an educational institution operated for profit and, if any such course has been approved, will disapprove each such course, if it finds that any officer or employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs, or the State approving agency owns an interest in, or receives any wages, salary, dividends, profits, gratuities, or service from, such educational institution.

(6) If a State approving agency finds that any officer or employee of VA or of the State approving agency owns an interest in, or receives wages, salary, dividends, profits, gratuities, or services from an organization or entity, operated for profit, that offers licensing or certification tests, the State approving agency:

(i) Will not approve any licensing or certification test that organization or entity offers; and

(ii) Will withdraw approval of any licensing or certification test that organization or entity offers.

(7) The Secretary may, after reasonable notice, and public hearings if requested, waive in writing the application of this paragraph in the case of any officer or employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs or of a State approving agency, if it is found that no detriment will result to the United States or to veterans or eligible persons by reason of such interest or connection of such officer or employee.

(b) Waiver. (1) Where a request is made for waiver of application of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, it will be considered that no detriment will result to the United States or to veterans or eligible persons by reason of such interest or connection of such officer or employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs, if the officer or employee:

(i) Acquired his or her interest in the educational institution by operation of law, or before the statute became applicable to the officer or employee, and his or her interest has been disposed of and his or her connection discontinued, or

(ii) Meets all of the following conditions:

(A) His or her position involves no policy determinations, at any administrative level, having to do with matters pertaining to payment of educational assistance allowance, or special training allowance.

(B) His or her position has no relationship with the processing of any veteran's or eligible person's application for education or training.

(C) His or her position precludes him or her from taking any adjudicative action on individual applications for education or training.

(D) His or her position does not require him or her to perform duties involved in the investigation of irregular actions on the part of educational institutions or veterans or eligible persons in connection with 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 38 U.S.C. chapters 30, 32, 33, 35 or 36.

(E) His or her position is not connected with the processing of claims by, or payments to, schools, or their students enrolled under the provisions of 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 38 U.S.C. chapters 30, 32, 33, 35 or 36.

(F) His or her position is not connected in any way with the inspection, approval, or supervision of educational institutions desiring to train veterans or eligible persons or to offer a licensing or certification test; or with the processing of claims by or making payments to veterans and eligible persons for taking an approved licensing or certification test.

(2) Where a request is made for waiver of application of paragraph (a) (2) of this section, it will be considered that no detriment will result to the United States or to veterans or eligible persons by reason of such interest or connection of such officer or employee of a State approving agency, if the officer or employee:

(i) Acquired his or her interest in the educational institution by operation of law, or before the statute became applicable to the officer or employee, and his or her interest has been disposed of and his or her connection discontinued, or

(ii) Meets all of the following conditions:

(A) His or her position does not require him or her to perform duties involved in the investigation of irregular actions on the part of educational institutions or veterans or eligible persons in connection with 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 38 U.S.C. chapters 30, 32, 33, 35 or 36.

(B) His or her work is not connected in any way with the inspection, approval, or supervision of educational institutions desiring to train veterans or eligible persons, or desiring to offer licensing or certification tests to veterans or eligible persons.

(c) Authority. (1) Authority is delegated to the Director, Education Service, and to the facility head in the cases of VA employees under his or her jurisdiction, to waive the application of paragraph (a)(1) of this section in the case of any VA employee who meets the criteria of paragraph (b)(1) of this section, and to deny requests for a waiver which do not meet those criteria. If the circumstances warrant, a waiver request may be submitted to the Secretary for a decision.

(2) Authority is delegated to the Director, Education Service, in cases of State approving agency employees to waive the application of paragraph (a)(2) of this section in the case of anyone who meets the criteria of paragraph (b)(2) of this section, and to deny requests for a waiver which do not meet those criteria. If the circumstances warrant, a waiver request may be submitted to the Secretary for a decision.

(3) Authority is reserved to the Secretary to waive the requirement of paragraphs (a) (1) and (2) of this section in the case of an officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs or a State approving agency and in the case of any employee of either who does not meet the criteria of paragraph (b) of this section.

(d) Notice when VA does not grant a requested waiver. When VA has denied a request for waiver of application of paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this section, VA will immediately notify the State approving agency and the educational institution:

(1) That the approval of courses or licensing and certification tests offered by the educational institution must be withdrawn;

(2) The reasons for the withdrawal of approval; and

(3) The conditions that will permit the courses or such tests to be approved again.

(e) Notice to veterans, reservists, and eligible individuals. (1) The veteran or eligible person will be notified in writing sent to his or her latest address of record when, in circumstances involving a finding of conflicting interests:

(i) The course or courses are disapproved by the State approving agency, or

(ii) The State approving agency fails to disapprove the course or courses within 15 days after the date of written notice to the agency, and no waiver has been requested, or

(iii) Waiver has been denied.

(2) The veteran or eligible person will be informed that he or she may apply for enrollment in an approved course in another educational institution, but that in the absence of such transfer, educational assistance allowance payments will be discontinued effective the date of discontinuance of the course, or the 30th day following the date of such letter, whichever is earlier.

(a) Payments may not be based on false statements. Except as provided in this section payments may not be authorized based on a claim where it is found that the school or any person has willfully submitted a false or misleading claim, or that the veteran or eligible person with the complicity of the school or other person has submitted such a claim. A complete report of the facts will be made to the State approving agency, and if in order to the Attorney General of the United States.

(1) Where it is determined prior to payment that a certification or claim is false or misleading, payment will be authorized for only that portion of the claim to which entitlement is established on the basis of other evidence of record.

(2) When the Department of Veterans Affairs discovers that a certification or claim is false after it has released payment, the Department of Veterans Affairs will establish an overpayment for only that portion of the claim to which the claimant was not entitled.

(b) Effect of false statements on subsequent payments. A claimant's false or misleading statements are not a bar to payments based on further training.

(c) Forfeiture. The provisions of this section do not apply when forfeiture of all rights has been or may be declared under the provisions of § 21.4007.

The rights of a veteran or eligible person to receive educational assistance allowance or special training allowance are subject to forfeiture under the provisions of §§ 3.900, 3.901 (except paragraph (c)), 3.902 (except paragraph (c)), 3.903, 3.904, 3.905 and 19.2 of this chapter.

(a) Prevention of overpayments to veterans and eligible persons enrolled in educational institutions. When approval of a course may be withdrawn, and overpayments may exist or may be created, VA may suspend further payments to veterans and eligible persons enrolled in the educational institution offering the course until the question of withdrawing approval is resolved. See § 21.4210.

(b) Prevention of overpayments to veterans and eligible persons taking licensing and certification tests. When approval of a licensing or certification test may be withdrawn, and overpayments may exist or may be created, VA may suspend payments to veterans and eligible persons taking that test until the question of withdrawing approval is resolved. See § 21.4210.

For the purposes of this section, “educational institution” includes an organization or entity offering licensing or certification tests.

(a) General. (1) The amount of the overpayment of educational assistance allowance or special training allowance paid to a veteran or eligible person constitutes a liability of that veteran or eligible person.

(2) The amount of the overpayment of educational assistance allowance or special training allowance paid to a veteran or eligible person constitutes a liability of the education institution if the Department of Veterans Affairs determines that the overpayment was made as the result of willful or negligent:

(i) Failure of the educational institution to report, as required by §§ 21.4203 and 21.4204, discontinuance or interruption of a course by a veteran, reservist or eligible person, or

(ii) False certification by the educational institution.

(3) If it appears that the falsity or misrepresentation was deliberate, the Department of Veterans Affairs may not pursue administrative collection pending a determination whether the matter should be referred to the Department of Justice for possible civil or criminal action. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs may recover the amount of the overpayment from the educational institution by administrative collection procedure when the Department of Veterans Affairs determines the false certification or misrepresentation resulted from an administrative error or a misstatement of fact and that no criminal or civil action is warranted.

(4) If the Department of Veterans Affairs recovers any part of the overpayment from the educational institution, it may reimburse the educational institution, if the Department of Veterans Affairs subsequently collects the overpayment from a veteran or eligible person. The reimbursement—

(i) Will be made when the total amount collected from the educational institution and from the veterans and eligible persons (less any amount applied toward marshal fees, court costs, administrative cost of collection and interest) exceeds the total amount for which the educational institution is liable, and

(ii) Will be equal to the excess.

(5) This paragraph does not preclude the imposition of any civil or criminal liability under this or any other law.

(b) Reporting. (1) If a school is required to make periodic or other certifications, the Department of Veterans Affairs may consider the following in determining whether a school is potentially liable for an overpayment:

(i) The school's failure to report, or to report timely facts which resulted in an overpayment, or

(ii) The school's submission of an incorrect certification as to fact.

(2) In either instance the Department of Veterans Affairs will consider other pertinent factors such as:

(i) Allowing for occasional clerical error or occasional administrative error:

(ii) The school's past reliability in reporting;

(iii) The adequacy of the school's reporting system; and

(iv) The extent of noncompliance with reporting requirements.

(c) Committee on School Liability. (1) Each VA Regional Processing Office shall have a Committee on School Liability. For the purposes of this section, the Manila Regional Office is considered the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction for educational institutions located in the Philippines.

(2) The Secretary delegates to each Committee on School Liability, and to any panel that the chairperson of the Committee may designate and draw from the Committee, the authority to find whether an educational institution is liable for an overpayment.

(d) Initial decision. (1) The Education Officer of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction, or the Service Center Manager when the Manila Regional Office is considered the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction, will decide whether there is evidence that would warrant a finding that an educational institution is potentially liable for an overpayment.

(2) Following each finding of potential liability, the Finance Officer of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction will notify the educational institution in writing of VA's intent to apply the liability provisions of paragraph (a) of this section. The notice will—

(i) Identify the students who were overpaid;

(ii) Identify the veterans and eligible persons who took the licensing or certification test and were overpaid;

(iii) Set out in the case of each student, or in the case of each veteran or eligible person who took the test, the educational institution's actions or omissions which resulted in the finding that the educational institution was potentially liable for the overpayment; and

(iv) State that VA will determine liability on the basis of the evidence of record unless the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction receives additional evidence or a request for a hearing within 30 days of the date the educational institution received the notice.

(e) Hearings. An educational institution is entitled to a hearing before a panel drawn from the Committee on School Liability before a decision is made as to whether it is liable for an overpayment. Every hearing will be preceded by a prehearing conference unless the conference is waived by the educational institution. The Committee on School Liability will consider all evidence and testimony presented at the hearing.

(f) Extent of liability. Waiver of collection of an overpayment as to a veteran, reservist, or eligible person will not relieve the educational institution of liability for the overpayment. Recovery in whole or in part from the veteran, reservist, or eligible person will limit such liability accordingly. If an overpayment has been recovered from the educational institution and the veteran, reservist, or eligible person subsequently repays the amount in whole or in part, the amount repaid will be reimbursed to the educational institution.

(g) Notice to educational institution. The educational institution shall be notified in writing of the decision of the Committee on School Liability. If the educational institution is found liable for an overpayment, the educational institution also will be notified of the right to appeal the decision to the Central Office School Liability Appeals Board within 60 days from the date of the letter to the educational institution containing notice of the decision. The 60-day time limit may be extended to 90 days at the discretion of the chairperson of the Committee on School Liability. The appeal must be in writing setting forth fully the alleged errors of fact and law. If an appeal is not received within the 60-day time limit, the Committee decision is final.

(h) Appeals. An appeal will be forwarded to Central Office where it will be considered by the School Liability Appeals Board. The Board's decision will serve as authority for instituting collection proceedings, if appropriate, or for discontinuing collection proceedings instituted on the basis of the original decision of the Committee on School Liability in any case where the Board reverses a decision made by the Committee that the educational institution is liable.

(i) Review. Review by the School Liability Appeals Board is limited to the issues raised by the educational institution and shall be on the record and not de novo in character. The Board may affirm, modify or reverse a decision of the Committee on School Liability or may remand an appeal for further consideration by the appropriate Committee on School Liability. If new and material evidence is discovered while the School Liability Appeals Board is considering a case, the Board may remand the case to the appropriate Committee on School Liability.

(j) Finality of decisions. The School Liability Appeals Board has authority to act for the Secretary in deciding appeals concerning an educational institution's liability for an overpayment. There is no right of additional administrative appeal of a decision of the School Liability Appeals Board.

(a) Limit on training under two or more programs. The aggregate period for which any person may receive assistance under two or more of the following laws may not exceed 48 months (or the part-time equivalent):

(1) Part VII or VIII, Veterans Regulations numbered 1(a), as amended:

(2) Title II of the Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1952;

(3) The War Orphans' Educational Assistance Act of 1956;

(4) 38 U.S.C. chapters 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36;

(5) 10 U.S.C. chapters 106a, 1606, and 1607;

(6) Section 903 of the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1981,

(7) The Hostage Relief Act of 1980, and

(8) The Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986.

(b) Limit on combining assistance received under Chapter 31 with assistance under another program. No person may receive assistance under Chapter 31, Title 38 U.S.C. in combination with any provisions of law listed in paragraph (a) of this section in excess of 48 months (or the part-time equivalent) unless the Department of Veterans Affairs determines that additional months of benefits under Chapter 31 are necessary to accomplish the purpose of the veteran's rehabilitation program.

A veteran, reservist, or eligible individual, who is eligible for educational assistance allowance or subsistence allowance under more than one of the provisions of law listed in this section, whether based on his or her own service or the service of another person, cannot receive such benefits concurrently. The individual must choose under which program he or she will receive benefits for the particular period(s) during which education or training is to be pursued. The individual may choose to receive benefits under another program (other than 38 U.S.C. chapter 33) at any time, but not more than once in a calendar month. The individual may choose to receive benefits under 38 U.S.C. chapter 33 at any time, but not more than once during a certified term, quarter, or semester.

(a) 38 U.S.C. 30 (Montgomery GI Bill—Active Duty);

(b) 38 U.S.C. 31 (Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program);

(c) 38 U.S.C. 32 (Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance);

(d) 38 U.S.C. 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill)

(e) 38 U.S.C. 35 (Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance);

(f) 10 U.S.C. 1606 (Montgomery GI Bill—Selected Reserve);

(g) 10 U.S.C. 1607 (Reserve Educational Assistance Program);

(h) 10 U.S.C. 106a (Educational Assistance Test Program);

(i) Section 903 of the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1981 (Pub. L. 96-342, 10 U.S.C. 2141 note);

(j) The Hostage Relief Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-449), 5 U.S.C. 5661 note);

(k) The Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-399).

VA will determine under this section the commencing date of an award or increased award of educational assistance provided pursuant to subpart C or G. When more than one paragraph in this section applies, VA will award educational assistance using the latest of the applicable commencing dates.

(a) Entrance or reentrance including change of program or educational institution: individual eligible under 38 U.S.C. chapter 32. When an eligible veteran or servicemember enters or reenters into training (including a reentrance following a change of program or educational institution), the commencing date of his or her award of educational assistance will be determined as follows:

(1) For other than licensing or certification tests. (i) If the award is the first award of educational assistance for the program of education the veteran or servicemember is pursuing, the commencing date of the award of educational assistance is the latest of:

(A) The date the educational institution certifies under paragraph (b) or (c) of this section;

(B) One year before the date of claim as determined by § 21.1029(b);

(C) The effective date of the approval of the course, or one year before the date VA receives the approval notice, whichever is later; or

(ii) If the award is the second or subsequent award of educational assistance for the program of education the veteran or servicemember is pursuing, the effective date of the award of educational assistance is the later of—

(A) The date the educational institution certifies under paragraph (b) or (c) of this section; or

(B) The effective date of the approval of the course, or one year before the date VA receives the approval notice, whichever is later.

(2) For licensing or certification tests. VA will award educational assistance for the cost of a licensing or certification test only when the veteran or servicemember takes such test—

(i) While the test is approved under 38 U.S.C. chapter 36;

(ii) While the veteran or servicemember is eligible for educational assistance under subpart G; and

(iii) No more than one year before the date VA receives a claim for reimbursement of the cost of the test.

(b) Certification by school—the course or subject leads to a standard college degree. (1) When the student enrolls in a course offered by independent study, the commencing date of the award or increased award of educational assistance will be the date the student began pursuit of the course according to the regularly established practices of the educational institution.

(2) Except as provided in paragraphs (b)(3), (b)(4) and (b)(5) of this section when a student enrolls in a resident course or subject, the commencing date of the award or increased award of educational assistance will be the first scheduled date of classes for the term, quarter or semester in which the student is enrolled.

(3) When the student enrolls in a resident course or subject whose first scheduled class begins after the calendar week when, according to the school's academic calendar, classes are scheduled to commence for the term, quarter, or semester, the commencing date of the award or increased award of educational assistance allowance will be the actual date of the first class scheduled for that particular course or subject.

(4) When a student enrolls in a resident course or subject, the commencing date of the award will be the date the student reports to the school provided that—

(i) The published standards of the school require the student to register before reporting, and

(ii) The published standards of the school require the student to report no more than 14 days before the first scheduled date of classes for the term, quarter or semester for which the student has registered, and no later than the first scheduled date of classes for the term, quarter or semester for which the student has registered.

(5) When the student enrolls in a resident course or subject and the first day of classes is more than 14 days after the date of registration, the commencing date of the award or the increased award of educational assistance will be the first day of classes.

(c) Certification by school or establishment—course does not lead to a standard college degree. (1) Residence school: See paragraph (b) of this section.

(2) Correspondence school: Date first lesson sent or date of affirmance whichever is later.

(3) Job training: First date of employment in training position.

(d) Entrance or reentrance including change of program or educational institution: individual eligible under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35. When a person eligible to receive educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 enters or reenters into training (including a reentrance following a change of program or educational institution), the commencing date of his or her award of educational assistance will be determined as follows:

(1) For other than licensing or certification tests. (i) If the award is the first award of educational assistance for the program of education the eligible person is pursuing, the commencing date of the award of educational assistance is the latest of:

(A) The beginning date of eligibility as determined under § 21.3041 or under § 21.3046(a) or (b), whichever is applicable;

(B) One year before the date of claim as determined by § 21.1029(b);

(C) The date the educational institution certifies under paragraph (b) or (c) of this section;

(D) The effective date of the approval of the course, or one year before the date VA receives the approval notice, whichever is later; or

(ii) If the award is the second or subsequent award of educational assistance for that program, the effective date of the award of educational assistance is the later of—

(A) The date the educational institution certifies under paragraph (b) or (c) of this section; or

(B) The effective date of the approval of the course, or one year before the date VA receives the approval notice, whichever is later.

(2) For licensing or certification tests. VA will award educational assistance for the cost of a licensing or certification test only when the eligible person takes such test—

(i) While the test is approved under 38 U.S.C. chapter 36;

(ii) While he or she is eligible for educational assistance under subpart C; and

(iii) No more than one year before the date VA receives a claim for reimbursement of the cost of the test.

(e) Adjusted effective date for award of educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 based on an original claim. When determining the commencing date under § 21.4131(d)(1), the Secretary will consider an eligible person's application for Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 as having been filed on his or her eligibility date if—

(1) The eligibility date is more than 1 year before the date of the initial rating decision that establishes either:

(i) The veteran's death is service-connected, or

(ii) The veteran has a P&T disability;

(2) The eligible person files his or her original application for benefits under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 with VA within 1 year of the initial rating decision;

(3) The eligible person claims educational assistance for pursuit of an approved program of education for a period that is more than 1 year before the date VA receives his or her original claim;

(4) VA either:

(i) Received the original application on or after November 1, 2000; or

(ii) Received the original application and, as of November 1, 2000, either—

(A) Had not acted on it; or

(B) Had denied it in whole or in part, but the claimant remained entitled to pursue available administrative and judicial remedies as to the denial; and

(5) The eligible person would have been eligible to educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 if he or she had filed a claim on his or her eligibility date.

(f) Liberalizing laws and Department of Veterans Affairs issues. In accordance with facts found, but not earlier than the effective date of the act or administrative issue.

(g) Correction of military records. Eligibility of a veteran or eligible person may arise as the result of correction or modification of military records under 10 U.S.C. 1552, or a change, correction or modification of a discharge or dismissal under 10 U.S.C. 1553, or other competent military authority. In these cases the commencing date of educational assistance allowance will be in accordance with the facts found, but not earlier than the date the change, correction or modification was made by the service department.

(h) Individuals in a penal institution. If a veteran or eligible person is paid a reduced rate of educational assistance or no educational assistance under § 21.3132 (a) or (b) or § 21.5139, the rate will be increased or benefits will commence effective the earlier of the following dates:

(1) The date the tuition and fees are no longer being paid under another Federal program, or a State or local program, or

(2) The date of the release from the prison or jail.

(i) Fugitive felons. An award of educational assistance allowance to an otherwise eligible veteran or person will begin effective the date the warrant for the arrest of the felon is cleared by—

(1) Arrest;

(2) Surrendering to the issuing authority;

(3) Dismissal; or

(4) Court documents (dated after the warrant for the arrest of the felon) showing the individual is no longer a fugitive.

(j) [Reserved]

The effective date of reduction or discontinuance of educational assistance allowance will be as specified in this section. If more than one type of reduction or discontinuance is involved, the earliest date will control.

(a) Death of veteran or eligible person. (1) If the veteran or eligible person receives an advance payment pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 3680(d) and dies before the period covered by the advance payment ends, the discontinuance date of educational assistance shall be the last date of the period covered by the advance payment.

(2) In all other cases if the veteran or eligible person dies while pursuing a program of education, the discontinuance date of educational assistance shall be the last date of attendance.

(b) Election to receive educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill—Active Duty. If a veteran makes a valid election, as provided in § 21.7045(d), to receive educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill—Active Duty in lieu of educational assistance under the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Program, the discontinuance date of educational assistance under the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Program shall be the date on which the election was made pursuant to procedures described in § 21.7045(d)(2).

(c)-(d) [Reserved]

(e) Course discontinued; course interrupted; course terminated; course not satisfactorily completed or withdrawn from. (1) If the individual receives all nonpunitive grades, or withdraws from all courses other than because of being ordered to active duty, and no mitigating circumstances are found, VA will terminate the individual's educational assistance allowance effective the first date of the term in which the withdrawal occurs.

(2) If the individual withdraws from all other courses other than courses in paragraph (e)(3) of this section and with mitigating circumstances, or withdraws from all courses such that a punitive grade is or will be assigned for those courses:

(i) Residence training: Last date of attendance.

(ii) Independent study: Official date of change in status under the practices of the institution.

(3) If the individual withdraws from correspondence, flight, farm cooperative, cooperative or job training, benefits will be terminated effective:

(i) Correspondence training: Date last lesson is serviced.

(ii) Flight training: Date of last instruction.

(iii) Job training: Date of last training.

(iv) Farm cooperative training: Date of last class attendance.

(v) Cooperative training: Date of last training.

(f) Discontinued by VA (§§ 21.4215, 21.4216). If VA discontinues payments of educational assistance as provided by §§ 21.4215(d) and 21.4216, the effective date of discontinuance will be as follows:

(1) The date on which payments first were suspended by the Director of a VA facility as provided in § 21.4210, if the discontinuance were preceded by such a suspension.

(2) End of the month in which the decision to discontinue is effective pursuant to § 21.4215(d), if the Director of a VA facility did not suspend payments prior to the discontinuance.

(g) Unsatisfactory progress, conduct or attendance § 21.4277. The date the veteran's or eligible person's enrollment is discontinued by the school or the date determined under § 21.4277, whichever is earlier.

(h) Required certifications not received after certification of enrollment (§§ 21.4203 and 21.4204). (1) If required certification of attendance of a veteran or eligible person enrolled in a course not leading to a standard college degree is not timely received, payments will be terminated date of last certification. If certification is later received, adjustment will be made based on facts found.

(2) If verification of enrollment and certificate of delivery of the check is not received within 60 days, in the case of an advance payment, the actual facts will be determined and adjustment made, if required, on the basis of facts found. If student failed to enroll, termination will be effective the beginning date of the enrollment period.

(i) False or misleading statements. See § 21.4006.

(j) Disapproval by State approving agency (§ 21.4259(a)). If a State approving agency disapproves a course, the date of discontinuance of payments to those receiving educational assistance while enrolled in the course will be as follows:

(1) The date on which payments first were suspended by the Director of a VA facility as provided in § 21.4210, if disapproval were preceded by such a suspension.

(2) End of the month in which disapproval is effective or notice of disapproval is received in the Department of Veterans Affairs, whichever is later, provided that the Director of a Department of Veterans Affairs facility did not suspend payments prior to the disapproval.

(k) Disapproval by Department of Veterans Affairs (§§ 21.4215, 21.4259(c)). If VA disapproves a course, the date of discontinuance of payments to those receiving educational assistance while enrolled in the course will be as follows:

(1) Date on which payments first were suspended by the Director of a VA facility as provided in § 21.4210, if disapproval were preceded by such a suspension.

(2) End of the month in which disapproval occurred, provided that the Director of a Department of Veterans Affairs facility did not suspend payments prior to the disapproval.

(l) Conflicting interests (not waived) (§ 21.4005). Thirty days after date of letter notifying veteran or eligible person, unless terminated earlier for other reason.

(m) Incarceration in prison or penal institution for conviction of a felony. (1) The provisions of this paragraph apply to a veteran or eligible person whose educational assistance must be discontinued or who becomes restricted to payment of educational assistance allowance at a reduced rate under § 21.3132(a) or (b) or § 21.5139.

(2) The reduced rate or discontinuance will be effective the latest of the following dates.

(i) The first day on which all or part of the veteran's or eligible person's tuition and fees were paid by a Federal, State or local program,

(ii) The date the veteran or eligible person is incarcerated in prison or penal institution, or

(iii) The commencing date of the award as determined by § 21.4131.

(n) Fugitive felons: veterans eligible under 38 U.S.C. chapter 32. VA will not award educational assistance allowance to an otherwise eligible veteran for any period after December 26, 2001, during which the veteran is a fugitive felon. The date of discontinuance of an award of educational assistance allowance to a veteran who is a fugitive felon is the later of—

(1) The date of the warrant for the arrest of the felon; or

(2) December 27, 2001.

(o) [Reserved]

(p) Error; payee's or administrative. (1) Effective date of award or day preceding act, whichever is later, but not prior to the date entitlement ceased, on an erroneous award based on an act of commission or omission by a payee or with his or her knowledge.

(2) Date of last payment on an erroneous award based solely on administrative error by VA or error in judgment by VA.

(q) Fraud; forfeiture resulting (§ 21.4007). Beginning date of award or day preceding date of fraudulent act whichever is later.

(r) Treasonable acts or subversive activities; forfeiture (§ 21.4007). Beginning date of award or date preceding date of commission of treasonable act or subversive activities for which convicted, whichever is later.

(s) Reduction in rate of pursuit of course (§ 21.4270). (1) VA will reduce an individual's educational assistance allowance effective the first date of the term in which the individual reduces training by withdrawing from part of a course, if the reduction occurs at the beginning of the term.

(2) VA will reduce an individual's educational assistance allowance effective the earlier of the end of the month or end of the term in which an individual reduces training by withdrawing from part of a course when:

(i) The reduction does not occur at the beginning of the term;

(ii) The individual received a lump-sum payment for the quarter, semester, term or other enrollment period during which he or she reduced training; and

(iii) There are mitigating circumstances, or the individual receives a punitive grade for the portion of the course from which he or she withdrew.

(3) VA will reduce an individual's educational assistance allowance effective the date on which an individual reduces training when:

(i) The reduction does not occur at the beginning of the term;

(ii) The individual did not receive a lump-sum payment for the quarter, semester, term or other enrollment period during which he or she reduced training; and

(iii) There are mitigating circumstances, or the individual receives a punitive grade for the portion of the course from which he or she withdrew.

(4) If the individual reduces training by withdrawing from a part of a course and the withdrawal does not occur because the individual was ordered to active duty; there are no mitigating circumstances; and the individual receives a nonpunitive grade from that portion of the course from which he or she withdrew; VA will reduce the individual's educational assistance effective the later of the following:

(i) The first date of enrollment of the term in which the reduction occurs; or

(ii) December 1, 1976. See paragraphs (e) and (w) of this section also.

(5) An individual who enrolls in several subjects and reduces his or her rate of pursuit by completing one or more of them while continuing training in others, may receive an interval payment based on the subjects completed, if the requirements of § 21.4138(f) of this part are met. If those requirements are not met, VA will reduce the individual's educational assistance allowance effective the date the subject or subjects were completed.

(t) Change in law or Department of Veterans Affairs issue, or interpretation. See § 3.114(b) of this chapter.

(u) Except as otherwise provided. On basis of facts found.

(v) [Reserved]

(w) Nonpunitive grade assigned without a withdrawal from courses. (1) If an individual receives a nonpunitive grade for a particular course for any reason other than a withdrawal from it, VA will reduce the individual's educational assistance allowance effective the last date of attendance when mitigating circumstances are found.

(2) If an individual receives a nonpunitive grade in a particular course for any reason other than a withdrawal from it, and there are no mitigating circumstances, VA will reduce his or her educational assistance effective the later of the following:

(i) The first date of enrollment for the term in which the grade applies, or

(ii) December 1, 1976. See paragraphs (e) and (s) of this section.

(x) Independent study course loses accreditation. Except as otherwise provided in § 21.4252(g), if the veteran or eligible person is enrolled in a course offered in whole or in part by independent study, and the course loses its accreditation (or the educational institution offering the course loses its accreditation), the date of reduction or discontinuance will be the effective date of the withdrawal of accreditation by the accrediting agency.

(y)-(aa) [Reserved]

(a) General. VA will not pay benefits to an individual for a course from which the individual withdraws or receives a nonpunitive grade which is not used in computing the requirements for graduation unless:

(1) The individual withdraws because he or she is ordered to active duty; or

(2) All of the following criteria are met:

(i) There are mitigating circumstances;

(ii) The individual submits a description of the circumstances in writing to VA either within one year from the date VA notifies the individual that he or she must submit the mitigating circumstances or at a later date if the individual is able to show good cause why the one-year time limit should be extended to the date on which he or she submitted the description of the mitigating circumstances; and

(iii) The individual submits evidence supporting the existence of mitigating circumstances within one year of the date that evidence is requested by VA, or at a later date if the individual is able to show good cause why the one-year time limit should be extended to the date on which he or she submitted the evidence supporting the existence of mitigating circumstances.

(b) Representative mitigating circumstances. The following circumstances, which are not all inclusive, are representative of those that VA considers to be mitigating provided they prevent the individual from pursuing the program of education continuously:

(1) An illness of the individual;

(2) An illness or death in the individual's family;

(3) An unavoidable geographical transfer resulting from the individual's employment;

(4) An unavoidable change in the individual's conditions of employment;

(5) Immediate family or financial obligations beyond the control of the individual that require him or her to suspend pursuit of the program of education to obtain employment;

(6) Discontinuance of the course by the school;

(7) Unanticipated active duty for training;

(8) Unanticipated difficulties in caring for the individual's child or children.

(c) Failure to complete a course for the educationally disadvantaged. If the individual fails to satisfactorily complete a course under 38 U.S.C. 3491(a) without fault, VA will consider the circumstances that caused the failure to be mitigating. This will be the case even if the circumstances were not so severe as to preclude continuous pursuit of a program of education.

(d) Withdrawals after May 31, 1989. In the first instance of a withdrawal after May 31, 1989, from a course or courses for which the individual received educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 32, VA will consider that mitigating circumstances exist with respect to courses totaling not more than six semester hours or the equivalent, and paragraphs (a)(2)(ii) and (a)(2)(iii) of this section will not apply.

(e) Withdrawals during a drop-add period. If the individual withdraws from a course during a drop-add period, VA will consider the circumstances that caused the withdrawal to be mitigating, and paragraphs (a)(2)(ii) and (a)(2)(iii) of this section will not apply.

For the purposes of this section, the Manila Regional Office is considered the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction for educational assistance allowance claims processed under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 for educational institutions located in the Philippines.

(a) Advance payments. (1) VA will make payments of educational assistance in advance when:

(i) The veteran, servicemember, reservist, or eligible person has specifically requested such a payment;

(ii) The student is enrolled for half time or more;

(iii) The educational institution at which the veteran, servicemember, reservist, or eligible person is accepted or enrolled has agreed to and can satisfactorily carry out the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 3680(d)(4)(B) and (C) and (5) pertaining to receipt, delivery, or return of checks and certifications of delivery and enrollment;

(iv) The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction has not acted under paragraph (a)(4) of this section to prevent advance payments being made to the veteran's, servicemember's, reservist's, or eligible person's educational institution;

(v) There is no evidence in the veteran's, servicemember's, reservist's, or eligible person's claim file showing that he or she is not eligible for an advance payment;

(vi) The period for which the veteran, servicemember, reservist, or eligible person has requested a payment either—

(A) Is preceded by an interval of nonpayment of 30 days or more; or

(B) Is the beginning of a school year that is preceded by a period of nonpayment of 30 days or more; and

(vii) The educational institution or the veteran, servicemember, reservist, or eligible person has submitted the certification required by § 21.7151.

(2) The amount of the advance payment to a veteran, reservist, or eligible person is the educational assistance for the month or fraction thereof in which the term or course will begin plus the educational assistance for the following month. The amount of the advance payment to a servicemember is the amount payable for the entire term, quarter, or semester, as applicable.

(3) VA will mail advance payments to the educational institution for delivery to the veteran, servicemember, reservist, or eligible person. The educational institution will not deliver the advance payment check more than 30 days in advance of the first date of the period for which VA makes the advance payment.

(4) The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction may direct that advance payments not be made to individuals attending an educational institution if:

(i) The educational institution demonstrates an inability to comply with the requirements of paragraph (a)(3) of this section;

(ii) The educational institution fails to provide adequately for the safekeeping of the advance payment checks before delivery to the veteran, servicemember, reservist, or eligible person or return to VA; or

(iii) The Director determines, based on compelling evidence, that the educational institution has demonstrated its inability to discharge its responsibilities under the advance payment program.

(b) Lump-sum payments. A lump-sum payment is a payment of all educational assistance due for an entire quarter, semester, or term. VA will make a lump-sum payment to:

(1) A veteran or servicemember pursuing a program of education at less than the half-time rate under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30;

(2) A servicemember pursuing a program of education at the half-time rate or greater under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, provided that VA did not make an advance payment to the servicemember for the term for which a lump-sum payment would otherwise be due; and

(3) An eligible person pursuing a program of education at less than the half-time rate under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35.

(c)-(d) [Reserved]

(e) Other payments. An individual must be pursuing a program of education in order to receive payments. To ensure that this is the case the provisions of this paragraph must be met.

(1) VA will pay educational assistance to an individual (other than one pursuing a program of apprenticeship or other on-job training or a correspondence course, one who qualifies for an advance payment or one who qualifies for a lump-sum payment) only after—

(i) The educational institution has certified his or her enrollment as provided in § 21.4203; and

(ii) VA has received from the individual a verification of the individual's enrollment or verification of pursuit and continued enrollment, as appropriate. Generally, this verification will be required monthly, resulting in monthly payments.

(2) VA will pay educational assistance to an individual pursuing a program of apprenticeship or other on-job training only after—

(i) The training establishment has certified his or her enrollment in the training program as provided in § 21.4203; and

(ii) VA has received from the training establishment a certification of hours worked.

(3) VA will pay educational assistance to an individual who is pursuing a correspondence course only after—

(i) The educational institution has certified his or her enrollment;

(ii) VA has received from the individual a certification as to the number of lessons completed and serviced by the educational institution; and

(iii) VA has received from the educational institution a certification or an endorsement on the individual's certificate, as to the number of lessons completed by the individual and serviced by the educational institution.

(f) Payment for intervals and temporary school closings. VA may authorize payment for an interval or for a temporary school closing that occurs within a certified enrollment period. If a school closing that is or may be temporary occurs during an interval, VA will apply any applicable provisions in paragraphs (f)(1) through (f)(5) of this section concerning intervals and in paragraph (f)(6) of this section concerning temporary school closings. For the purposes of this paragraph, interval means a period without instruction between consecutive school terms, quarters, or semesters or a period without instruction between a summer term and a term, quarter, or semester. (See definitions of divisions of the school year in § 21.4200(b).)

(1) Payment for intervals. In determining whether a student will be paid for an interval, VA will first review the provisions of paragraph (f)(2) of this section. If none of the provisions apply, VA will review the provisions of paragraphs (f)(3), (f)(4), and (f)(5) of this section to determine if payments may be made for the interval. In determining the length of a summer term, VA will disregard a fraction of a week consisting of 3 days or less, and will consider 4 days or more to be a full week.

(2) Restrictions on payment for intervals. VA will make no payment for an interval if:

(i) The student is training at less than the half-time rate on the last day of training during the term, quarter, semester, or summer term preceding the interval;

(ii) The student is on active duty;

(iii) The student requests, prior to authorization of an award or prior to negotiating the check, that no benefits be paid for the interval period;

(iv) The student's entitlement applicable to such payment will be exhausted by receipt of such payment, and it is to the advantage of the student not to receive payment;

(v) The interval occurs between school years at a school that is not organized on a term, quarter, or semester basis,

(vi) The student withdraws from all courses in the term, quarter, semester, or summer session preceding the interval, or discontinues training before the scheduled start of an interval in a school not organized on a term, quarter, or semester basis; or

(vii) The student receives an accelerated payment for the term, quarter, semester, or summer session preceding the interval.

(3) Payment for interval between periods of enrollment at different schools. If the student transfers from one approved school for the purpose of enrolling in and pursuing a similar course at the second school, VA may make payments for an interval that does not exceed 30 days. If the student does not enroll in a similar course at the second school, VA may not make payments for the interval.

(4) Payment for intervals that occur at the same school. (i) If the student remains enrolled at the same school, VA may make payment for an interval which does not exceed 8 weeks and which occurs between:

(A) Semesters or quarters,

(B) A semester or quarter and a term that is at least as long as the interval,

(C) A semester or quarter and a summer term that is at least as long as the interval,

(D) Consecutive terms (other than semesters or quarters) provided that both terms are at least as long as the interval, or

(E) A term and summer term provided that both the term and the summer term are at least as long as the interval.

(ii) If the student remains enrolled at the same school, VA may make payment for an interval that does not exceed 30 days and that occurs between summer sessions within a summer term.

(5) Payment for intervals that occur between overlapping enrollments. (i) If a student is enrolled in overlapping enrollment periods whether before or after an interval (either at the same or different schools), VA will determine whether the student is entitled to payment for the interval between the overlapping enrollment periods, and what dates the interval and enrollment periods will be considered to begin and end, as follows:

(A) By treating the ending date of each enrollment period as though it were the student's last date of training before the interval,

(B) By treating the beginning date of each enrollment period as though it were the student's first date of training after the interval,

(C) By examining the interval payment that would be made to the student on the basis of the various combinations of beginning and ending dates, and

(D) By choosing the ending date and beginning date that result in the highest payment rate as the start and finish of the interval for VA measurement purposes.

(ii) VA will not reduce the interval rate of payment as a result of training the student may take during the interval, but VA will increase the interval rate of payment if warranted by such training.

(6) Payment for temporary school closings. VA may authorize payment for temporary school closings that are due to emergencies (including strikes) or established policy based upon an Executive Order of the President. If a school closing that is or may be temporary occurs in whole or in part during an interval, VA will first review the provisions of paragraphs (f)(2) through (f)(5) of this section to determine if payment may be continued during the interval.

(i) If payment would not be inconsistent with the provisions of paragraphs (f)(2) through (f)(5) of this section, a determination to authorize payment for a period of a temporary school closing, or to not authorize payment if, in the judgment of the VA official specified in this paragraph, either the school closing will not be temporary or payment would not otherwise be in accord with this section, or both, will be made by:

(A) The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction if:

(1) The reason for the school closing does not result in the closing of a school or schools in the jurisdiction of the Director of another VA Regional Processing Office, and

(2) If the reason for the closing is a strike, the strike has lasted 30 days or less and is not anticipated to last more than 30 days.

(B) The Director, Education Service if:

(1) The reason for the school closing results in the closing of schools in the jurisdiction of more than one Director of a VA Regional Processing Office, or

(2) The reason for the closing is a strike and the strike lasts, or is anticipated to last, more than 30 days.

(ii) A school that disagrees with a decision made under paragraph (f)(6) of this section may request an administrative review. The review request must be submitted in writing and received by the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction within one year of the date of VA's letter notifying the school of the decision. A review of the decision will include the evidence of record and any other pertinent evidence the school may wish to submit. The affirmation or reversal of the initial decision based on an administrative review is final. The review will be conducted by the—

(A) Director, Education Service, if the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction made the initial decision to continue or discontinue payments.

(B) Under Secretary for Benefits, if the Director, Education Service, made the initial decision to continue or discontinue payments.

(a) Eligibility. (1) A veteran or reservist pursuing a program of education under either 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32 or 33 or 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 at a rate of three-quarter time or full time is eligible to receive a work-study allowance.

(2) An eligible person is eligible to receive a work-study allowance when-

(i) The eligible person is pursuing a program of education under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 on at least a three-quarter-time basis;

(ii) The eligible person is pursuing a program of education in a State; and

(iii) The eligible person is not pursuing a program of special restorative training.

(b) Selection criteria. Whenever feasible, the Department of Veterans Affairs will give priority in selection for this allowance to veterans with service-connected disabilities rated at 30 percent or more. The Department of Veterans Affairs shall consider the following additional selection criteria:

(1) Need of the veteran, reservist, or eligible person to augment his or her educational assistance allowance;

(2) Availability to the veteran, reservist, or eligible person of transportation to the place where his or her services are to be performed;

(3) Motivation of the veteran, reservist, or eligible person; and

(4) Compatibility of the work assignment to the veteran's, reservist's, or eligible person's physical condition.

(c) Utilization. Work-study services may be utilized in connection with:

(1) Outreach services program as carried out under the supervision of a Department of Veterans Affairs employee;

(2) Preparation and processing of necessary papers and other documents at educational institutions or regional offices or facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(3) Hospital and domiciliary care and medical treatment at VA facilities;

(4) For a reservist training under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, activities relating to the administration of 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 at Department of Defense facilities, Coast Guard facilities, or National Guard facilities; and

(5) Any other appropriate activity of VA.

(d) Rate of payment. In return for the veteran's, reservist's, or eligible person's agreement to perform services for VA totaling not more than 25 hours times the number of weeks contained in an enrollment period, VA will pay an allowance in an amount equal to the higher of:

(1) The hourly minimum wage in effect under section 6(a) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)) times the number of hours the veteran, reservist, or eligible person has agreed to work; or

(2) The hourly minimum wage under comparable law of the State in which the services are to be performed times the number of hours the veteran, reservist, or eligible person has agreed to work.

(e) Payment in advance. VA will pay in advance an amount equal to the lesser of the following:

(1) 40 percent of the total amount payable under the contract; or

(2) An amount equal to 50 times the applicable minimum hourly wage in effect on the date the contract is signed.

(f) Veteran, reservist, or eligible person reduces rate of training. In the event the veteran, reservist, or eligible person reduces his or her training to less than three-quarter-time before completing an agreement, the veteran, reservist, or eligible person, with the approval of the Director of the VA field station, or designee, may be permitted to complete the portions of an agreement in the same or immediately following term, quarter, or semester in which the veteran, reservist, or eligible person ceases to be a three-quarter-time student.

(g) Veteran, reservist, or eligible person terminates training. (1) If the veteran, reservist, or eligible person terminates all training before completing an agreement, the Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs facility or designee:

(i) May permit him or her to complete the portion of the agreement represented by the money the Department of Veterans Affairs has advanced to the veteran, reservist, or eligible person for which he or she has performed no services, but

(ii) Will not permit him or her to complete that portion of an agreement for which no advance has been made.

(2) The veteran, reservist, or eligible person must complete the portion of an agreement in the same or immediately following term, quarter or semester in which the veteran, reservist, or eligible person terminates training.

(h) Indebtedness for unperformed service. (1) If the veteran, reservist, or eligible person has received an advance for hours of unperformed service, and the Department of Veterans Affairs has evidence that he or she does not intend to perform that service, the advance:

(i) Will be a debt due the United States, and

(ii) Will be subject to recovery the same as any other debt due the United States.

(2) The amount of indebtedness for each hour of unperformed service shall equal the hourly wage that formed the basis of the contract.

(i) Survey. The Department of Veterans Affairs will conduct an annual survey of its regional offices to determine the number of veterans, reservists, or eligible persons whose services can be utilized effectively.

(ii) [Reserved]

(a) General. Section 5301(a), Title 38 U.S.C., provides that payments of benefits due or to become due under the laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs shall not be assigned, except to the extent specifically authorized by law. No law specifically authorizes assignments of educational assistance allowances payable under 38 U.S.C. chapters 30, 32, 33, 35, or 36, or 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, and therefore none shall be made.

(b) Designating an attorney-in-fact. In any case where a payee of an educational assistance allowance has designated the address of an attorney-in-fact as the payee's address for the purpose of receiving his or her benefit check and has executed a power of attorney giving the attorney-in-fact authority to negotiate such benefit check, such action shall be deemed to be an assignment and is prohibited.

(c) Arrangements amounting to an assignment. Payments may be made to a post office box address or a bank address only if the educational institution (other than an organization or entity offering a licensing or certification test) attests that it has not entered into an assignment agreement with the student, and is not the attorney-in-fact of the student with power to negotiate an educational assistance check on behalf of the student and is not otherwise able to control the proceeds of the benefits check. Such statements shall be subject to review and when determined to be false, may be cause for creation of an overpayment to the account of the veteran or other eligible person, for which the educational institution (other than an organization or entity offering a licensing or certification test) may be liable under the provisions of § 21.4009.

(d) Correspondence school addresses. A request by a veteran or other eligible person to send the benefit check payable to him or her at an address which is an educational institution primarily engaged in correspondence course instruction will be presumed not to be the actual address of the veteran or other eligible person and will not be honored. Benefits checks will not be sent to the veteran or other eligible person in that event until a new address is provided designating the individual's mailing address.

(e) Referral to Committee on Educational Allowances. When the evidence of record indicates that an educational institution has violated the terms of this section, the matter will be referred to the facility Committee on Educational Allowances as provided in §§ 21.4210(g) and 21.4212.

(a) The Chief Executive of each State is requested to create or designate a State department or agency as the State approving agency for his State, for the purpose of assuming the responsibilities delegated to the State under 38 U.S.C. chapter 36, or if the law of the State provides otherwise, to indicate the agency provided by such law (38 U.S.C. 3671(a)).

(b) The Chief Executive of each State will notify the Department of Veterans Affairs of any change in the designation of a State approving agency.

(c) The provisions of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36 and the sections in this part which refer to the State approving agency will be deemed to refer to VA:

(1) With respect to a State, when that State:

(i) Does not have and fails or declines to create or designate a State approving agency, or

(ii) Fails to enter into an agreement as provided in § 21.4153; and

(2) When VA has approval, disapproval, or suspension authority (under paragraphs (d), (e), (f), or (g) of this section, § 21.4152, or as otherwise provided by law).

(d) Any function, power or duty otherwise required to be exercised by a State, or by an officer or agency of a State, will, with respect to the Republic of Philippines, be exercised by the station head.

(e) The Secretary shall act as State approving agency for programs of apprenticeship, the standards for which have been approved by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to section 50a of title 29 U.S.C. as a national apprenticeship program for operation in more than one State and the training establishment is a carrier directly engaged in interstate commerce which provides such training in more than one State.

(f) Approval of a course of education offered by any agency or instrumentality of the Federal Government shall be under the authority of the Secretary.

(g) Approval under 38 U.S.C. 3689 of a licensing or certification test offered by any agency or instrumentality of the Federal government will be under the authority of the Secretary.

(a) The Department of Veterans Affairs and the State approving agencies will take cognizance of the fact that definite duties, functions and responsibilities are conferred upon each of them. To assure that programs of education are administered effectively and efficiently, the cooperation of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the State approving agencies is essential.

(b) State approving agency responsibilities. State approving agencies are responsible for:

(1) Inspecting and supervising schools within the borders of their respective States;

(2) Determining those courses which may be approved for the enrollment of veterans and eligible persons;

(3) Ascertaining whether a school at all times complies with its established standards relating to the course or courses which have been approved;

(4) Determining those licensing and certification tests that may be approved for cost reimbursement to veterans and eligible persons;

(5) Ascertaining whether an organization or entity offering an approved licensing or certification test complies at all times with the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 3689; and

(6) Under an agreement with VA rendering services and obtaining information necessary for the Secretary's approval or disapproval under chapters 30 through 36, title 38 U.S.C. and chapters 107 and 1606, title 10 U.S.C., of courses of education offered by any agency or instrumentality of the Federal Government within the borders of their respective States.

(c) The Department of Veterans Affairs will furnish State approving agencies with copies of such Department of Veterans Affairs informational and instructional material as may aid them in carrying out the provisions of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36.

(a) Control of educational institutions and State agencies generally prohibited. No department, agency, or officer of the United States will exercise any supervision or control over any State approving agency or State educational agency, or any educational institution.

(b) Authority retained by VA. The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section do not restrict authority conferred on VA

(1) To define full-time training in certain courses.

(2) To determine whether overcharges were made by a school and to disapprove the school for enrollment of veterans or eligible persons not previously enrolled. See § 21.4210(d).

(3) To determine whether the State approving agencies under the terms of contract or reimbursement agreements are complying with the standards and provisions of the law.

(4) To examine the records and accounts of schools which are required to be made available for examination by duly authorized representatives of the Federal Government. See §§ 21.4209 and 21.4263.

(5) To disapprove schools, courses, or licensing or certification tests for reasons stated in the law and to approve schools, courses, or licensing or certification tests notwithstanding lack of State approval.

For the purposes of this section, other than paragraph (d)(4) of this section, “educational institution” includes an organization or entity offering licensing or certification tests.

(a) Expenses will be reimbursed under contract—(1) Scope of contracts. (i) If a State or local agency requests payment for service contemplated by law, and submits information prescribed in paragraph (e) of this section, VA will negotiate a contract or agreement with the State or local agency to pay (subject to available funds and acceptable annual evaluations) reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the State or local agency in—

(A) Determining the qualifications of educational institutions and training establishments to furnish programs of education to veterans and eligible persons,

(B) Supervising educational institutions and training establishments, and

(C) Furnishing any other services VA may request in connection with the law governing VA education benefits.

(ii) VA will take into account the results of annual evaluations carried out under § 21.4155 of this part when negotiating the terms and conditions of the contract or agreement.

(2) Reimbursable supervision. Supervision will consist of the services required:

(i) To determine that the programs are furnished in accordance with the law and with any other reasonable criteria as may be imposed by the State, and

(ii) To disapprove any programs which fail to meet the law and the established criteria.

(b) Reimbursement. The Under Secretary for Benefits and the Director, Education Service, are authorized to enter into agreements necessary to fulfill the purpose of paragraph (a) of this section. See § 21.4001(b).

(c) Reimbursable expenses. Reimbursement may be made from the funds provided in the existing contract with the State approving agency under the provisions of this section. No reimbursement may be authorized for expenses incurred by any individual who is not an employee of the State approving agency.

(1) Salaries. Salaries for which reimbursement may be authorized under a contract:

(i) Will not be in excess of the established rate of pay for other employees of the State with comparable or equivalent duties and responsibilities,

(ii) Will be limited to the actual salary expense incurred by the State, and

(iii) Will include the basic salary rate plus fringe benefits, such as social security, retirement, and health, accident, or life insurance, that are payable to all similarly circumstanced State employees.

(2) Travel. (i) Reimbursement will be made under the terms of the contract for travel of personnel engaged in activities in connection with the inspection, approval or supervision of educational institutions, including—

(A) Travel of personnel attending training sessions sponsored by VA and the State approving agencies.

(B) Expenses of attending out-of-State meetings and conferences only if the Director, Education Service, authorizes the travel.

(ii) Travel expenses for which reimbursement may be authorized under a contract will be limited to:

(A) Expenses allowable under applicable State laws or travel regulations of the State or agency;

(B) Expenses for travel actually performed by employees specified under the terms of the contract and;

(C) Either actual expenses for transportation, meals, lodging and local telephone calls, or the regular State or agency per diem allowance.

(iii) All claims for travel expenses payable under the terms of a contract must be supported by factual vouchers and all transportation allowances must be supported by detailed claims which can be checked against work assignments in the office of the State approving agency.

(3) Administrative expenses. In determining the allowance for administrative expenses for which payment may be authorized, VA will apply the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 3674(b). In making that application, VA will determine reimbursable salary cost pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(4) Subcontracts. The State approving agency may also be reimbursed for work performed by a subcontractor provided:

(i) The work has a direct relationship to the requirements of 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, 35, or 36; and

(ii) The Contracting Officer has approved the subcontract in advance.

(d) Nonreimbursable expenses. The Department of Veterans Affairs will not provide reimbursement under reimbursement contracts for:

(1) Expenditures other than salaries and travel of personnel required to perform the services specified in the contract and Department of Veterans Affairs regulations.

(2) Supplies, equipment, printing, postage, telephone services, rentals, and other miscellaneous items or a service furnished directly or indirectly.

(3) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the salaries and travel of personnel while attending training sessions, or when they are engaged in activities other than those in connection with the inspection, approval, or supervision of educational institutions.

(4) The supervision of educational institutions which do not have veterans or eligible persons enrolled.

(5) Expenses incurred in the administration of an educational program which are costs properly chargeable as tuition costs, such as the development of course material or individual educational programs, teacher training or teacher improvement activities, expenses of coordinators, or administrative costs, such as those involving selection and employment of teachers. (This does not preclude reimbursement for expenses of the State agency incurred in the development of standards and criteria for the approval of courses under the law.)

(6) Expenses of a State approving agency for inspecting, approving or supervising courses when the agency is responsible for establishing, conducting or supervising those courses.

(7) Any expense for supervision or other services to be covered by contract which are already being reimbursed or paid from tuition funds under this law.

(e) Agency operating plan. A request by a State approving agency for reimbursement under the law will be subject to the requirements of 41 CFR 8-7.5101-8 as to “Equal Opportunity”. The request will be accompanied by the proposed plan of operation and the specific duties and responsibilities of all personnel for which reimbursement of salaries and travel expense is required.

(1) The Department of Veterans Affairs will determine personnel requirements for which the Department of Veterans Affairs provides reimbursement on the basis of estimated workloads agreed upon between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the State agency. Agreements are subject to review and adjustment.

(2) Workloads will be determined upon three factors:

(i) Inspection and approval visits,

(ii) Supervisory visits, and

(iii) Special visits at the request of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(f) Contract compliance. Reimbursement under each contract or agreement is conditioned upon compliance with the standards and provisions of the contract and the law. If the Contracting Officer determines that the State has failed to comply with the standards or provisions of the law or with terms of the reimbursement contract, he or she will withhold reimbursement for claimed expenses under the contract. If the State disagrees, the State may request the Contracting Officer to reconsider his or her decision or may initiate action under the Disputes clause of the contract. See 48 CFR 801.602.

(g) Contract disputes. The State approving agency reimbursement contract is subject to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978. Disputes arising under, or relating to, the contract will be resolved in accordance with the disputes article of the contract and with appropriate procurement regulations.

(a) State approving agencies must report their activities. Each State approving agency entering into a contract or agreement under § 21.4153 of this part must submit a report of its activities to VA. The report may be submitted monthly or quarterly by the State approving agency as provided in the contract or agreement.

(b) Content of the report. The report:

(1) Shall be in the form prescribed by the Secretary;

(2) Shall detail the activities of the State approving agencies under the agreement or contract during the preceding month or quarter, as appropriate;

(3) May include, at the option of the State approving agency, a cumulative report of its activities from the beginning of the fiscal year to date;

(4) Shall describe the services performed and the determination made in supervising and ascertaining the qualifications of educational institutions in connection with the programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs; and

(5) Shall include other information as the Secretary may prescribe.

(a) Annual evaluations required. (1) VA shall conduct in conjunction with State approving agencies an annual evaluation of each State approving agency. The evaluation shall be based on standards developed by VA with State approving agencies. VA shall provide each State approving agency an opportunity to comment upon the evaluation.

(2) VA shall take into account the result of the annual evaluation of a State approving agency when negotiating the terms and conditions of a contract or agreement as provided in § 21.4153(a) of this part.

(b) Development of a training curriculum. (1) VA shall cooperate with State approving agencies in developing and implementing a uniform national curriculum, to the extent practicable, for—

(i) Training new employees of State approving agencies, and

(ii) Continuing the training of the employees of the State approving agencies.

(2) VA with the State approving agencies shall sponsor the training and continuation of training provided by this paragraph.

(c) Development, adoption and application of qualification and performance standards for employees of State approving agencies. (1) VA shall:

(i) Develop with the State approving agencies prototype qualification and performance standards;

(ii) Prescribe those standards for State approving agency use in the development of qualification and performance standards for State approving agency personnel carrying out approval responsibilities under a contract or agreement as provided in § 21.4153(a) of this part; and

(iii) Review the prototype qualification and performance standards with the State approving agencies no less frequently than once every five years.

(2) In developing and applying standards described in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, a State approving agency may take into consideration the State's merit system requirements and other local requirements and conditions. However, no State approving agency may develop, adopt or apply qualification or performance standards that do not meet the requirements of paragraph (d)(3) of this section.

(3) The qualification and performance standards adopted by the State approving agency shall describe a level of qualification and performance which shall equal or exceed the level of qualification and performance described in the prototype qualification and performance standards developed by VA with the State approving agencies. The State approving agency may amend or modify its adopted qualification and performance standards annually as circumstances may require.

(4) VA shall provide assistance in developing these standards to a State approving agency that requests it.

(5) After November 19, 1989, each State approving agency carrying out a contract or agreement with VA under § 21.4153(a) shall:

(i) Apply qualification and performance standards based on the standards developed under this paragraph, and

(ii) Make available to any person, upon request, the criteria used to carry out its functions under a contract or agreement entered into under § 21.4153(a) of this part.

(6) A State approving agency may not apply these standards to any person employed by the State approving agency on May 20, 1988, as long as that person remains in the position in which the person was employed on that date.

The definitions in this section apply to this subpart, except as otherwise provided. The definitions of terms defined in this section also apply to subparts C, G, H, K, L, and P if they are not otherwise defined for purposes of those subparts.

(a) School, educational institution, institution. The terms school, educational institution and institution mean:

(1) A vocational school or business school;

(2) A junior college, teachers' college, college, normal school, professional school, university, or scientific or technical institution;

(3) A public or private elementary school or secondary school;

(4) A training establishment as defined in paragraph (c) of this section;

(5) Any entity other than an institution of higher learning, that provides training for completion of a State-approved alternative teacher certification program; or

(6) Any private entity that offers, either directly or indirectly under an agreement with another entity, 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.

(b) Divisions of the school year. (1) Ordinary School Year is generally a period of 2 semesters or 3 quarters which is not less than 30 nor more than 39 weeks in total length.

(2) Term, any regularly established division of the ordinary school year under which the school operates.

(3) Quarter, a division of the ordinary school year, usually a period from 10 to 13 weeks long.

(4) Semester, a division of the ordinary school year, usually a period from 15 to 19 weeks long.

(5) Summer term, the whole of the period of instruction at a school which takes place between ordinary school years. A summer term may be divided into several summer sessions.

(6) Summer session, any division of a summer term.

(c) Training establishment. The term training establishment means any establishment providing apprentice or other training on-the-job, including those under the supervision of a college, university, any State department of education, any State apprenticeship agency, any State board of vocational education, any joint apprenticeship committee, the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training established in accordance with 29 U.S.C. chapter 4C, or any agency of the Federal government authorized to supervise such training.

(d) External degree. This term means a standard college degree given by an accredited college or university based on satisfactory completion of a prescribed program of independent study. The program may require occasional attendance for a workshop or seminar and may include some regular residence course work.

(e) Standard college degree. The term means an associate or higher degree awarded by:

(1) An institution of higher learning that is accredited as a collegiate institution by a recognized regional or national accrediting agency; or

(2) An institution of higher learning that is a candidate for accreditation, as that term is used by the regional or the national accrediting agencies; or

(3) An institution of higher learning upon completion of a course which is accredited by an agency recognized to accredit specialized degree-level programs.

(f) Undergraduate college degree. The term means a college or university degree obtained through the pursuit of unit subjects which are below the graduate level. Included are associate degrees, bachelors' degrees and first professional degrees.

(g) Standard class session. The term standard class session means the time an educational institution schedules for class each week in a regular quarter or semester for one quarter or one semester hour of credit. It is not less than 1 hour (or one 50-minute period) of academic instruction, 2 hours (or two 50-minute periods) of laboratory instruction, or 3 hours (or three 50-minute periods) of workshop training.

(h) Institution of higher learning. This term means:

(1) 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.

(2) When there is no State law to authorize the granting of a degree, a school which:

(i) Is accredited for degree programs by a recognized accrediting agency, or

(ii) Is a recognized candidate for accreditation as a degree-granting school by one of the national or regional accrediting associations and has been licensed or chartered by the appropriate State authority as a degree-granting institution.

(3) A hospital offering medical-dental internships or residencies approved in accordance with § 21.4265(a) without regard to whether the hospital grants a post-secondary degree.

(4) An educational institution which:

(i) Is not located in a State,

(ii) Offers a course leading to a standard college degree or the equivalent, and

(iii) Is recognized as an institution of higher learning by the secretary of education (or comparable official) of the country in which the educational institution is located.

(i) Audited course. The term means any credit course which a student attends as a listener only with a prior understanding between school officials and the student that such attendance will not result in credit being granted toward graduation. See § 21.4252(i).

(j) Nonpunitive grade. The term means any grade assigned for pursuit of a course, whether upon completion of the course or at the time of withdrawal from the course, which has the effect of excluding the course from any consideration in determining progress toward fulfillment of requirements for graduation. No credit toward the school's requirements for graduation is granted for such a grade, nor does the grade affect any other criteria for graduation by the policies of the school, such as a grade point average. Therefore, it has the same effect as an audited course. See § 21.4135(e).

(k) Punitive grade. The term means a grade assigned for pursuit of a course which is used in determining the student's overall progress toward completion of the school's requirements for graduation. Unlike the nonpunitive grade, the punitive grade does affect the criteria to be met by the student for graduation, i.e., it is a factor in computing the student's grade average or grade point average, for example. For this reason it is not the same as an audited course, since it does have an effect upon the student's ability to meet the school's criteria for graduation. See § 21.4135(e).

(l) Drop-add period. The term means a reasonably brief period at the beginning of a term, not to exceed 30 days, officially designated by a school for unrestricted enrollment changes by students.

(m) Normal commuting distance. Two locations that are within 55 miles of each other are within normal commuting distance. Furthermore, a branch, extension or additional facility of a school located more than 55 miles from the school's main campus or parent facility will be considered within normal commuting distance only if:

(1) School records show that, prior to the establishment of the additional teaching site, at least 20 students or 5 percent of the enrollment, whichever is the lesser, on the main campus or parent facility were regularly commuting from the area where the additional teaching site is located; or

(2) Other comparable evidence clearly shows that students commute regularly between the two locations.

(n) Enrollment. This term means the state of being on that roll, or file of a school which contains the names of active students.

(o) Pursuit of a program of education. (1) This term means to work, while enrolled, toward the objective of a program of education. This work must be in accordance with approved institution policy and regulations and applicable criteria of Title 38 U.S.C.; must be necessary to reach the program's objective; and must be accomplished through:

(i) Resident courses,

(ii) Independent study courses,

(iii) Correspondence courses,

(iv) An apprenticeship or other on-the-job training program,

(v) Flight courses,

(vi) A farm cooperative course,

(vii) A cooperative course, or

(viii) A graduate program of research in absentia.

(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs will consider a veteran or eligible person who qualifies under § 21.4138 for payment during an interval or school closing, or who qualifies for payment but whose work is interrupted by a holiday vacation as defined in § 21.7020(b)(16), to be in pursuit of a program of education during the interval, school closing or holiday vacation.

(p) Enrollment period. (1) This term means an interval of time during which a veteran or eligible person:

(i) Is enrolled in an educational institution; and

(ii) Is pursuing his or her program of education.

(2) This term applies to each unit course or subject in the veteran's or eligible person's program of education.

(q) Attendance. This term means the presence of a veteran or eligible person:

(1) In the class where the approved course is being taught in which he or she is enrolled;

(2) At a training establishment; or

(3) Any other place of instruction, training or study designated by the educational institution or training establishment where the veteran or eligible person is enrolled and is pursuing a program of education.

(r) In residence on a standard quarter- or semester-hour basis. This term means study at a site or campus of a college or university, or off-campus at an official resident center, requiring pursuit of regularly scheduled weekly class instruction at the rate of one standard class session per week throughout a standard quarter or semester for one quarter- or one semester-hour credit.

(s) Deficiency course. This term means any secondary level course or subject not previously completed satisfactorily which is specifically required for pursuit of a post-secondary program of education.

(t) Remedial course. This term means a special course designed to overcome a deficiency at the elementary or secondary level in a particular area of study, or a handicap, such as in speech.

(u) Refresher course. This term means a course at the elementary or secondary level to review or update material previously covered in a course that has been satisfactorily completed.

(v) Reservist. The term reservist means a member of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve of any of the reserve components (including the Army National Guard of the United States and the Air National Guard of the United States) of the Armed Forces who is eligible to receive educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30 or 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606.

(w) Alternative teacher certification program. The term alternative teacher certification program, for the purposes of determining whether an entity offering such a program is a school, educational institution, or institution as defined in paragraph (a)(5) of this section, means a program leading to a teacher's certificate that allows individuals with a bachelor's degree or graduate degree to obtain teacher certification without enrolling in an institution of higher learning.

(x) State. The term State has the same meaning as provided in § 3.1(i) of this chapter.

(y) Pilot certificate. A pilot certificate is a pilot certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. The term means a pilot's license as that term is used in 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 and 38 U.S.C. chapters 30 and 32.

(z) Proprietary educational institution. The term proprietary educational institution (including a proprietary profit or proprietary nonprofit educational institution) means an educational institution that:

(1) Is not a public educational institution;

(2) Is in a State; and

(3) Is legally authorized to offer a program of education in the State where the educational institution is physically located.

(aa) High technology industry: The term high technology industry includes the following industries:

(1) Biotechnology;

(2) Life science technologies;

(3) Opto-electronics;

(4) Computers and telecommunications;

(5) Electronics;

(6) Computer-integrated manufacturing;

(7) Material design;

(8) Aerospace;

(9) Weapons;

(10) Nuclear technology; and

(11) Any other identified advanced technologies in the biennial Science and Engineering Indicators report published by the National Science Foundation.

(bb) Employment in a high technology industry. Employment in a high technology industry means employment in a high technology occupation specific to a high technology industry.

(cc) High technology occupation. The term high technology occupation means an occupation that leads to employment in a high technology industry. These occupations consist of:

(1) Life and physical scientists;

(2) Engineers;

(3) Mathematical specialists;

(4) Engineering and science technicians;

(5) Computer specialists; and

(6) Engineering, scientific, and computer managers.

(dd) Computer specialists. The term computer specialists includes the following occupations:

(1) Database, system, and network administrators;

(2) Database, system, and network developers;

(3) Computer and network engineers;

(4) Systems analysts;

(5) Programmers;

(6) Computer, database, and network support specialists;

(7) All computer scientists;

(8) Web site designers;

(9) Computer and network service technicians;

(10) Computer and network electronics specialists; and

(11) All certified professionals, certified associates and certified technicians in the information technology field.

(ee) Certification test. The term certification test means a test an individual must pass in order to receive a certificate that provides an affirmation of an individual's qualifications in a specified occupation.

(ff) Licensing test. The term licensing test means a test offered by a State, local, or Federal agency, the passing of which is a means, or part of a means, to obtain a license. That license must be required by law in order for the individual to practice an occupation in the political jurisdiction of the agency offering the test.

(gg) Organization or entity offering a licensing or certification test. (1) The term organization or entity offering a licensing or certification test means:

(i) An organization or entity that causes a licensing test to be given and that will issue a license to an individual who passes the test;

(ii) An organization or entity that causes a certification test to be given and that will issue a certificate to an individual who passes the test; or

(iii) An organization or entity that administers a licensing or certification test for the organization or entity that will issue a license or certificate, respectively, to the individual who passes the test, provided that the administering organization or entity can provide all required information and certifications under § 21.4268 to the State approving agency and to VA.

(2) This term does not include:

(i) An organization or entity that develops and/or proctors a licensing or certification test but does not issue the license or certificate; or

(ii) An organization or entity that administers a test but does not issue the license or certificate if that administering organization or entity cannot provide all required information and certifications under § 21.4268 to the State approving agency and to VA.

(hh) Tuition assistance top-up. The term tuition assistance top-up means a payment of basic educational assistance to meet all or a portion of the charges of an educational institution for the education or training of a servicemember that are not met by the Secretary of the military department concerned under 10 U.S.C. 2007(a) or (c).

(ii) VA Regional Processing Office. The term VA Regional Processing Office means a VA office where claims for educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapters 30, 32, and 35 and 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 are allowed or disallowed.

(jj) [Reserved]

(kk) Fugitive felon. The term fugitive felon means an individual identified as such by Federal, State, or local law enforcement officials and who is a fugitive by reason of—

(1) Fleeing to avoid prosecution for an offense, or an attempt to commit an offense, which is a felony under the laws of the place from which the person flees;

(2) Fleeing to avoid custody or confinement after conviction for an offense, or an attempt to commit an offense, which is a felony under the laws of the place from which the person flees; or

(3) Violating a condition of probation or parole imposed for commission of a felony under Federal or State law.

(ll) Felony. The term felony means a major crime or offense defined as such under the law of the place where the offense was committed or under Federal law. It includes a high misdemeanor under the laws of a State which characterizes as high misdemeanors offenses that would be felony offenses under Federal law.

(a) General. Except as otherwise provided in this section the Department of Veterans Affairs shall not approve an enrollment in any course for an eligible veteran, not already enrolled, for any period during which more than 85 percent of the students enrolled in the course are having all or part of their tuition, fees or other charges paid for them by the educational institution or by VA under title 38, U.S.C., or under title 10, U.S.C. This restriction may be waived in whole or in part.

(b) Affected schools. The requirements of paragraph (a) of this section apply to all courses not otherwise exempt or waived offered by all educational institutions, regardless of whether the institution is degree-granting, proprietary profit, proprietary nonprofit, eleemosynary, public and/or tax-supported.

(c) Affected courses. (1) The following courses or programs are exempt from the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section:

(i) Any farm cooperative course; and

(ii) Any course offered by a flying club established, organized and operated pursuant to regulations of a military department of the Armed Forces as nonappropriated sundry fund activities which are governmental instrumentalities.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section apply to the enrollment of a serviceperson in a course leading to a high school diploma, equivalency certificate, or a refresher, remedial or deficiency course, but they do not apply to the enrollment of a veteran in such a course.

(3) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to an approved course which:

(i) Is offered under contract with the Department of Defense,

(ii) Is on or immediately adjacent to a military base, or a facility of the National Guard (including the Air National Guard) or the Selected Reserve,

(iii) Has been approved by the State approving agency of the State:

(A) Where the base is located or

(B) Where the parent school is located if the course is offered overseas, and

(iv) Is available only to:

(A) Military personnel and their dependents, or

(B) Military personnel, their dependents and civilian employees of a base located in a State, or

(C) Persons authorized by the base commander to attend the course provided the base is located outside the United States.

(D) In the case of a course offered on or immediately adjacent to a facility of the National Guard or the Selected Reserve, members of the National Guard, members of the Selected Reserve and their dependents.

(4) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section generally do not apply to a course when the total number of veterans, eligible persons, and reservists receiving assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapters 30, 31, 32, 33, 35 and 36, and 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, who are enrolled in the educational institution offering the course, equals 35 percent or less of the total student enrollment at the educational institution (computed separately for the main campus and any branch or extension of the institution). However, the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section will apply to such a course when—

(i) The course is a course of Special Assistance for the Educationally Disadvantaged and a serviceperson enrolls in it, or

(ii) The Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs facility of jurisdiction has reason to believe that the enrollment of veterans and eligible persons in the course may exceed 85 percent of the total student enrollment in the course.

(d) Applications for exemptions. No applications are required for any exemptions except that found in paragraph (c)(4) of this section. To obtain an exemption as stated in paragraph (c)(4) of this section schools must submit reports as required in paragraph (f)(1) of this section.

(e) Computing the 85-15 percent ratio—(1) Determining when separate computations are required. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section and in paragraph (e)(3) of this section, an 85-15 percent ratio must be computed for each course of study or curriculum leading to a separately approved educational or vocational objective. Computations will not be made for unit subjects, unless only one unit subject is approved by the State approving agency to be offered at a separate branch or extension of a school. Courses or curricula which are offered at separately approved branches or extensions, as well as courses or curricula leading to a secondary school diploma or equivalency certificate offered at any branch or extension, must have an 85-15 percent ratio computed separately from the same course offered at the parent institution. The count of students attending the branch may not be added to those attending the parent institution even for the same courses or curricula. However, the count of those attending courses or curricula offered at an additional facility, as opposed to a branch or extension, must be added to those attending the same course at the parent institution. Pursuit of a course or curriculum that varies in any way from a similar course, although it may have the same designation as the other similar course or curriculum, will require a separate 85-15 percent computation. A course or curriculum will be considered to vary from another if there are different attendance requirements, required unit subjects are different, required completion length is different, etc.

(i) Separate courses for computation purposes in institutions of higher learning will be determined by general curriculum only until the point at which it is reasonable to assume a major field would be declared and after that point by specific curriculum.

(A) General 2-year curricula at 2-year institutions of higher learning, general curricula such as AA (Associate of Arts) or AS (Associate of Science) degrees with no major specified, will require separate computations for each curriculum. Terminal 2-year courses (i.e., AAS (Associate of Applied Science), dental technology or auto mechanics certificate) and other associate degree courses where a field is specified must be computed separately for each objective.

(B) Students attending 4-year institutions of higher learning and graduate schools may be counted in general curricula such as BA (Bachelor of Art) and BS (Bachelor of Science) only until the normal point at which the school requires the student to declare a major subject. Then the 85-15 percent computation must be made for each specific curriculum, i.e., BS (Bachelor of Science) in electrical engineering, MA (Master of Arts) in English, etc.

(ii) NCD (noncollege degree) courses must be computed separately by approved vocational objective. If several curricula lead to the same coded vocational objective, each must meet the 85-15 percent requirement separately, unless it can be shown that two or more courses are identical in all respects (scheduling, hours devoted to each unit subject, etc.). Branch or extension courses will be computed separately from courses at the parent facility. Courses offered on a full- and part-time basis which are identical in length and content will be combined for computing the ratio.

(2) Assigning students to each part of the ratio. In accordance with the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section, non-supported students are those students enrolled in the course who are having none of their tuition, fees or other charges paid for them by the educational institution, or by VA under title 38, U.S.C., or under title 10, U.S.C., while supported students are those students enrolled in the course who are in receipt of institutional aid or VA educational assistance benefits (i.e., having all or part of their tuition, fees or other charges paid for them by the educational institution, or by VA under chapter 36, title 38, United States Code, or under title 10, United States Code.). Institutional aid does not include Federal, state, or municipal grant funding, nor does it include matching funds provided by the educational institution through participation in such Federal, state, or municipal grant programs. Recipients of these funds are to be counted as non-supported students barring receipt of other institutional aid or VA educational assistance benefits.

(3) Calculation. (i) To determine if the requirement of paragraph (a) of this section has been met for all courses except flight courses the full-time equivalent, nonsupported students as defined by paragraph (e)(2) of this section will be compared to the full-time equivalent students enrolled in the course. If the full-time equivalent, nonsupported students do not equal at least 15 percent of the total full-time enrollment, the 85-15 percent requirement has not been met for the course. If a non-Department of Veterans Affairs student in a correspondence course has not completed a lesson nor made a payment toward the cost of the course during the 6-month period immediately prior to the computation, the student will not be counted in computing the 85-15 percent ratio.

(ii) The 85-15 percent ratio for flight courses shall be computed by comparing the number of hours of training received by or tuition charged to nonsupported students in the preceding 30 days to the total number of hours of training received by or tuition charged to all students in the same period. All approved courses offered under 14 CFR parts 141 and 142 at a flight school will be considered to be one course for the purpose of making this computation. Similarly, all other approved courses offered at a flight school will be considered to be one course for the purpose of making this computation. In this computation hours of training or tuition charges for students enrolled—

(A) In the recreational pilot certification course and the private pilot certification course will be excluded;

(B) In a ground instructor certification course will be included;

(C) In courses approved under 14 CFR part 141, other than a ground instructor certification course, will be actual hours of logged instructional flight time or the charges for those hours; and

(D) In courses not approved under 14 CFR part 141, such as courses offered by flight simulator or courses for navigator or flight engineer, shall include ground training time or charges; actual logged instructional flight time or charges; and instructional time in a flight simulator or charges for that training.

(f) Reports. (1) Schools must submit to VA all calculations (those needed to support the exemption found in paragraph (c)(4) of this section as well as those made under paragraph (e)(3) of this section). If the school is organized on a term, quarter, or semester basis, it shall make that submission no later than 30 days after the beginning of the first term for which the school wants the exemption to apply. If the school is organized on a non-standard term basis, it shall make its submission no later than 30 days after the beginning of the first non-standard term for which the school wishes the exemption to apply. A school having received an exemption found in paragraph (c)(4) of this section shall not be required to certify that 85 percent or less of the total student enrollment in any course is receiving Department of Veterans Affairs assistance:

(i) Unless the Director of the VA facility of jurisdiction has reason to believe that the enrollment of eligible veterans and eligible persons in a specific course may exceed 85 percent of the total enrollment in a specific course, or

(ii) Until such time as the total number of veterans, eligible persons and reservists receiving assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapters 30, 31, 32, 33, 35 and 36, and 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, who are enrolled in the educational institution offering the course, equals more than 35 percent of the total student enrollment at the educational institution (computed separately for the main campus and any branch or extension of the institution). At that time the procedures contained in paragraph (f)(2) of this section shall apply.

(2) The school must submit all calculations made under paragraph (e)(3) of this section to the Department of Veterans Affairs according to these time limits.

(i) If the school is organized on a term, quarter or semester basis, the calculations must be submitted no later than 30 days after the beginning of each regular school term (excluding summer sessions), or before the beginning date of the next term, whichever occurs first.

(ii) If a school is organized on a non-standard term basis, reports must be received by the Department of Veterans Affairs no later than 30 days after the beginning of each non-standard term.

(g) Effect of the 85-15 percent ratio on processing new enrollments. (1) The Department of Veterans Affairs will process new enrollments of eligible veterans (and servicepersons where this provision applies to them), in a course on the basis of the school's submission of the most recent computation showing that:

(i) The 85-15 percent ratio is satisfactory, or

(ii) The course is exempt under paragraph (c)(4) of this section.

(2) Except for those enrollments with a beginning date before or the same as the date the school completed the most recent computation, no benefits will be paid under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, or 36, when that computation establishes that the course:

(i) Neither has a satisfactory 85-15 percent ratio, nor

(ii) Is exempt under paragraph (c)(4) of this section.

(3) If a school fails to submit a timely computation, no benefits will be paid for:

(i) The enrollment of a serviceperson in a course leading to a secondary school diploma or an equivalency certificate if the enrollment has beginning dates beyond the expiration of the allowable computation period, or

(ii) The enrollment of a veteran in any course to which the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section apply if the enrollment has beginning dates beyond the expiration of the allowable computation period.

(4) Enrollments with later beginning dates may be processed only after the school certifies that:

(i) The proper ratio has been reestablished for the course, or

(ii) The course is exempt from the requirement under paragraph (c)(4) of this section.

(5) When a school shows a reestablished 85-15 percent ratio, each new veteran enrollment or enrollment of a serviceperson in a course leading to a secondary school diploma or an equivalency certificate which is submitted after reestablishment must be individually computed into the ratio to ensure that the 85 percent limitation is not again immediately exceeded. The Department of Veterans Affairs will require individual computations until:

(i) The end of the term for which the ratio was reestablished, or

(ii) The end of the calendar quarter during which the ratio was reestablished if the school is not operated on a term, quarter or semester basis.

(6) Once a student is properly enrolled in a course which either meets the 85-15 percent requirement or which is exempt pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section, such a student may not have benefits for that course terminated because the 85-15 percent requirement subsequently is not met or because the course loses its exemption, as long as the student's enrollment remains continuous. A student enrolled in an institution organized on a term basis need not attend summer sessions in order to maintain continuous enrollment. An enrollment may also be considered continuous if a “break” in enrollment is wholly due to circumstances beyond the student's control such as serious illness.

(h) Waivers. Schools which desire a waiver of the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section for a course where the number of full-time equivalent supported students receiving VA education benefits equals or exceeds 85 percent of the total full-time equivalent enrollment in the course may apply for a waiver to the Director, Education Service. When applying, a school must submit sufficient information to allow the Director, Education Service, to judge the merits of the request against the criteria shown in this paragraph. This information and any other pertinent information available to VA shall be considered in relation to these criteria:

(1) Availability of comparable alternative educational facilities effectively open to veterans in the vicinity of the school requesting a waiver.

(2) General effectiveness of the school's program in providing educational and employment opportunities to the particular veteran population it serves. Factors to be considered should include, but are not limited to: percentage of veteran-students completing the entire course, graduate employment statistics, graduate salary statistics, satisfaction of Department of Education requirements regarding gainful employment (where applicable), other Department of Education metrics (such as student loan default rate), student complaints, industry endorsements, participation in and compliance with the Principles of Excellence program, established by Executive Order 13607 (where applicable), etc.

(3) Whether the educational institution's aid program appears to be consistent with or appears to undermine the 85/15 rule's tuition and fee costs market validation mechanism.

(a)-(b) [Reserved]

(c) Restrictions; proprietary schools. Enrollment will not be approved for any veteran or eligible person under the provisions of Chapter 34 or 35 respectively, in any proprietary school of which the veteran or eligible person is an official authorized to sign certificates of enrollment or monthly certificates of attendance, an owner or an officer.

(a) General. All the reports required by this paragraph shall be in a form specified by the Secretary.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section each educational institution, veteran and eligible person shall report without delay such information on enrollment, entrance, reentrance, change in the hours of credit or attendance, pursuit, interruption and termination of attendance of each veteran or eligible person enrolled in an approved course as the Secretary may require and using a form specified by the Secretary. See paragraphs (b) through (h) of this section.

(2) An educational institution may delay in reporting the enrollment or reenrollment of a veteran or an eligible person until the end of the term, quarter, or semester when—

(i) The veteran or eligible person is enrolled in a program of independent study;

(ii) The veteran or eligible person is pursuing the program on a less than half-time basis;

(iii) The educational institution has asked the Director of the VA facility of jurisdiction in writing for permission to delay in making the report; and

(iv) The Director of the VA facility of jurisdiction has determined that it is not feasible for the educational institution to monitor interruption or termination of the veteran's or eligible person's pursuit of the program.

(3) An educational institution which disagrees with a decision of a Director of a VA facility as to whether it may delay reporting enrollments or reenrollments as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section may ask to have that decision reviewed by the Director, Education Service. That request must be made in writing to the Director of the VA facility within one year of the date of the letter notifying the educational institution of the original decision.

(4) An educational institution which, under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, is delaying the reporting of the enrollment or reenrollment of a veteran shall provide the veteran with notice of the delay at the time that the veteran enrolls or reenrolls.

(5) In addition, educational institutions must—

(i) Verify enrollment for each veteran and eligible person receiving an advance payment; and

(ii) Verify the delivery of advance payment check and education loan check for each veteran and eligible person receiving an advance payment or loan.

(6) Nothing in this section or in any section in 38 CFR part 21 shall be construed as requiring any institution of higher learning to maintain daily attendance records for any course leading to a standard college degree.

(b) Certifications of enrollment. All the reports required by this paragraph shall be in a form specified by the Secretary.

(1) VA requires that educational institutions report all entrances and reentrances on a certification of enrollment.

(2) All educational institutions, regardless of the way in which they are organized, must clearly specify the course in which the veteran or eligible person is enrolled.

(3) Schools organized on a term, quarter or semester basis—

(i) May report enrollment for the term, quarter, semester, ordinary school year plus the following summer term.

(ii) May not report enrollment for a period that exceeds the ordinary school year plus the following summer term.

(iii) Must report the dates for the break between terms if—

(A) The certification covers two or more terms, and a term ends and the following term does not begin in the same or the next calendar month;

(B) The veteran or eligible person elects not to be paid for the intervals between terms;

(C) The certification covers two or more summer sessions; or

(D) The certification covers at least one summer session and at least one term which is not a standard semester or quarter.

(iv) Must submit a separate enrollment certification for each term, quarter or semester if the student—

(A) Is a veteran or eligible person pursuing a program on a less than half-time basis, or

(B) Is a serviceperson.

(v) Where a veteran or an eligible person, who is pursuing a course leading to a standard college degree, transfers between consecutive school terms from one approved institution to another approved institution, for the purpose of enrolling in, and pursuing, a similar course at the second institution, the veteran or eligible person shall, for the purpose of entitlement to the payment of educational assistance allowance be considered to be enrolled at the first institution during the interval, if the interval does not exceed 30 days, following the termination date of the school term of the first institution.

(c) Nonpunitive grade. A school may assign a nonpunitive grade for a course or subject in which the veteran or eligible person is enrolled even though the veteran or eligible person does not withdraw from the course or subject. When this occurs, the school must report the assignment of the nonpunitive grade in a form specified by the Secretary in time for VA to receive it before the earlier of the following dates is reached:

(1) Thirty days from the date on which the school assigns the grade, or

(2) Sixty days from the last day of the enrollment period for which the nonpunitive grade is assigned.

(d) Interruptions, terminations and changes in hours of credit or attendance. When a veteran or eligible person interrupts or terminates his or her training for any reason, including unsatisfactory conduct or progress, or when he or she changes the number of hours of credit or attendance, this fact must be reported to VA by the school in a form specified by the Secretary.

(1) If the change in status or change in number of hours of credit of attendance occurs on a day other than one indicated by paragraph (d)(2) or (3) of this section, the school will initiate a report of the change in time for the VA to receive it within 30 days of the date on which the change occurs. If the course in which the veteran or eligible person is enrolled does not lead to a standard college degree, and attendance must be certified for the course, the school may include the information on the monthly certification of attendance.

(2) If the enrollment of the veteran or eligible person has been certified by the school for more than one term, quarter or semester and the veteran or eligible person interrupts or terminates his or her training at the end of a term, quarter or semester within the certified period of enrollment, the school shall report the change in status to the Department of Veterans Affairs in time for the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive the report within 30 days of the last officially scheduled registration date for the next term, quarter or semester.

(3) If the change in status or change in the number of hours of credit or attendance occurs during the 30 days of a drop-add period, the school must report the change in status or change in the number of hours of credit or attendance to the Department of Veterans Affairs in time for the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive the report within 30 days from the last date of drop-add period or 60 days from the first day of the enrollment period, whichever occurs first.

(e) Correspondence courses. Where the course in which a veteran is enrolled under 38 U.S.C. chapter 34 or a spouse or surviving spouse is enrolled under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 is pursued exclusively by correspondence, the school will report by an endorsement on the veteran's or eligible spouse's or surviving spouse's certification the number of lessons completed by the veteran, spouse or surviving spouse and serviced by the school. Such reports will be submitted quarterly in a form specified by the Secretary.

(f) Certification. All reports required by this paragraph must be in a form specified by the Secretary.

(1) Courses not leading to a standard college degree. (i) Except as provided in this paragraph VA requires that a certification of attendance be submitted monthly for each veteran or eligible person enrolled in a course not leading to a standard college degree. The fact that the course may be pursued on a quarter, semester or term basis will not relieve the veteran or eligible person and the school of this requirement. Unless exempted by this paragraph this requirement also applies to courses measured on a credit-hour basis. This requirement does not apply to—

(A) Courses measured on a credit-hour basis pursuant to footnote 6 of § 21.4270(a),

(B) A course pursued on a less than one-half-time basis,

(C) A course pursued by a serviceperson while on active duty, or

(D) A correspondence course which must meet the requirements of paragraph (e) of this section.

(2) Courses leading to a standard college degree. Schools which have veterans or eligible persons enrolled in courses which lead to a standard college degree are not required to submit periodic certifications for students enrolled in such courses. Certifications are, however, required under paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (h) of this section.

(3) Apprentice or other on-the-job training. A certification of attendance must be submitted monthly during the period of enrollment in the same manner as certifications required in paragraph (f)(1) of this section.

(g) Flight training courses. Where the course consists exclusively of flight training, the school will report by an endorsement on the veteran's certification the type and number of hours of actual flight training received by, and the cost thereof to, the veteran. Such reports may be submitted monthly.

(h) Unsatisfactory progress, conduct or attendance. At times the unsatisfactory progress, conduct or attendance of a veteran or eligible person is caused by or results in his or her interruption or termination of training. If this occurs, the interruption or termination shall be reported in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section. If the veteran or eligible person continues in training despite unsatisfactory progress, conduct, or despite having failed to meet the regularly prescribed standards of attendance at the school, the school must report the fact of his or her unsatisfactory progress, conduct or attendance to VA within the time limit allowed by paragraph (h) (1) and (2) of this section.

(1) A veteran's or eligible person's progress may become unsatisfactory according to the regularly prescribed standards and practices of the school as a result of the grades he or she receives The school shall report such unsatisfactory progress to VA in time for VA to receive it before the earlier of the following dates is reached:

(i) Thirty days from the date on which the school official, who is responsible for determining whether a student is making progress, first received the final grade report which establishes that the veteran either is not progressing satisfactorily, or

(ii) Sixty days from the last day of the enrollment period during which the veteran or eligible person earned the grades that caused him or her not to meet the satisfactory progress standards.

(2) If the unsatisfactory progress, conduct or attendance of the veteran or eligible person is caused by any factors other than the grades which he or she receives, the school shall report the unsatisfactory progress, conduct or attendance to VA in time for VA to receive it within 30 days of the date on which the progress, conduct or attendance of the veteran or eligible person becomes unsatisfactory. See also § 21.4277.

Educational assistance allowance is payable on the basis of a required certification concerning the pursuit of a course during the reporting period.

(a) Reports by eligible persons. An eligible person enrolled in a course which leads to a standard college degree, excepting eligible persons pursuing the course on a less than half-time basis, must verify each month his or her continued enrollment in and pursuit of his or her courses. In the case of an eligible person who completed, interrupted or terminated his or her course, any communication from the student or other authorized person notifying VA of the eligible person's completion of course as scheduled or earlier termination date, will be accepted to terminate payments accordingly. Reports by other eligible persons will be submitted in accordance with § 21.4203 (e), (f) or (g).

(b) Requirements. The certifications required by § 21.4203 and paragraph (a) of this section will include a report on the following items when applicable:

(1) Continued enrollment in and pursuit of the course.

(2) Conduct and progress. See § 21.4277.

(3) Date of interruption or termination of training.

(4) Changes in number of semester hours or clock hours of attendance.

(5) Any other changes or modifications in the course as certified at enrollment.

(c) Term, quarter, or semester. For a course which does not lead to a standard college degree, if a school organized on a term, quarter, or semester basis has reported enrollment:

(1) For the ordinary school year or the complete course, the periodic certification will show the intervals between terms, quarters, or semesters as absences.

(2) By term, quarter, or semester, the periodic certification will not cover the intervals between terms, quarters, or semesters.

(d) Year-round courses. The periodic certifications will show any vacation period or interval between periods of instruction as absences. The periodic certification will not cover the period between school years.

(e) Farm cooperative courses. The monthly certification will cover only those periods of classroom instruction which are included in the prescheduled institutional portion of the course.

VA may pay annually to each educational institution furnishing education or each joint apprenticeship training committee acting as a training establishment under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, 35 or 36 a reporting fee for required reports or certifications. The reporting fee will be paid as soon as feasible after the end of the calendar year.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section the reporting fee will be computed for each calendar year by multiplying $7.00 by the number of eligible veterans and eligible persons enrolled under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, 35 or 36 during that calendar year.

(b) In computing the reporting fee VA will not count a veteran or servicemember whose only receipt of educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30 during a calendar year was tuition assistance top-up.

(c) An additional $4 will be paid to those institutions which have delivered to the veteran or eligible person at registration the educational assistance check representing an advance payment, or which have delivered educational loan checks in accordance with the provisions of subpart F. If an institution delivers both an advance payment check and educational loan check(s) to the same veteran or eligible person within 1 calendar year, it shall receive only one additional $4 fee. In order to receive this fee, the institution shall submit to the Department of Veterans Affairs a certification of delivery of each check. If an advance payment check is not delivered within 30 days after commencement of the student's program, the check is to be returned to the Department of Veterans Affairs. If an education loan check is not delivered within 30 days of the date the educational institution received it, the check shall be returned to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(d) No reporting fee payable to an educational institution under this section shall be subject to offset by the Department of Veterans Affairs against any liability of the educational institution for any overpayment which the Department of Veterans Affairs has administratively determined to exist unless the liability of the educational institution was not contested by the educational institution or was upheld by a final decree of a court of appropriate jurisdiction.

(e) Before payment of a reporting fee the Department of Veterans Affairs will require an educational institution to certify that:

(1) It has exercised reasonable diligence in determining whether it or any course offered by it approved for the enrollment of veterans or eligible persons meets all of the applicable requirements of chapter 1606 of title 10 U.S.C. or chapters 30, 32, 33, 35 and 36 of title 38, U.S.C.; and

(2) It will, without delay, report any failure to meet any requirement to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(a) Availability of records. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an educational institution, including for purposes of this section an organization or entity offering a licensing or certification test, must make the following records and accounts available to authorized Government representatives:

(1) Records and accounts pertaining to veterans or eligible persons who received educational assistance under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, 35, or 36;

(2) Other students' records necessary for the Department of Veterans Affairs to ascertain institutional compliance with the requirements of these chapters; and

(3) The records of other individuals who took a licensing or certification test that VA believes are necessary to ascertain whether the veterans and eligible persons taking such test were reimbursed the correct amount.

(b) Type of records. Each educational institution must upon request of duly authorized representatives of the Government make available for examination all appropriate records and accounts, including but not limited to:

(1) Records and accounts which are evidence of tuition and fees charged to and received from or on behalf of all veterans, reservists, and eligible persons and from other students similarly circumstanced;

(2) Records of previous education or training of veterans, reservists, and eligible persons at the time of admission as students and records of advance credit, if any, granted by the educational institution at the time of admission;

(3) Records of the veteran's, reservists's, or eligible person's grades and progress;

(4) Records of all advertising, sales or enrollment materials as required by § 21.4252(h) and section 3696(b), title 38 U.S.C.;

(5) Records and computations showing compliance with the requirements of § 21.4201 regarding the 85-15 percent ratio of students for each course; and

(6) Records necessary to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of § 21.4252(e) pertaining to the time necessary to complete a correspondence course.

(7) Records necessary to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of § 21.4268.

(c) Noncollege degree, apprentice, and other on-the-job. The educational institution having veterans, servicemembers, reservists, and/or eligible persons enrolled in a course that does not lead to a standard college degree must make available, in addition to the records and accounts required in paragraph (b) of this section, the records of leave, absences, class cuts, makeup work, and tardiness. Each training establishment that has enrolled veterans under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, or 33, reservists under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, or eligible persons under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 must also make available payroll records.

(d) Nonaccredited courses. The educational institution having veterans or eligible persons enrolled in nonaccredited courses must make available, in addition to the records and accounts required in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section the following:

(1) Records of interruptions for unsatisfactory conduct or attendance.

(2) Records of refunds of tuition, fees and other charges made to a veteran or eligible person who fails to enter the course or withdraws or is discontinued prior to completion of the course.

(e) Nonavailability. Failure to make such records available as provided in this section will be grounds for discontinuing the payment of educational assistance allowance or special training allowance.

(f) Retention of records. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (f)(2) of this section, an educational institution must keep records and accounts, including those pertaining to students not receiving benefits from VA, as described in this section, pertaining to each period of enrollment of a veteran, reservist, or eligible person. If those records are not available electronically, the paper records must be kept intact and in good condition at the educational institution for at least 3 years following the end of each enrollment period. If the records are stored electronically, the paper records may be stored at another site. The electronic records must be easily accessible at the educational institution for at least 3 years following the end of each enrollment period.

(2) An organization or entity offering a licensing or certification test must keep records and accounts intact and in good condition that are needed to show that veterans and eligible persons have been paid correctly for taking licensing or certification tests. The organization or entity must keep those records, at a site mutually agreed on, for at least 3 years following the date of the test.

(3) An educational institution will not be required under this section to retain records for longer than 3 years unless the educational institution receives from the Government Accountability Office or VA not later than 30 days before the end of the 3-year period a written request for longer retention.

(a) Overview; explanation of terms used in §§ 21.4210 through 21.4216. (1) VA may pay educational assistance to a reservist under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 for the reservist's pursuit of a course approved in accordance with the provisions of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36. VA may pay educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 32 or 35 to a veteran or eligible person for the individual's pursuit of a course approved in accordance with the provisions of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36; or if the individual has taken a licensing or certification test approved in accordance with the provisions of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36. VA may pay educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30 to a veteran or servicemember for the individual's pursuit of a course approved in accordance with the provisions of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36; if the individual has taken a licensing or certification test approved in accordance with the provisions of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36 or if the individual is entitled to be paid benefits (tuition assistance top-up) to meet all or a portion of an educational institution's charges for education or training that the military department concerned has not covered under tuition assistance. VA may pay educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 33 to an eligible individual or, as appropriate, to the individual's institution of higher learning on his or her behalf, for the individual's pursuit of a course or program of education if the course or program of education is offered by an institution of higher learning and approved under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30 in accordance with the provisions of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36; if the individual has taken a licensing or certification test approved in accordance with the provisions of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36, or if an individual is entitled to be paid educational assistance to meet all or a portion of the institution of higher learning's established charges that the military department concerned has not covered by tuition assistance under 10 U.S.C. 2007(a) or (c). Except for tuition assistance top-up, where courses do not need to be approved, a State approving agency designated by VA, or in some instances VA, approves the course or test for payment purposes. Notwithstanding such approval, VA, as provided in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section, may suspend, discontinue, or deny payment of benefits to any or all otherwise eligible individuals for pursuit of a course or training approved under 38 U.S.C. chapter 36, and for taking a licensing or certification test approved under 38 U.S.C. chapter 36.

(2) For the purposes of this section and the purposes of §§ 21.4211 through 21.4216, except as otherwise expressly stated to the contrary—

(i) The term “course” includes an apprenticeship or other on-job training program;

(ii) The term “educational institution” includes a training establishment, or organization or entity offering a licensing or certification test; and

(iii) Reference to action suspending, discontinuing, or otherwise denying enrollment or reenrollment means such action with respect to providing educational assistance under the chapters listed in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(b) Denial of payment in individual cases. (1) VA may deny payment of educational assistance to a specific individual for pursuit of a course or courses if, following an examination of the individual's case, VA has credible evidence affecting that individual that—

(i) The course fails to meet any of the requirements of 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, 35, or 36; or

(ii) The educational institution offering the individual's course has violated any of those requirements of law.

(2) VA may deny payment of educational assistance to a specific individual for taking a licensing or certification test if, following an examination of the individual's case, VA has credible evidence affecting that individual that—

(i) The test fails to meet any of the requirements of 38 U.S.C. 3689; or

(ii) The organization or entity offering the individual's test has violated any of the requirements of 38 U.S.C. 3689.

(c) Notice in individual cases. Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, when VA denies payment of educational assistance to an individual under paragraph (b) of this section, VA will provide concurrent written notice to the individual. The notice shall state—

(1) The adverse action;

(2) The reasons for the action; and

(3) The individual's right to an opportunity to be heard thereon in accordance with part 19 of this title.

(d) Actions affecting groups. (1) The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction may:

(i) Suspend payments of educational assistance to all veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or eligible persons already enrolled in a course;

(ii) Disapprove all further enrollments or reenrollments of individuals seeking VA educational assistance for pursuit of the course (except for enrollments and reenrollments of servicemembers seeking to be paid benefits (tuition assistance top-up) to meet all or a portion of an educational institution's charges for education or training that the military department concerned has not covered under tuition assistance); and

(iii) Suspend payments of educational assistance to all veterans, servicemembers, or eligible persons who may take a licensing or certification test after a date that the Director may determine.

(2) Except as provided in paragraphs (d)(3) and (i) of this section, the decision to act as described in paragraph (d)(1) of this section must be based on evidence of a substantial pattern of veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or eligible persons enrolled in the course or taking the test receiving educational assistance to which they are not entitled because:

(i) One or more of the course approval requirements of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36 are not met, including the course approval requirements specified in §§ 21.4253, 21.4254, 21.4261, 21.4262, 21.4263, 21.4264, and 21.4268; or

(ii) The educational institution offering the course has violated one or more of the recordkeeping or reporting requirements of 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, or of 38 U.S.C. chapters 30, 32, 33, 35, and 36. These violations may include, but are not limited to, the following:

(A) Willful and knowing submission of false reports or certifications concerning students or courses of education;

(B) Failure to report to VA a veteran's, servicemember's, reservist's, or eligible person's reduction, discontinuance, or termination of education or training; or

(C) Submission of improper or incorrect reports in such number, manner, or period of time as to indicate negligence on its part, including failure to maintain an adequate reporting or recordkeeping system.

(3) The Director also may make a decision to take the action described in paragraph (d)(1) of this section when the Director has evidence that one or more prohibited assignments of benefits have occurred at an educational institution as a result of that educational institution's policy. This decision may be made regardless of whether there is a substantial pattern of erroneous payments at the educational institution. See § 21.4146.

(4) The Director may disapprove the enrollment of all individuals not already enrolled in an educational institution (which for the purposes of this paragraph does not include a training establishment) when the Director finds that the educational institution:

(i) Has charged or received from veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or eligible persons an amount for tuition and fees in excess of the amount similarly circumstanced nonveterans are required to pay for the same course; or

(ii) Has instituted a policy or practice with respect to the payment of tuition, fees, or other established charges that substantially denies to veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or other eligible persons the benefits of advance payment of educational assistance authorized to such individuals under § 21.4138(a), § 21.7140(a), § 21.7640(d), or § 21.9680; or

(iii) Has used erroneous, deceptive, or misleading practices as set forth in § 21.4252(h).

(e) Actions that must accompany a mass suspension of educational assistance payments or suspension of approval of enrollments and reenrollments in a course or educational institution. (1) The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction may suspend payment of educational assistance and may suspend approval of new enrollments and reenrollments as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, only after:

(i) The Director notifies in writing the State approving agency concerned and the educational institution of any failure to meet the approval requirements and any violation of recordkeeping or reporting requirements; and

(ii) The educational institution—

(A) Refuses to take corrective action; or

(B) Does not take corrective action within 60 days (or 90 days if permitted by the Director).

(2) Not less than 30 days before the Director acts to make a mass suspension of payments of educational assistance and/or suspend approval of new enrollments and reenrollments, the Director will, to the maximum extent feasible, provide written notice to each veteran, servicemember, reservist, and eligible person enrolled in the affected courses. The notice will:

(i) State the Director's intent to suspend payments and/or suspend approval of new enrollments and reenrollments unless the educational institution takes corrective action;

(ii) Give the reasons why the Director intends to suspend payments and/or suspend approval of new enrollments and reenrollments; and

(iii) State the date on which the Director intends to suspend payments and/or suspend approval of new enrollments and reenrollments.

(3) If VA receives a claim for educational assistance for the taking by an individual of a licensing or certification test, and the individual took the licensing or certification test during a period when payment for taking such test was suspended, the Director will inform the individual in writing of the fact of the suspension and the reasons why payments were suspended.

(f) Actions in cases indicating submission of false, misleading, or fraudulent claims or statements. The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction will take the following action, as indicated, that may be in addition to suspending payments or further approval of enrollments or reenrollments in a course or educational institution.

(1) If the Director has evidence indicating that an educational institution has willfully submitted a false or misleading claim, or that a veteran, servicemember, reservist, eligible person, or other person, with the complicity of an educational institution, has submitted such a claim, the Director will make a complete report of the facts of the case to the appropriate State approving agency and to the Office of Inspector General for appropriate action.

(2) If the Director believes that an educational institution has submitted a false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim or written statement within the meaning of the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act (31 U.S.C. 3801-3812) or that a veteran, servicemember, reservist, eligible person, or other person, with the complicity of an educational institution, has submitted such a claim or made such a written statement, the Director will follow the procedures in part 42 of this title.

(g) Referral to the Committee on Educational Allowances. The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction will refer the following matters to the Committee on Educational Allowances as provided in § 21.4212:

(1) A suspension under paragraph (d) of this section of payments of educational assistance to all veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or eligible persons already enrolled in a course;

(2) A disapproval under paragraph (d) of this section of all further enrollments or reenrollments of individuals seeking VA educational assistance for pursuit of the course (except for enrollments and reenrollments of servicemembers seeking to be paid tuition assistance top-up benefits to meet all or a portion of an educational institution's charges for education or training that the military department concerned has not covered under tuition assistance); and

(3) A suspension under paragraph (d) of this section of payments of educational assistance to all veterans, servicemembers, or eligible persons who may take a licensing or certification test after a date that the Director has determined.

(h) Withdrawal of referral to Committee on Educational Allowances. (1) If, following a suspension of payments and/or of approval of enrollments or reenrollments, the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction determines that the conditions which justified the suspension have been corrected, and the State approving agency has not withdrawn or suspended approval of the course(s) or test(s), the Director may resume payments to and/or approval of enrollments or reenrollments of the affected veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or eligible persons. If the case has already been referred to the Committee on Educational Allowances under paragraph (g) of this section at the time such action is taken, the Director will advise the Committee that the original referral is withdrawn.

(2) If, following a referral to the Committee on Educational Allowances, the Director finds that the State approving agency will suspend or withdraw approval, the Director may, if otherwise appropriate, advise the Committee that the original referral is withdrawn.

(i) This section does not apply to disapproval of courses based on conflicts of interests. VA will disapprove courses when required by § 21.4005(d) without applying the provisions of paragraphs (a) through (h) of this section.

(a) Authority. (1) 38 U.S.C. 3690 authorizes VA to discontinue educational benefits to veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or eligible persons when VA finds that:

(i) The program of education or course in which such individuals are enrolled fails to meet a requirement of 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, 35, or 36, or 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, or the regulations in this part; or

(ii) An educational institution has violated any such statute or regulation, or fails to meet such a statutory or regulatory requirement.

(2) This authority does not extend to enrollments and reenrollments of individuals seeking to be paid tuition assistance top-up benefits to meet all or a portion of an educational institution's charges for education or training that the military department concerned has not covered under tuition assistance.

(3) 38 U.S.C. 3689 and 3690 further authorize VA to deny payment to servicemembers or veterans for licensing or certification tests when VA finds that either the test or the organization or entity offering the test fails to meet a requirement of 38 U.S.C. 3689 or the applicable regulations of this part.

(4) Sections 21.4210 through 21.4216 implement the authority discussed in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(3) of this section.

(5) Each VA Regional Processing Office shall have a Committee on Educational Allowances. For the purposes of this section, the Manila Regional Office is considered the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction for educational institutions located in the Philippines. The Committee's findings of fact and recommendations will be provided to the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office.

(6) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs delegates to each Director of a VA Regional Processing Office the authority to suspend or discontinue payment of educational benefits, to disapprove enrollments or reenrollments, or to deny payment of benefits for tests.

(b) Purpose. (1) The Committee on Educational Allowances is established to assist the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction in deciding in a specific case whether—

(i) Educational assistance should be discontinued to all individuals enrolled in any course or courses an educational institution offers; and

(ii) If appropriate, whether approval of all further enrollments or reenrollments in the course or courses an educational institution offers should be denied to veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or other eligible persons pursuing those courses under programs VA administers; or

(iii) Payment should be denied to all servicemembers and veterans for taking a specific licensing or certification test.

(2) A Director's decision described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section must be based on a finding that the educational institution is not meeting, or has violated, a requirement of 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, 35, or 36, or 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606, or the regulations in this part.

(3) The function of the Committee on Educational Allowances is to develop facts and recommend action to be taken on the basis of the facts found. A hearing before the Committee is not in the nature of a trial in a court of law. Instead, it is an administrative inquiry designed to create a full and complete record upon which a recommendation can be made as to whether the Director should discontinue payment of educational benefits and/or deny approval of new enrollments or reenrollments. Both the interested educational institution and VA Regional Counsel, or designee, representing VA, will be afforded the opportunity to present to the Committee any evidence, argument, or other material considered pertinent.

(c) Jurisdiction. The Committee on Educational Allowances will consider only those cases which are referred in accordance with §§ 21.4210(g) and 21.4212.

(d) Committee members. The Committee on Educational Allowances will consist of three employees of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction, at least one of whom is familiar with the adjudication of claims for benefits administered by the Veterans Benefits Administration. The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction will designate a Chairperson. In the event that any member becomes unable to serve for any reason, the Director may appoint a replacement member. Before the Committee resumes its proceedings, the new member will be given an opportunity to apprise himself or herself of the actions and testimony already taken by the Committee.

(e) Duties and responsibilities of the Committee. (1) The function of the Committee on Educational Allowances is to make recommendations to the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction in connection with specific cases referred for consideration as provided in §§ 21.4210(g) and 21.4212.

(2) The performance of this function will include:

(i) Hearing testimony or argument from witnesses or representatives of educational institutions and VA, as appropriate, when such persons appear personally before the Committee;

(ii) Receiving and reviewing all the evidence, testimony, briefs, statements, and records included in each case; and

(iii) Furnishing the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction a written statement setting forth specifically the question or questions considered, a summation of the essential facts of record, recommendations as to issues referred for consideration by the Committee, and the basis therefor. In any case where there is not unanimity, both the majority and the minority views and recommendations will be furnished.

(a) Form and content of referral to Committee. When the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction refers a case to the Committee on Educational Allowances, as provided in § 21.4210(g), the referral will be in writing and will—

(1) State the approval, reporting, recordkeeping, or other criteria of statute or regulation which the Director has cause to believe the educational institution has violated;

(2) Describe the substantial pattern of veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or eligible persons receiving educational assistance to which they are not entitled which the Director has cause to believe exists, if applicable;

(3) Outline the nature of the evidence relied on by the Director in reaching the conclusions of paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section;

(4) Describe the Director's efforts to obtain corrective action and the results of those efforts; and

(5) Ask the Committee on Educational Allowances to perform the functions described in §§ 21.4211, 21.4213, and 21.4214 and to recommend to the Director whether educational assistance payable to individuals pursuing the courses in question should be discontinued; approval of new enrollments should be denied; and/or payment to individuals for licensing or certification tests should be denied, as appropriate.

(b) Notice of the referral. (1) At the time of referral the Director will—

(i) Send notice of the referral, including a copy of the referral document, by certified mail to the educational institution. The notice will include statements that the Committee on Educational Allowances will conduct a hearing; that the educational institution has the right to appear before the Committee and be represented at the hearing to be scheduled; and that, if the educational institution intends to appear at the hearing, it must notify the Committee within 60 days of the date of mailing of the notice;

(ii) Provide an information copy of the notice and referral document to the State approving agency of jurisdiction; and

(iii) Place a copy of the notice and referral document on display at the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction for review by any interested party or parties.

(2) The Director will provide a copy of the notice and referral document to the VA Regional Counsel, or designee, of jurisdiction, who will represent VA before the Committee on Educational Allowances.

(a) Content of hearing notice. In any case referred to the Committee on Educational Allowances for consideration, a hearing will be held. If, as provided in § 21.4212(b), the educational institution has timely notified the Committee of its intent to participate in the hearing, the educational institution will be notified by certified letter from the Chairperson of the date when the hearing will be held. This hearing notification will inform the educational institution of—

(1) The time and place of the hearing;

(2) The matters to be considered;

(3) The right of the educational institution to appear at the hearing with representation by counsel, to present witnesses, to offer testimony, to present arguments, and/or to submit a written statement or brief; and

(4) The complete hearing rules and procedures.

(b) Expenses connected with hearing. The notice also will inform the educational institution that VA will not pay any expenses incurred by the educational institution resulting from its participation in the hearing, including the expenses of counsel or witnesses on behalf of the educational institution.

(c) Publication of hearing notice. Notice of the hearing will be published in the Federal Register, which will constitute notice to any interested individuals, and will indicate that, while such individuals may attend and observe the hearing, they may not participate unless called as witnesses by VA or the educational institution.

(a) Rule 1. The Chairperson of the Committee on Educational Allowances will be in charge of the proceedings, will administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses, and will be responsible for the official conduct of the hearing. A majority of the members of the Committee will constitute a quorum. No party to the proceedings may conduct a voir dire of the Committee members.

(b) Rule 2. At the opening of the hearing, the Chairperson of the Committee on Educational Allowances will inform the educational institution of the purpose of the hearing, the nature of the evidence of record relating to the asserted failures or violations, and the applicable provisions of law and VA regulations. The Chairperson will advise the VA Regional Counsel, or designee, representing VA, that the Committee on Educational Allowances will entertain any relevant evidence or witnesses which VA Counsel presents to the Committee and which would substantiate a decision by the Committee to recommend that the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction take an adverse action on the issues submitted for its review. The educational institution will be advised of its right to present any evidence, relevant to the issues submitted for the Committee's review, by oral or documentary evidence; to submit rebuttal evidence; to present and cross-examine witnesses; and to make such statements as may be appropriate on its behalf for a true and full disclosure of the facts. VA Counsel will be allowed to cross-examine any witnesses offered by the educational institution and to reply to any written briefs or arguments submitted to the Committee.

(c) Rule 3. Any testimony or evidence, either oral or written, which the Committee on Educational Allowances deems to be of probative value in deciding the question at issue will be admitted in evidence. While irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious evidence, testimony, or arguments should be excluded, reasonable latitude will be permitted with respect to the relevancy, materiality, and competency of evidence. In most instances the evidence will consist of official records of the educational institution and VA, and these documents may be attested to and introduced by affidavit; but the introduction of oral testimony by the educational institution or by VA will be allowed, as appropriate, in any instance where the educational institution or VA Counsel desires. VA, however, will neither subpoena any witness on behalf of the educational institution for such purposes nor bear any expenses in connection with the appearance of such witness. In instances where the evidence reasonably available consists of signed written statements, secondary or hearsay evidence, etc., such evidence may be introduced into the record and will be given the weight and consideration which the circumstances warrant.

(d) Rule 4. A verbatim stenographic or recorded transcript of the hearing will be made. This transcript will become a permanent part of the record, and a copy will be furnished to the educational institution and the VA Counsel at the conclusion of the proceeding, unless furnishing of the copy of the transcript is waived by the educational institution.

(e) Rule 5. The Chairperson of the Committee on Educational Allowances will identify all exhibits in the order of introduction or receipt (numerically for VA exhibits and alphabetically for exhibits introduced by the educational institution). All such original exhibits or documents shall be attached to the original of the transcript. VA shall make photocopies or certified copies and attach them to the copy of the transcript furnished to the educational institution and the VA Counsel. The original transcript will accompany the Committee's recommendation to the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction along with all exhibits, briefs, or written statements received by the Committee during the course of the proceedings. Such documents should be clearly marked to indicate which were received into evidence and relied upon by the Committee in making its recommendations.

(f) Rule 6. The Committee on Educational Allowances, at its discretion, may reasonably limit the number of persons appearing at the hearing, including any affected individuals presented as witnesses by VA or the educational institution.

(g) Rule 7. Any person who is presented to testify will be required to be duly placed under oath or affirmation by the Chairperson of the Committee on Educational Allowances. If an official of the educational institution desires to present a statement personally, the individual will be required to be placed under oath or affirmation. The Chairperson will advise each witness that the Committee understands that he or she is voluntarily appearing before the Committee; that any testimony or statement given will be considered as being completely voluntary; and that no one has authority to require the individual to make any statement or answer any question against his or her will before the Committee, except that a person called as a witness on behalf of either VA or the educational institution must be willing to submit to cross-examination with respect to testimony given. Each witness will also be advised that his or her testimony or statement, if false, even though voluntary, may subject him or her to prosecution under Federal statutes.

(h) Rule 8. Any member of the Committee on Educational Allowances may question any witness presented to testify at the hearing or either a representative of the educational institution or the VA Counsel concerning matters that are relevant to the question at issue. Generally, questioning by a Committee member will be limited to the extent of clarifying information on the facts and issues involved.

(i) Rule 9. If the educational institution fails to timely notify the Committee of its intent to participate in a hearing or if a representative of the educational institution is scheduled to appear for a hearing but, without good cause, fails to appear either in person or by writing, the Committee will proceed with the hearing and will review the case on the basis of the evidence of record which shall be presented by the VA Counsel.

(j) Rule 10. Any objection by an authorized representative of the educational institution or the VA Counsel on a ruling by the Chairperson of the Committee on Educational Allowances regarding the admissibility of testimony or other evidence submitted will be made a matter of record, together with the substance in brief of the testimony intended or other evidence concerned. If the other evidence concerned is in the form of an affidavit or other document, it may be accepted for filing as a future reference if it is later ruled admissible as part of the record of the hearing.

(k) Rule 11. Objections relating to the jurisdiction or membership of the Committee on Educational Allowances or the constitutionality of statutes or the constitutionality of, or statutory authority for, VA regulations, are not before the Committee for decision. The time of the Committee will not be used to hear arguments in this regard. However, any such matters outside the province of the Committee may be the subject of a brief or a letter for consideration by the VA Office of General Counsel upon completion of the hearing. The ruling of such authority upon such issues will be obtained and included in the record before the Committee's recommendations are submitted to the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction. If the VA General Counsel's ruling on such legal issues necessitates reopening the proceeding, that shall be done before the Committee makes its recommendations to the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction.

(l) Rule 12. The hearing will be open to the public.

(m) Rule 13. The hearing will be conducted in an orderly manner with dignity and decorum. The conduct of members of the Committee on Educational Allowances, the VA Counsel, and any representatives of the educational institution shall be characterized by appropriate impartiality, fairness, and cooperation. The Chairperson of the Committee shall take such action as may be necessary, including suspension of the hearing or the removal of the offending person from the hearing room for misbehavior, disorderly conduct, or the persistent disregard of the Chairperson's ruling. Where this occurs, the Chairperson will point out that the Committee is entitled to every possible consideration in order that the case may be presented clearly and fully, which may be accomplished only through observance of orderly procedures.

(n) Rule 14. The Chairperson of the Committee on Educational Allowances will conduct the hearing proceedings in such a manner that will protect from disclosure information which tends to disclose or compromise investigative sources or methods or which would violate the privacy of any individual. The salient facts, which form the basis of charges, may be disclosed and discussed without revealing the source.

(o) Rule 15. At the close of the hearing, the Chairperson of the Committee on Educational Allowances shall inform the appropriate representative of the educational institution that the arguments and the evidence presented will be given careful consideration; and that notice of the decision of the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction, together with the Committee's recommendations, will be furnished to the educational institution and the VA Counsel at the earliest possible time. The Chairperson will also indicate that notice of the Director's decision will be published in the Federal Register for the information of all other interested persons.

(p) Rule 16. In making its findings of facts and recommendations, the Committee on Educational Allowances will consider only questions which are referred to it by the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction as being at issue and which are within the jurisdiction of the Committee.

(a) Decision. The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction will render a written decision on the issue or issues of discontinuance or denial that were the subject of the Committee on Educational Allowances proceedings.

(b) Basis of decision. (1) The decision of the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction will be based upon all admissible evidence of record, including—

(i) The recommendations of the Committee on Educational Allowances;

(ii) The hearing transcript and the documents admitted in evidence; and

(iii) The ruling on legal issues referred to appropriate authority.

(2) The decision will clearly describe the evidence and state the facts on which the decision is based and, in the event that the decision differs from the recommendations of the Committee on Educational Allowances, will give the reasons and facts relied upon by the Director in deciding not to follow the Committee majority's recommendations.

(c) Correction of deficiencies. If the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction believes that the record provided for review is incomplete or for any reason should be reopened, before rendering a decision he or she will order VA staff to gather any additional necessary evidence and will notify the educational institution that it may comment upon the new evidence added. The Director will then notify the educational institution as to whether the matter will be resubmitted to the Committee on Educational Allowances for further proceedings, on the basis of the new circumstances. If the matter is referred back to the Committee, the Director will defer a decision until he or she has received the Committee's new recommendations based upon all of the evidence of record.

(d) Effective date. If the decision of the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction is adverse to the educational institution, the decision shall indicate specifically the effective date of each adverse action covered by the decision.

(e) Notification of decision. (1) The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction shall send a copy of the decision to the educational institution by certified mail, return receipt requested. A copy of the decision also will be provided by regular mail to the institution's legal representative of record, if any. If the decision is adverse to the educational institution, the Director will enclose a notice of the educational institution's right to have the Director, Education Service review the decision.

(2) The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction will also send a copy of the decision to:

(i) The State approving agency; and

(ii) VA Counsel.

(3) The Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction shall post a copy of the decision at the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction. A copy of the decision shall be published in the Federal Register.

(a) Decision is subject to review by the Director, Education Service. At the request of the educational institution the Director, Education Service will review a decision of a Director of a VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction to discontinue payments; to disapprove new enrollments or reenrollments; or to deny payment of benefits for licensing or certification tests. This review will be based on the evidence of record when the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction made that decision. It will not be de novo in nature and no hearing on the issue will be held. When reviewing a decision to deny payment for licensing or certification tests, the Director, Education Service may seek the advice of the Professional Certification and Licensure Advisory Committee established under 38 U.S.C. 3689(e).

(b) Authority of Director, Education Service. The Director, Education Service has the authority to affirm, reverse, or remand the original decision. In the case of such a review, the reviewing official's decision, other than a remand, shall become the final Department decision on the issue presented.

(c) Notice of decision of Director, Education Service is required. Notice of the reviewing official's decision will be provided to the interested parties and published in the Federal Register, in the same manner as is provided in § 21.4215(e) for decisions of the Director of the VA Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction, for the information of all concerned.

(a) Eligibility requirements for specialized vocational training. (1) The Department of Veterans Affairs may provide a program of a specialized course of vocational training to an eligible person who:

(i) Is not in need of special restorative training, and

(ii) Requires specialized vocational training because of a mental or physical handicap.

(2) The Counseling Psychologist (CP) or Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) will:

(i) After consulting with the Vocational Rehabilitation Panel, determine whether such a course is in the best interest of the eligible person; and

(ii) Deny the application for the program when the course is not in the eligible person's best interest.

(3) Both the CP or VRC and the Vocational Rehabilitation Panel will assist in developing the program, if the CP or VRC has previously determined that the course is in the eligible person's best interest.

(4) The Department of Veterans Affairs may authorize specialized vocational training for an eligible child only if the child has passed his or her 14th birthday at the time training is to begin.

(b) Program objective. The objective of a program of specialized vocational training will be designated as a vocational objective.

(c) Special assistance. When needed, special assistance will be provided under § 21.4276.

(d) Length of specialized vocational training. When the program of specialized vocational training will exceed 45 months, the CP or VRC will refer the program to the Executive Director, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Service for prior approval.

An approved program may consist of a combination of courses with instruction offered by a school alternating with instruction in a business or industrial establishment (a cooperative course); courses offered by two schools concurrently; or courses offered through class attendance and by television concurrently. A farm cooperative program may be approved which consists of a combination of institutional agricultural courses and concurrent agricultural employment (see § 21.4264). A school may contract the actual training to another school or entity, provided the course is approved by the State approving agency having approval jurisdiction of the school or entity which actually provides the training.

(a) Cooperative courses. A full-time program of education consisting of phases of school instruction alternated with training in a business or industrial establishment with such training being strictly supplemental to the school instruction may be approved. Alternating periods may be a part-day in school and a part-day on job or may be such periods which alternate on a daily, weekly, monthly or on a term basis. For purposes of approval the school offering the course must submit to the State approving agency, with its application, statements of fact showing at least the following:

(1) That the alternate in-school periods of the course are at least as long as the alternate periods in the business or industrial establishment; in determining this relationship between the two components of the course, training received in a business or industrial establishment during a vacation or officially scheduled school break period shall be excluded from the calculation; where the course is approved as continuous part-time work and part-time study in combination, it shall be measured on the basis of the ratio which each portion of the training bears to full time as defined in § 21.4270(c) of this part. The institutional portion must be at least equivalent to one-half time training and must be combined with a job training portion sufficient for the combined training to equal full time.

(2) That the course is set up as a cooperative course in the school catalog or other literature of the school;

(3) That the school itself arranges with the employer's establishment for providing the alternate on-job periods of training on such basis that the on-job portion of the course will be training in a real and substantial sense and will supplement the in-school portion of the course;

(4) That the school arranges directly with the employer's establishment for placing the individual student in that establishment and exercises supervision and control over the student's activities at the establishment to an extent that assures training in a true sense to the student; and

(5) That the school grants credit for the on-job portion of the course for completion of a part of the work required for granting a degree or diploma.

(b) Concurrent enrollment. Where a veteran or eligible person cannot successfully schedule his or her complete program at one school, a program of concurrent enrollment may be approved. When requesting such a program the veteran or eligible person must show that his or her complete program of education or training is not available at the school in which he or she will pursue the major portion of his or her program (the primary school), or that it cannot be scheduled successfully within the period in which he or she plans to complete his or her program.

(1) If VA measures the courses pursued at both institutions on either a clock-hour basis or a credit-hour basis, VA will measure the veteran's or eligible person's enrollment by adding together the units of measurement in the second school to the units of measurement for the courses in the primary institution. The standard for full time will be the full-time standard for the courses at the primary institution.

(2) Where the standards for measurement of the courses pursued concurrently in the two schools are different, VA will measure the veteran's or eligible person's enrollment by converting the units of measurement for courses in the second school to the equivalent in value expressed in units of measurement required for the courses in the program of education which the veteran or eligible person is pursuing at the primary institution.

(3) If the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this section require VA to convert clock hours to credit hours, it will do so by—

(i) Dividing the number of credit hours which VA considers to be full-time at the educational institution whose courses are measured on a credit-hour basis by the number of clock hours which are full-time at the educational institution whose courses are measured on a clock-hour basis; and

(ii) Multiplying each clock hour of attendance by the decimal determined in paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section. VA will drop all fractional hours.

(4) If the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this section require VA to convert credit hours to clock hours, it will do so by—

(i) Dividing the number of clock hours which VA considers to be full-time at the educational institution whose courses are measured on a clock-hour basis by the number of credit hours which are full-time at the educational institution whose courses are measured on a credit-hour basis; and

(ii) Multiplying each credit hour by the number determined in paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section. VA will drop all fractional hours.

(5) Periodic certifications of training will be required from the veteran and each of the schools where concurrent enrollment is approved in a course which does not lead to a standard college degree and to which the measurement provisions of § 21.4270(b), of this part do not apply. (See §§ 21.4203 and 21.4204.)

(c) Television. (1) A course offered by open-circuit television is an independent study course. In order for an eligible person to receive educational assistance while pursuing such a course, the course must meet all the requirements for independent study found in § 21.4267.

(2) Closed circuit telecast. Instruction offered through closed circuit telecast which requires regular classroom attendance is to be recognized to the same extent as regular classroom and/or laboratory instruction.

(d) Farm cooperative course. A program of education consisting of institutional agricultural courses pursued by an eligible person who is concurrently engaged in agricultural employment which is relevant to such institutional course may be approved if the course meets the requirements of § 21.4264.

(e) Contract. All or part of the program of education of a school may be provided by another school or entity under contract. Such school or entity actually providing the training must obtain approval of the course from the State approving agency in the State having jurisdiction of that school or entity. If the course is a course of flight training, the school or entity actually providing the training must also obtain approval of the course from the Federal Aviation Administration. Measurement of the course and payment of an allowance will be appropriate for the course as offered by the school or entity actually providing the training.

(a) Definition. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, a change of program consists of a change in the educational, professional, or vocational objective for which the veteran, reservist, or eligible person entered training.

(2) VA does not consider any of the following to be changes of program:

(i) A change in the type of courses needed to attain a vocational objective;

(ii) A change in the individual's educational, professional or vocational objective following the successful completion of the immediately preceding program of education;

(iii) A return to the individual's prior program of education following a change of program if the individual resumes training in the program without any loss of credit or standing in that program;

(iv) An enrollment in a new program of education when that program leads to a vocational, educational or professional objective in the same general field as the immediately preceding program of education; or

(v) An enrollment or reenrollment of a servicemember seeking to be paid tuition assistance top-up benefits to meet all or a portion of an educational institution's charges for education or training that the military department concerned has not covered under tuition assistance.

(b) Application. A veteran, reservist, or eligible person may request a change of program by any form of communication. However, if the veteran, reservist, or eligible person does not furnish sufficient information to allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to process the request, the Department of Veterans Affairs will furnish the prescribed form for a change of program to him or her for completion.

(c) Optional change of program. A spouse or surviving spouse eligible to receive educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 may make one optional change of program if his or her previous course was not interrupted due to his or her own misconduct, neglect, or lack of application.

(d) Other changes of program. (1) The following changes of program may not be made solely at the option of the veteran, reservist, or eligible person. The Department of Veterans Affairs must approve them before paying educational assistance allowance:

(i) A second or subsequent change of program made by a veteran or eligible person other than a child receiving educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35,

(ii) An initial change of program made by a veteran or eligible spouse or surviving spouse if the first program was interrupted or discontinued due to his or her own misconduct, neglect or lack of application, or

(iii) Any change of program made by a child receiving educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35.

(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs will approve a change of program listed in paragraph (d)(1) of this section if:

(i) The program of education which the veteran, reservist, or eligible person proposes to pursue is suitable to his or her aptitudes, interests and abilities,

(ii) In any instance where the veteran, reservist, or eligible person has interrupted, or failed to progress in his or her program due to his or her own misconduct, neglect or lack of application, there is a reasonable likelihood with respect to the program the veteran, reservist, or eligible person proposes to pursue that there will not be a recurrence of such an interruption or failure to progress, and

(iii) In the case of an eligible child receiving educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 the new program meets the criteria applicable to final approval of an original application. See § 21.4230.

(3) The Department of Veterans Affairs may approve a third or subsequent change of program if applicable conditions of paragraph (d)(2) of this section are met and the additional change or changes are necessitated by circumstances beyond the control of the veteran, reservist, or eligible person. Circumstances beyond the control of the veteran, reservist, or eligible person include, but are not limited to:

(i) The course being discontinued by the school when no other similar course leading to the same objective is available within normal commuting distance.

(ii) Unexpected financial difficulties preventing completion of the last program because of the overall cost of the program needed to reach the objective, or

(iii) The veteran, reservist, or eligible person being required to relocate because of health reasons in an area where training for the last objective is not available within normal commuting distance.

(4) Notwithstanding any provision of any other paragraph of this section, if a third or subsequent change of program occurs after May 31, 1991, VA will apply only the applicable provisions of paragraph (d)(2) of this section. If the applicable provisions of paragraph (d)(2) of this section are met, VA will approve the change of program. VA will not apply any of the provisions of paragraph (d)(3) of this section in determining whether the change of program should be approved.

(e) Adjustments; transfers. A change in courses or places of training will not be considered a change of objective in the following instances:

(1) The pursuit of the first program is a prerequisite for entrance into and pursuit of a second program.

(2) A transfer from one school to another when the program at the second school leads to the same educational, professional or vocational objective, and does not involve a material loss of credit, or increase training time.

(3) Revision of a program which does not involve a change of objective or material loss of credit nor loss of time originally planned for completion of the veteran's or eligible person's program. For example, an eligible person enrolled for a bachelor of science degree may show a professional objective such as chemist, teacher or engineer. His or her objective for purposes of this paragraph shall be considered to be “bachelor degree” and any change of courses will be considered only an adjustment in the program, not a change, so long as the subjects he or she pursues lead to the bachelor degree and there is no extension of time in the attaining of that degree.

VA will use the provisions of this section to determine whether an individual may be paid educational assistance for pursuit of flight training. See § 21.4263 for approval of flight courses for VA training.

(a) Eligibility. A veteran or servicemember who is otherwise eligible to receive educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30 or 32, or a reservist who is eligible for expanded benefits under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 as provided in § 21.7540(b), may receive educational assistance for flight training in an approved course provided that the individual meets the requirements of this paragraph. Except when enrolled in a ground instructor certification course or when pursuing flight training under paragraph (f) of this section, the individual must—

(1) Possess a valid private pilot certificate or higher pilot certificate such as a commercial pilot certificate;

(2) If enrolled in a course other than an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) course, hold a second-class medical certificate on the first day of training and, if that course began before October 1, 1998, hold that certificate continuously during training; and

(3) If enrolled in an ATP certification course, hold a first-class medical certificate on the first day of training and, if that course began before October 1, 1998, hold that certificate continuously during training.

(b) Approval of program. VA may approve the individual's program of education as described on the individual's application if:

(1) The flight courses that constitute the program of education meet Federal Aviation Administration standards for such courses and the Federal Aviation Administration and the State approving agency approve them; and

(2) The flight training included in the program—

(i) Is generally accepted as necessary for the attainment of a recognized vocational objective in the field of aviation; or

(ii) Is given by an educational institution of higher learning for credit toward a standard college degree that the individual is pursuing.

(c) Pursuit of flight courses. (1) VA will pay educational assistance to an eligible individual for an enrollment in a commercial pilot certification course leading to Federal Aviation Administration certification for a particular category even if the individual has a commercial pilot certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration for a different category, since each category represents a different vocational objective.

(2) VA will pay educational assistance to an eligible individual for an enrollment in an instrument rating course only if the individual simultaneously enrolls in a course required for a commercial pilot certificate for the category for which the instrument rating course is pursued or if, at the time of enrollment in the instrument rating course, the individual has a commercial pilot certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration for such category. The enrollment in an instrument rating course alone does not establish that the individual is pursuing a vocational objective, as required for VA purposes, since that rating equally may be applied to an individual's private pilot certificate, only evidencing an intent to pursue a non-vocational objective.

(3) VA will pay educational assistance to an eligible individual for an enrollment in a flight course other than an instrument rating course or a ground instructor course, including courses leading to an aircraft type rating, only if the individual has a commercial pilot certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration for the category to which the particular course applies.

(4) VA will pay educational assistance to an eligible individual for an enrollment in a ground instructor certificate course, even though the individual does not have any other flight certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, since the Federal Aviation Administration does not require a flight certificate as a prerequisite to ground instructor certification and ground instructor is a recognized vocational objective.

(5) VA will not pay an eligible individual for simultaneous enrollment in more than one flight course, except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(d) Some individuals are already qualified for a flight course objective. (1) The provisions of §§ 21.5230(a)(4), 21.7110(b)(4), and 21.7610(b)(4), prohibiting payment of educational assistance for enrollment in a course for whose objective the individual is already qualified, apply to enrollments in flight courses.

(2) A former military pilot with the equivalent of a commercial pilot certificate and an instrument rating may obtain a commercial pilot certificate and instrument rating from the Federal Aviation Administration without a flight exam within 12 months of release from active duty. Therefore, VA will consider such a veteran to be already qualified for the objectives of a commercial pilot certification course and an instrument rating course if begun within 12 months of the individual's release from active duty.

(e) Some flight courses are refresher training. The provisions of §§ 21.5230(c), 21.7020(b)(26), 21.7122(b), 21.7520(b)(20), and 21.7610(b)(4) that provide limitations on payment for refresher training that is needed to update an individual's knowledge and skill in order to cope with technological advances while he or she was on active duty service apply to flight training.

(1) An individual who held a Federal Aviation Administration certificate before or during active duty service may have surrendered that certificate or the Federal Aviation Administration may have canceled it. The individual may receive the equivalent of the number of months of educational assistance necessary to complete the course that will qualify him or her for the same grade certificate.

(2) A reservist is not eligible for refresher training unless he or she has had prior active duty.

(f) Flight training at an institution of higher learning. (1) An individual who is eligible for educational assistance under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, or 35 is exempt from the provisions of paragraphs (a)(2) through (d) of this section when his or her courses include flight training that is part of a program of education that leads to a standard college degree.

(2) An individual described in paragraph (f)(1) of this section may pursue courses that may result in the individual eventually receiving recreational pilot certification or private pilot certification, provided that the courses also lead to a standard college degree.

(a) Enrollment. A veteran or eligible person may receive supplemental monetary assistance to provide tutorial services if he or she:

(1) Is pursuing a post-secondary educational program on a half-time or more basis at an educational institution, and

(2) Has a deficiency in a subject which is indispensable to the satisfactory pursuit of an approved program of education.

(b) Approval. The Department of Veterans Affairs will grant approval when:

(1) The educational institution certifies that:

(i) Individualized tutorial assistance is essential to correct a deficiency in a specified subject or subjects required as a part of, or which is prerequisite to, or which is indispensable to the satisfactory pursuit of an approved program of education;

(ii) The tutor selected:

(A) Is qualified, and

(B) Is not the parent, spouse, child, brother or sister of the veteran or eligible person; and

(iii) The charges for this assistance do not exceed the customary charges for such tutorial assistance; and

(2) The assistance is furnished on an individual basis.

(c) Limits on tutorial assistance. (1) VA will authorize the cost of tutorial assistance in an amount not to exceed $100 per month.

(2) The total amount of all tutorial assistance provided under this section will not exceed $1200.

(d) Entitlement charge. VA will make no charge against the veteran's or eligible person's entitlement to educational assistance for any amount of tutorial assistance authorized.

(a) General. The statements made in this paragraph are subject to exceptions found in paragraph (c) of this section.

(1) If an educational institution offers a resident course in a State, only the State approving agency for the State where the course is being offered may approve the course for VA training. If the State approving agency chooses to approve a resident course (other than a flight course) not leading to a standard college degree, it must also approve the class schedules of that course.

(2) If an educational institution with a main campus in a State offers a resident course not located in a State, only the State approving agency for the State where the educational institution's main campus is located may approve the course for VA training. If the State approving agency chooses to approve a resident course (other than a flight course) not leading to a standard college degree, it must also approve the class schedules of that course.

(3) If an educational institution offers a course by independent study or by correspondence, only the State approving agency for the State where the educational institution's main campus is located may approve the course for VA training.

(4) If a training establishment offers a program of apprenticeship or other on-job training, only the State approving agency for the State where the training will take place may approve the course for VA training.

(5) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(6)(ii) of this section, if a State or political subdivision of a State offers a licensing test, only the State approving agency for the State where the license will be valid may approve the test for VA payment.

(6)(i) If an organization or entity offers a licensing or certification test and applies for approval of that test, only the State approving agency for the State where the organization or entity has its headquarters may approve the test and the organization or entity offering the test for VA payment. This approval will be valid wherever the test is given.

(ii) If the organization or entity offering a licensing or certification test does not apply for approval, and a State or political subdivision of a State requires that an individual take the test in order to obtain a license, the State approving agency for the State where the license will be valid may approve the test for VA payment. This approval will be valid for the purpose of VA payment only if the veteran takes the test in the State or political subdivision of the State where the license is valid.

(7) A course approved under 38 U.S.C. chapter 36 will be deemed to be approved for purposes of 38 U.S.C. chapter 35.

(8) Any course that was approved under 38 U.S.C. chapter 33 (as in effect before February 1, 1965), or under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35 before March 3, 1966, and was not or is not disapproved for failure to meet any of the requirements of the applicable chapters, will be deemed to be approved for purposes of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36.

(9) VA may make tuition assistance top-up payments of educational assistance to an individual to meet all or a portion of an educational institution's charges for education or training that the military department concerned has not covered under tuition assistance, even though a State approving agency has not approved the course in which the individual was enrolled.

(b) State approving agencies. Approval by State approving agencies will be in accordance with the provisions of 38 U.S.C. Chapter 36 and such regulations and policies as the agency may adopt not in conflict therewith.

(1) Notice of approval. (i) Each State approving agency must provide to VA:

(A) A list of schools specifying which courses it has approved;

(B) A list of licensing and certification tests and organizations and entities offering these tests that it has approved; and

(C) Any other information that it and VA may determine to be necessary.

(ii) The lists and information must be provided on paper or electronically as VA may require.

(2) Notice of suspension of approval or disapproval. Each State approving agency will notify the Department of Veterans Affairs of the suspension of approval or disapproval of any course or licensing or certification test previously approved and will set forth the reasons for such suspension of approval or disapproval. See § 21.4259.

(3) Failure to act. If notice has been furnished that the State approving agency does not intend to act on the application of a school, the school may request approval by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(c) Department of Veterans Affairs approval. (1) The Executive Director, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Service may approve special restorative training in excess of 12 months to overcome or lessen the effects of a physical or mental disability to enable an eligible child to pursue a program of education under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35.

(2) The Director, Education Service may approve—

(i) A course of education offered by any agency of the Federal Government authorized under other laws to offer such a course;

(ii) A course of education to be pursued under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, 35, or 36 offered by a school located in the Canal Zone, Guam or Samoa;

(iii) Except as provided in § 21.4150(d) as to the Republic of the Philippines, a course of education to be pursued under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 or 38 U.S.C. chapter 30, 32, 33, or 35 offered by an institution of higher learning not located in a State;

(iv) Any course in any other school in accordance with the provisions of 38 U.S.C. chapter 36;

(v) Any program of apprenticeship the standards for which have been approved by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to section 50a of Title 29 U.S.C. as a national apprenticeship program for operation in more than one State and for which the training establishment is a carrier directly engaged in interstate commerce and providing training in more than one State; and

(vi) Any licensing or certification test and any organization or entity offering such a test if—

(A) The organization or entity is an agency of the Federal government;

(B) The headquarters of the organization or entity offering the test is not located in a State; or

(C) The State approving agency that would, under paragraph (a)(5) or (a)(6) of this section, have approval jurisdiction for the test has declined to perform the approval function for licensing or certification tests and the organizations or entities offering these tests.

The provisions of this section do not apply to licensing or certification tests or to the organizations or entities offering those tests. For information on the minimum period of operation requirement that applies to licensing or certification tests, see § 21.4268.

(a) Definitions. The following definitions apply to the terms used in this section. The definitions in § 21.4200 apply to the extent that no definition is included in this paragraph.

(1) Control. The term control (including the term controlling) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

(2) Person. The term person means an individual, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity.

(b) Some educational institutions must be in operation for 2 years. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, when a proprietary educational institution offers a course not leading to a standard college degree, VA may not approve an enrollment in that course if the proprietary educational institution—

(1) Has been operating for less than 2 years;

(2) Offers the course at a branch or extension and the branch or extension has been operating for less than 2 years; or

(3) Offers the course following either a change in ownership or a complete move outside its original general locality, and the educational institution does not retain substantially the same faculty, student body, and courses as before the change in ownership or the move outside the general locality unless the educational institution, after such change or move, has been in operation for at least 2 years.

(c) Exception to the 2-year operation requirement. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section, VA may approve the enrollment of a veteran, servicemember, reservist, or eligible person in a course not leading to a standard college degree approved under this subpart if it is offered by a proprietary educational institution that—

(1) Offers the course under a contract with the Department of Defense or the Department of Transportation; and

(2) Gives the course on or immediately adjacent to a military base, Coast Guard station, National Guard facility, or facility of the Selected Reserve.

(d) Operation for 2 years. VA will consider, for the purposes of paragraph (b) of this section, that a proprietary educational institution (or a branch or extension of such an educational institution) will be deemed to have been operating for 2 years when the educational institution (or a branch or extension of such an educational institution)—

(1) Has been operating as an educational institution for 24 continuous months pursuant to the laws of the State(s) in which it is approved to operate and in which it is offering the training; and

(2) Has offered courses continuously for at least 24 months inclusive of normal vacation or holiday periods, or periods when the institution is closed temporarily due to a natural disaster that directly affected the institution or the institution's students.

(e) Move outside the same general locality. A proprietary educational institution (or a branch or extension thereof) will be deemed to have moved to a location outside the same general locality of the original location when the new location is beyond normal commuting distance of the original location, i.e., 55 miles or more from the original location.

(f) Change of ownership. (1) A change of ownership of a proprietary educational institution occurs when—

(i) A person acquires operational management and/or control of the proprietary educational institution and its educational activities; or

(ii) A person ceases to have operational management and/or control of the proprietary educational institution and its educational activities.

(2) Transactions that may cause a change of ownership include, but are not limited to the following:

(i) The sale of the educational institution;

(ii) The transfer of the controlling interest of stock of the educational institution or its parent corporation;

(iii) The merger of 2 or more educational institutions; and

(iv) The division of one educational institution into 2 or more educational institutions.

(3) VA considers that a change in ownership of an educational institution does not include a transfer of ownership or control of the institution, upon the retirement or death of the owner, to:

(i) The owner's parent, sibling, spouse, child, spouse's parent or sibling, or sibling's or child's spouse; or

(ii) An individual with an ownership interest in the institution who has been involved in management of the institution for at least 2 years preceding the transfer.

(g) Substantially the same faculty, student body, and courses. VA will determine whether a proprietary educational institution has substantially the same faculty, student body, and courses following a change of ownership or move outside the same general locality by applying the provisions of this paragraph.

(1) VA will consider that the faculty remains substantially the same in an educational institution when faculty members who teach a majority of the courses after the move or change in ownership, were so employed by the educational institution before the move or change in ownership.

(2) VA will consider that the courses remain substantially the same at an educational institution when:

(i) Faculty use the same instructional methods during the term, quarter, or semester after the move or change in ownership as were used before the move or change in ownership; and

(ii) The courses offered after the move or change in ownership lead to the same educational objectives as did the courses offered before the move or change in ownership.

(3) VA considers that the student body remains substantially the same at an educational institution when, except for those students who have graduated, all, or a majority of the students enrolled in the educational institution on the last day of classes before the move or change in ownership are also enrolled in the educational institution after the move or change in ownership.

(a) Bartending and personality development. Enrollment will not be approved in any bartending or personality development course.

(b) Avocational and recreational. Enrollment will not be approved in any course which is avocational or recreational in character or the advertising for which contains significant avocational or recreational themes. The courses identified in paragraphs (b)(1), (2), and (3) of this section are presumed to be avocational or recreational in character and require justification for their pursuit.

(1) Any photography course or entertainment course, or

(2) Any music course, instrumental or vocal, public speaking course, or course in dancing, sports or athletics, such as horseback riding, swimming, fishing, skiing, golf, baseball, tennis, bowling, sports officiating, or other sport or athletic courses, except courses of applied music, physical education, or public speaking which are offered by institutions of higher learning for credit as an integral part of a program leading to an educational objective, or

(3) Any other type of course which the Department of Veterans Affairs determines to be avocational or recreational.

(4) To overcome the presumption that a course is avocational or recreational in character, the veteran or eligible person will be required to establish that the course will be of bona fide use in the pursuit of his or her present or contemplated business or occupation.

(c) Flight training. The Department of Veterans Affairs may approve an enrollment in any of the following types of courses of flight training if an institution of higher learning offers the course for credit toward the standard college degree the veteran or eligible person is pursuing. The Department of Veterans Affairs otherwise will not approve an enrollment in:

(1) A course of flight training to obtain a private pilot's license or equivalent level training; or

(2) Any course of flight training under Chapter 35.

(d) Courses by radio. Enrollment in such courses will not be approved.

(e) Correspondence courses. (1) VA will not approve the enrollment of an individual under 10 U.S.C. Chapter 1606 or 38 U.S.C. Chapter 30, 32, or 35 in a correspondence course or the correspondence portion of a correspondence-residence course unless the course is accredited and meets the requirements of §§ 21.4253, 21.4256, and 21.4279, as appropriate.

(2) VA will not approve the enrollment of an eligible child under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 in a correspondence course or the correspondence portion of a correspondence-residence course.

(f) Alternative teacher certification program. VA will not approve the enrollment of an eligible person under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 in an alternative teacher certification program unless that program is offered by an institution of higher learning as defined in § 21.4200(h).

(g) Independent study. (1) Effective October 29, 1992, VA may pay educational assistance to a veteran who is enrolled in a nonaccredited course or unit subject offered entirely or partly by independent study only if—

(i) Successful completion of the nonaccredited course or unit subject is required in order for the veteran to complete his or her program of education; and the veteran—

(A) Was receiving educational assistance on October 29, 1992, for pursuit of the program of education of which the nonaccredited independent study course or unit subject forms a part, and

(B) Has remained continuously enrolled in that program of education from October 29, 1992, to the date the veteran enrolls in the nonaccredited independent study course or unit subject; or

(ii) Was enrolled in and receiving educational assistance for the nonaccredited independent study course or unit subject on October 29, 1992, and remains continuously enrolled in that course or unit subject.

(2) Whether or not the veteran is enrolled will be determined by the regularly prescribed standards and practices of the educational institution.

(h) Erroneous, deceptive, or misleading practices. For the purposes of this paragraph, “educational institution” includes an organization or entity offering licensing or certification tests.

(1) If an educational institution uses advertising, sales, enrollment practices, or candidate handbooks that are erroneous, deceptive, or misleading by actual statement, omission, or intimation, VA will not approve:

(i) An enrollment in any course such an educational institution offers; and

(ii) Payment of educational assistance as reimbursement to a veteran or eligible person for taking a licensing or certification test that the educational institution offers.

(2) VA will use the services and facilities of the Federal Trade Commission, where appropriate, under an agreement:

(i) To carry out investigations; and

(ii) To decide whether an educational institution uses advertising, sales, or enrollment practices, or candidate handbooks, described in paragraph (h)(1) of this section.

(3) Any educational institution offering courses approved for the enrollment of veterans, reservists, and/or eligible persons, or offering licensing or certification tests approved for payment of educational assistance as reimbursement to veterans or eligible persons who take the tests, must maintain a complete record of all advertising, sales materials, enrollment materials, or candidate handbooks (and copies of each) that the educational institution or its agents have used during the preceding 12-month period. The State approving agency and VA may inspect this record. The materials in this record shall include but are not limited to:

(i) Any direct mail pieces,

(ii) Brochures,

(iii) Printed literature used by sales people,

(iv) Films, video cassettes and audio tapes disseminated through broadcast media,

(v) Material disseminated through print media,

(vi) Tear sheets,

(vii) Leaflets,

(viii) Handbills,

(ix) Fliers, and

(x) Any sales or recruitment manuals used to instruct sales personnel, agents or representatives of the educational institution.

(i) Audited courses. The school's certifications shall exclude courses which are being audited by the veteran or eligible person, since no educational assistance allowances shall be paid for such courses.

(j) Nonpunitive graded courses. The school shall report any course for which a nonpunitive grade is assigned and no payment shall be authorized for such a course. If payment has already been made, in whole or in part, by the Department of Veterans Affairs at the time the grade is assigned, an overpayment shall be created against the account of the student for such a course, unless the Department of Veterans Affairs determines there are mitigating circumstances.

(k) Courses with suspended approval. When a State approving agency has suspended the approval of a course for new enrollments, new enrollments in the course shall not be approved until the suspense is lifted. If the State approving agency does not lift the suspense, but disapproves the course instead, new enrollments beginning on or after the date the suspense was effective shall not be approved. See § 21.4259.

(l) Courses taken by a nonmatriculated student who is pursuing a degree. The provisions of this paragraph apply to veterans and eligible persons who are pursuing a degree, but who have not matriculated. The Department of Veterans Affairs considers a student to have matriculated when he or she has been formally admitted to a college or university as a degree-seeking student.

(1) Some colleges or universities admit students provisionally, pending receipt of test results or transcripts. The Department of Veterans Affairs may approve such a veteran's or eligible person's enrollment in a course or subject only if the veteran or eligible person matriculates during the first two terms, quarters or semesters following his or her admission.

(2) The first portion of the courses leading to a single degree may be offered at one college or university. The remaining courses are not offered at the college or university, but are offered at a second college or university which grants the degree based upon the combined credits earned by the student. If the student is not required to matriculate during the portion of the program offered at the first college or university, VA may approve an enrollment in a course or subject that is part of that portion of the program only when the certifications described in either paragraph (l)(2)(i) or (ii) of this section are made.

(i) The college or university granting the degree certifies concurrently with the student's enrollment in the first portion of the program, that

(A) Full credit will be granted for the subjects taken in the portion of the curriculum offered at the first college or university;

(B) In the last 5 years at least three students who have completed the first part of the program have been accepted into the second part of the program;

(C) At least 90 percent of those who have applied for admission to the second part of the program, after successfully completing the first part, have been admitted;

(D) The student will be required to matriculate during the first two terms, quarters or semesters following his or her admission to the second part of the program.

(ii) The college or university offering the first part of the program:

(A) Certifies to the appropriate State approving agency that as a result of an agreement between that college or university and the college or university offering the second part of the program, all of the courses taken by the veteran or eligible person in the first part of the program, will be accepted by the college or university offering the second part of the program without any loss of credit in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an associate or higher degree. This certification may be made once for each program for which an agreement exists.

(B) Certifies to VA that the veteran or eligible person has stated to an appropriate official of the college or university offering the first part of the program that he or she is pursuing the program.

(3) The first portion of the subjects or courses in a baccalaureate program beyond those necessary for an associate degree may be given at a 2-year college, while the remainder may be offered at a 4-year college or university. When the college or university does not require the student to matriculate while pursuing the additional study at the 2-year college, VA may approve an enrollment in a course offered in the program at the 2-year college only if the certifications described in either paragraph (l)(3)(i) or (ii) of this section are made.

(i) The college or university granting the baccalaureate degree certifies that:

(A) Full credit is granted for the course upon the student's transfer to the college or university granting the baccalaureate degree,

(B) The courses taken at the 2-year college will be acceptable in partial fulfillment for the baccalaureate degree, and

(C) The student will be required to matriculate during the first two terms, quarters or semesters following his or her admission to the college or university granting the baccalaureate degree.

(ii) Either the 2-year college or the college or university granting the baccalaureate degree:

(A) Certifies to the appropriate State approving agency that as a result of agreement between the 2-year college and the college or university offering the baccalaureate degree all of the courses pursued beyond the associate degree will be accepted without any loss of credit in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a baccalaureate degree. This certification may be made once for each program for which an agreement exists.

(B) Certifies to VA that the veteran or eligible person is enrolled in courses covered by the agreement.

(4) Except as provided in paragraphs (l)(1), (2), and (3) of this section, the Department of Veterans Affairs will not approve a veteran's or eligible person's enrollment in a course or subject if the veteran or eligible person:

(i) Is pursuing a degree, and

(ii) Is not matriculated.

(5) Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a State approving agency from including more restrictive matriculation requirements in its approval criteria.

(m) Courses offered under contract. VA may not approve the enrollment of a veteran, servicemember, reservist, or eligible person in a course as a part of a program of education offered by any educational institution if the educational institution or entity providing the course under contract has not obtained a separate approval for the course in the same manner as for any other course as required by § 21.4253, § 21.4254, § 21.4256, § 21.4257, § 21.4260, § 21.4261, § 21.4263, § 21.4264, § 21.4265, § 21.4266, or § 21.4267, as appropriate.

(a) General. A course may be approved as an accredited course if it meets one of the following requirements:

(1) The course has been accredited and approved by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association. “Candidate for accreditation” status is not a basis for approval of a course as accredited.

(2) Credit for such course is approved by the State department of education for credit toward a high school diploma.

(3) The course is conducted under the Act of February 23, 1917 (20 U.S.C. 11 et seq.).

(4) The course is accepted by the State department of education for credit for a teacher's certificate or teacher's degree.

(5) The course is approved by the State as meeting the requirement of regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under sections 1819(f)(2)(A)(i) and 1919(f)(2)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.1395i-3(f)(2)(A)(i) and 1396r(f)(2)(A)(i)).

(b) Course objective. Any curriculum offered by an educational institution which is a member of one of the nationally recognized accrediting agencies or associations and which leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate will be accepted as an accredited course when approved as such by the State approving agency. Any curriculum accredited by one of the specialized nationally recognized accrediting agencies or associations and which leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate will also be accepted as an accredited course when approved as such by the State approving agency. Approval of the individual subjects, required or elective, which are designated as a part of a degree curriculum will not be necessary. Such approval may include noncredit subjects that are prescribed as a required part of the curriculum. The course objective may be educational (high school diploma or a standard college degree) or it may be vocational or professional (an occupation).

(c) Accrediting agencies. A nationally recognized accrediting agency or association is one that appears on the list published by the Secretary of Education as required by 38 U.S.C. 3675(a). The State approving agencies may use the accreditation of these accrediting agencies or associations for approval of the course specifically accredited and approved by the agency or association.

(d) School qualification. A school desiring to enroll veterans or eligible persons in accredited courses will make application for approval of such courses to the State approving agency. The State approving agency may approve the application of the school when the school and its accredited courses are found to have met the following criteria and additional reasonable criteria established by the State approving agency if the Secretary or designee, in consultation with the State approving agency, approves the additional criteria as necessary and equitable in its treatment of public, private, and proprietary for-profit educational institutions:

(1) The institution (other than an elementary or secondary school) has submitted to the State approving agency copies of its catalog or bulletin which are certified as true and correct in content and policy by an authorized representative, and the publication shall:

(i) State with specificity the requirements of the institution with respect to graduation;

(ii) Include institution policy and regulations relative to standards of progress required of the student by the institution (this policy will define the grading system of the institution, the minimum grades considered satisfactory, conditions for interruption for unsatisfactory grades or progress, a description of the probationary period, if any, allowed by the institution, conditions of reentrance for those students dismissed for unsatisfactory progress, and a statement regarding progress records kept by the institution and furnished the student);

(iii) Include institution policy and regulations relating to student conduct and conditions for dismissal for unsatisfactory conduct; and

(iv) Include any attendance standards of the institution if the institution has and enforces such standards.

(2) Adequate records are kept by the school to show the progress of each veteran or eligible person. The records must be sufficient to show continued pursuit at the rate for which enrolled and the progress being made. They must include final grade in each subject for each term, quarter, or semester; record of withdrawal from any subject to include the last date of attendance for a resident course; and record of reenrollment in subjects from which there was a withdrawal; and may include such records as attendance for resident courses, periodic grades and examination results.

(3) The school maintains a written record of previous education and training of the veteran or eligible person which clearly indicates that appropriate credit has been given by the school for previous education and training, with the training period shortened proportionately. The record must be cumulative in that the results of each enrollment period (term, quarter or semester) must be included so that it shows each subject undertaken and the final result, i.e., passed, failed, incomplete or withdrawn.

(4) The school enforces a policy relative to standards of conduct and progress required of the student. The school policy relative to standards of progress must be specific enough to determine the point in time when educational benefits should be discontinued, pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 3474 when the veteran or eligible person ceases to make satisfactory progress. The policy must include the grade or grade point average that will be maintained if the student is to graduate. For example, a 4-year college may require a 1.5 grade point average the first year, a 1.75 average at mid-year the second year, and a cumulative average of 2.0 thereafter on the basis of 4.0 for an A.

(5) If the school has a standard of attendance, it maintains records of attendance for veterans and eligible persons enrolled in resident courses which are adequate to show the student meets the school's standard of attendance.

(6) The accredited courses, the curriculum of which they form a part, and the instruction connected with those courses are consistent in quality, content, and length with similar courses in public educational institutions and other private educational institutions in the State with recognized accepted standards.

(7) There is in the educational institution offering the course adequate space, equipment, instructional material, and instructor personnel to provide training of good quality.

(8) The educational and experience qualifications of directors, and administrators of the educational institution offering the courses, and instructors teaching the courses for which approval is sought, are adequate.

(9)(i) For a course designed to prepare an individual for licensure or certification in a State, the course meets all instructional curriculum licensure or certification requirements of such State.

(ii) For a course designed to prepare an individual for licensure to practice law in a State, the course is accredited by a specialized accrediting agency for programs of legal education or association recognized by the Secretary of Education under subpart 2 of part H of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1099b), from which recipients of law degrees from such accredited programs are eligible to sit for a bar examination in any State.

(iii) For a course designed to prepare an individual for employment pursuant to standards developed by a board or agency of a State in an occupation that requires approval, licensure, or certification, the course meets such standards.

(iv) An educational institution may apply, through their State approving agency of jurisdiction, to the Secretary or designee for a waiver of the requirements of this paragraph (d)(9). The State approving agency will forward an application for waiver, together with its recommendation for granting or denying the application, to the Secretary or designee. The Secretary or designee may grant a waiver upon a finding that all of the following criteria have been met:

(A) The educational institution is not accredited by an agency or association recognized by the Department of Education.

(B) The course did not meet the requirements of this paragraph (d)(9) at any time during the 2-year period preceding the date of the waiver.

(C) The waiver furthers the purposes of the educational assistance programs administered by VA or would further the education interests of individuals eligible for assistance under such programs.

(D) The educational institution does not provide any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on success in securing enrollments or financial aid to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting or admission activities or in making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance, except for the recruitment of foreign students residing in foreign countries who are not eligible to receive Federal student assistance.

(10) Before requiring a school and its accredited courses to meet any additional criteria, the State approving agency must present a written proposal to the Secretary or designee justifying the need for the additional criteria and containing an attestation that the criteria will treat all schools equitably, regardless of whether they are public, private, or for-profit institutions. The Secretary or designee will determine whether the additional criteria are necessary and treat schools equitably based on the proposal and any additional information submitted. The Secretary or designee may change the determination at any time if, after implementation, it becomes apparent that the criteria are unnecessary or schools are treated inequitably under the criteria.

(i) The written proposal must contain a description of the need for the additional criteria and an explanation of how the imposition of the additional criteria would remedy the problem. The proposal must also contain a statement concerning whether State or Federal laws, regulations, or policies require the imposition of the additional criteria and an explanation of the consideration of any alternative means to achieve the same goal as the additional criteria.

(ii) The Secretary or designee may request such additional information from the State approving agency as the Secretary or designee deems appropriate before determining whether the criteria are necessary and treat schools equitably.

(e) College level. Under the provisions of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, any course at college level approved by the State approving agency as an accredited course will be accepted by the Department of Veterans Affairs as an accredited course when all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The college or university is accredited by a nationally recognized regional accrediting agency listed by the Secretary of Education or the course is accredited at the college level by a specialized accrediting agency or association recognized by the Secretary of Education; and

(2) The course has entrance requirements of not less than the requirements applicable to the college level program of the school; and

(3) Credit for the course is awarded in terms of standard semester or quarter hours or by recognition at completion by the granting of a standard college degree.

(f) Courses not leading to a standard college degree. Any course in a school approved by the State approving agency will be accepted as an accredited course when all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The course or the school offering such course is accredited by the appropriate accrediting agency; and

(2) The course offers training in the field for which the accrediting agency is recognized and at a level for which it is recognized; and

(3) The course leads to a high school diploma or a vocational objective.

(a) General. Nonaccredited courses are courses which are not approved as accredited courses and which are offered by a public or private, profit or nonprofit, educational institution. These include nonaccredited courses offered by extension centers or divisions, or vocational or adult education departments of institutions of higher learning.

(b) Application. Any school desiring to enroll veterans or eligible persons in nonaccredited courses will submit a written application to the appropriate State approving agency for approval of such courses (38 U.S.C. 3676(a)). Such application will be accompanied by not less than two copies of the current catalog or bulletin which is certified as true and correct in content and policy by an authorized owner or official of the school and will include the following:

(1) Identifying data, such as volume number, and date of publication;

(2) Names of the school and its governing body, officials, and faculty;

(3) A calendar of the school showing legal holidays, beginning and ending date of each quarter, term, or semester, and other important dates;

(4) School policy and regulations on enrollment with respect to enrollment dates and specific entrance requirements for each course;

(5) School policy and regulations relative to leave, absences, class cuts, makeup work, tardiness, and interruptions for unsatisfactory attendance;

(6) School policy and regulations relative to standards of progress required of the student. This policy will define the grading system of the school, the minimum grades considered satisfactory conditions for interruption for unsatisfactory grades or progress, and a description of the probationary period, if any, allowed by the school, and conditions of reentrance for those students dismissed for unsatisfactory progress. A statement will be made regarding progress records kept by the school and furnished the student;

(7) School policy and regulations relating to student conduct and conditions for dismissal for unsatisfactory conduct;

(8) Detailed schedule of fees, charges for tuition, books, supplies, tools, student activities, laboratory fees, service charges, rentals, deposits, and all other charges;

(9) Policy and regulations relative to the refund of the unused portion of tuition, fees, and other charges in the event the student does not enter the course, or withdraws, or is discontinued therefrom;

(10) A description of the available space, facilities, and equipment;

(11) A course outline for each course for which approval is requested, showing subjects or units in the course, type of work, or skill to be learned, and approximate time and clock hours to be spent on each subject or unit; and

(12) Policy and regulations relative to granting credit for previous education and training.

(c) Approval criteria. The appropriate State approving agency may approve the application of such school when the school and its nonaccredited courses are found upon investigation to have met the following criteria:

(1) The courses, curriculum, and instruction are consistent in quality, content, and length with similar recognized accepted standards.

(2) There is in the school adequate space, equipment, instructional material, and instructor personnel to provide training of good quality.

(3) Educational and experience qualifications of directors, administrators, and instructors are adequate.

(4) The school maintains a written record of the previous education and training of the veteran or eligible person and clearly indicates that appropriate credit has been given for previous education and training, with the training period shortened proportionately, and the veteran or eligible person and the Department of Veterans Affairs so notified.

(5) A copy of the course outline, schedule of tuition, fees, and other charges, regulations pertaining to absences, grading policy, and rules of operation and conduct will be furnished the veteran or eligible person upon enrollment.

(6) Upon completion of training, the veteran or eligible person is given a certificate by the school indicating the approved course and indicating that training was satisfactorily completed.

(7) Adequate records as prescribed by the State approving agency are kept to show attendance and progress or grades, and satisfactory standards relating to attendance, progress, and conduct are enforced.

(8) The school complies with all local, city, county, municipal, State, and Federal regulations, such as fire codes, building, and sanitation codes. The State approving agency may require such evidence of compliance as it deemed necessary.

(9) The school is financially sound and capable of fulfilling its commitments for training.

(10) The school does not utilize advertising of any type which is erroneous or misleading, either by actual statement, omission, or intimation. The school will not be deemed to have met this requirement until the State approving agency:

(i) Has ascertained from the Federal Trade Commission whether the Commission has issued an order to the school to cease and desist from any act or practice, and

(ii) Has, if such an order has been issued, given due weight to that fact.

(11) The school does not exceed its enrollment limitations as established by the State approving agency.

(12) The school administrators, directors, owners, and instructors are of good reputation and character.

(13) The school either: (i) Has and maintains a policy for the pro rata refund of the unused portion of tuition, fees and charges if the veteran or eligible person fails to enter the course or withdraws or is discontinued from it before completion, or

(ii) Has obtained a waiver of this requirement. See § 21.4255.

(14)(i) For a course designed to prepare an individual for licensure or certification in a State, the course meets all instructional curriculum licensure or certification requirements of such State.

(ii) For a course designed to prepare an individual for licensure to practice law in a State, the course is accredited by a specialized accrediting agency for programs of legal education or association recognized by the Secretary of Education under subpart 2 of part H of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1099b), from which recipients of law degrees from such accredited programs are eligible to sit for a bar examination in any State.

(iii) For a course designed to prepare an individual for employment pursuant to standards developed by a board or agency of a State in an occupation that requires approval, licensure, or certification, the course meets such standards.

(iv) An educational institution may apply, through their State approving agency of jurisdiction, to the Secretary or designee for a waiver of the requirements of this paragraph (c)(14). The State approving agency will forward an application for waiver, together with its recommendation for granting or denying the application, to the Secretary or designee. The Secretary or designee may grant a waiver upon a finding that all of the following criteria have been met:

(A) The educational institution is not accredited by an agency or association recognized by the Department of Education.

(B) The course did not meet the requirements of this paragraph (c)(14) at any time during the 2-year period preceding the date of the waiver.

(C) The waiver furthers the purposes of the educational assistance programs administered by VA or would further the education interests of individuals eligible for assistance under such programs.

(D) The educational institution does not provide any commission, bonus, or other incentive payment based directly or indirectly on success in securing enrollments or financial aid to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting or admission activities or in making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance, except for the recruitment of foreign students residing in foreign countries who are not eligible to receive Federal student assistance.

(15) Such additional reasonable criteria as may be deemed necessary by the State approving agency if the Secretary or designee, in consultation with the State approving agency, approves the additional criteria as necessary and equitable in its treatment of public, private, and proprietary for-profit educational institutions. The Secretary or designee will determine whether the additional criteria are necessary and treat schools equitably based on a proposal and any additional information submitted.

(i) Before requiring a school and its nonaccredited courses to meet any additional criteria, the State approving agency must present a written proposal to the Secretary or designee justifying the need for the additional criteria and containing an attestation that the criteria will treat all schools equitably, regardless of whether they are public, private or for-profit institutions. The written proposal must contain a description of the need for the additional criteria and an explanation of how the imposition of the additional criteria would remedy the problem. The proposal must also contain a statement concerning whether State or Federal laws, regulations, or policies require the imposition of the additional criteria and an explanation of the consideration of any alternative means to achieve the same goal as the additional criteria.

(ii) The Secretary or designee may request such additional information from the State approving agency as the Secretary or designee deems appropriate before determining whether the criteria are necessary and treat schools equitably.

(iii) The Secretary or designee may change the determination at any time if, after implementation, it becomes apparent that the criteria are unnecessary or schools are treated inequitably under the criteria.

(d) Limitations on course approval. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a State approving agency shall not approve a nonaccredited course if it is to be pursued in whole or in part by independent study.

(a) Acceptable refund policy. A refund policy meets the requirements of § 21.4254(c)(13), if it provides that the amount charged for tuition, fees, and other charges for a portion of the course does not exceed the approximate pro rata portion of the total charges for tuition, fees, and other charges that the length of the completed portion of the course bears to the total length. The school may make provision for refund within the following limitations:

(1) Registration fee. An established registration fee in an amount not to exceed $10 need not be subject to proration. Where the established registration fee is more than $10, the amount in excess of $10 will be subject to proration.

(2) Breakage fee. Where the school has a breakage fee, it may provide for the retention of only the exact amount of the breakage, with the remaining part, if any, to be refunded.

(3) Consumable instructional supplies. Where the school makes a separate charge for consumable instructional supplies, as distinguished from laboratory fees, the exact amount of the charges for supplies consumed may be retained but any remaining part must be refunded.

(4) Books, supplies and equipment. (i) A veteran or eligible person may retain or dispose of books, supplies and equipment at his or her discretion when:

(A) He or she purchased them from a bookstore or other source, and

(B) Their cost is separate and independent from the charge made by the school for tuition and fees.

(ii) The school will make a refund in full for the amount of the charge for unissued books, supplies and equipment when:

(A) The school furnishes the books, supplies and equipment.

(B) The school includes their cost in the total charge payable to the school for the course.

(C) The veteran or eligible person withdraws or is discontinued before completing the course.

(iii) The veteran or eligible person may dispose of issued items at his or her discretion even if they were included in the total charges payable to the school for the course.

(5) Tuition and other charges. Where the school either has or adopts an established policy for the refund of the unused portion of tuition, fees, and other charges subject to proration, which is more favorable to the veteran or eligible person than the approximate pro rata basis as provided in this paragraph, such established policy will be applicable. Otherwise, the school may charge a sum which does not vary more than 10 percent from the exact pro rata portion of such tuition, fees, and other charges that the length of the completed portion of the course bears to its total length. The exact proration will be determined on the ratio of the number of days of instruction completed by the student to the total number of instructional days in the course.

(6) Prompt refund. In the event that the veteran, spouse, surviving spouse or child fails to enter the course or withdraws or is discontinued therefrom at any time prior to completion of the course, the unused portion of the tuition, fees and other charges paid by the individual shall be refunded promptly. Any institution which fails to forward any refund due within 40 days after such a change in status, shall be deemed, prima facie, to have failed to make a prompt refund, as required by this paragraph.

(b) Waiver. (1) An educational institution may apply through the appropriate State approving agency to the Director of the VA facility of jurisdiction for a waiver of the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section as they apply to a veteran or eligible person. The State approving agency shall forward the application to the Director along with its recommendations. The Director shall consider the recommendations and shall grant a waiver only when he or she finds that the educational institution:

(i) Is a college, university, or similar institution offering post-secondary level academic instruction leading to an associate or higher degree;

(ii) Is operated by an agency of a State or a unit of local government;

(iii) If operated by an agency of a State, is located within that State;

(iv) If operated by a unit of local government, is located within the boundaries of the area over which that unit has taxing jurisdiction;

(v) Is a candidate for accreditation by a regional accrediting agency; and

(vi) Charges the veteran or eligible person no more than $120 per quarter, $180 per semester or $360 per school year in tuition, fees and other charges for the course.

(2) If an educational institution disagrees with a decision of a Director of a VA facility, it may ask that the Director, Education Service review the decision. In reviewing the decision the Director must consider the evidence of record. He or she may not grant a waiver unless all the criteria of paragraph (b)(1) of this section are met.

(a) Approval of correspondence programs and courses. (1) An educational institution desiring to enroll veterans under 38 U.S.C. chapter 30 or 32, spouses and/or surviving spouses under 38 U.S.C. chapter 35, and/or reservists under 10 U.S.C. chapter 1606 in a program of education to be pursued exclusively by correspondence, or in the correspondence portion of a combination correspondence-residence course, may have the program or course approved only when the educational institution meets the requirements of §§ 21.4252(e), 21.4253, and 21.4279, as applicable.

(2) The application of an educational institution for approval of a program of education to be pursued exclusively by correspondence or the correspondence portion of a combined correspondence-residence course must demonstrate that the program or course is satisfactory in all elements. The educational institution must certify to the State approving agency that at least 50 percent of those pursuing the program or course require six months or more to complete it. For applications for approval that are pending approval by the State approving agency on February 2, 1995, and for applications received by the State approving agency after that date, the required certification shall be based on the experience of students who completed the program or course during the six-month period immediately preceding the educational institution's application for approval.

(3) State approving agencies have the authority to review periodically the length of time needed to complete each approved correspondence program or approved correspondence-residence course in order to determine whether the program or course should continue to be approved. In implementing this authority, a State approving agency will examine the results over a prior two-year period reasonably related to the date on which such a review is conducted.

(b) Enrollment agreement. (1) An educational institution offering a program of education to be pursued exclusively by correspondence must enter into an enrollment agreement with the veteran, spouse, surviving spouse, or reservist who wishes to receive educational assistance from VA while pursuing the program. The enrollment agreement shall disclose fully the obligations of the institution and the veteran, spouse, surviving spouse, or reservist, and shall display in a prominent place on the agreement the conditions for affirmance, termination, refund, and payment of the educational assistance by VA.

(2) A copy of the agreement shall be given to the veteran, spouse, surviving spouse, or reservist when it is signed.

(3) The agreement shall not be effective unless the veteran, spouse, surviving spouse, or reservist after the expiration of 10 days after the agreement is signed, shall have signed and submitted to VA a written statement, with a signed copy to the institution, specifically affirming the agreement.

(c) Mandatory refund policy. (1) Upon notification of the educational institution by the veteran, spouse, surviving spouse, or reservist of an intention not to affirm the enrollment agreement, any fees paid by the individual shall be returned promptly in full to him or her.

(2) Upon termination of enrollment under an affirmed enrollment agreement for training in the accredited course by the veteran, spouse, surviving spouse, or reservist, without having completed any lessons, a registration fee not in excess of 10 percent of the tuition for the course or $50, whichever is less, may be charged him or her. When the individual terminates the agreement after completion of less than 25 percent of the lessons of the course, the institution may retain the registration fee plus 25 percent of the tuition. When the individual terminates the agreement after completing 25 percent but less than 50 percent of the lessons, the institution may retain the registration fee plus 50 percent of the tuition for the course. If 50 percent or more of the lessons are completed, no refund of tuition is required.

(3) Where the school either has or adopts an established policy for the refund of the unused portion of tuition, fees, and other charges subject to proration, which is more favorable to the veteran, spouse, surviving spouse, or reservist than the pro rata basis as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, such established policy will be applicable.

(4) Any institution that fails to forward any refund due to the veteran, spouse, surviving spouse, or reservist within 40 days after receipt of a notice of termination or disaffirmance, shall be deemed, prima facie, to have failed to make a prompt refund as required by this section.

A cooperative course may be approved when the course meets the requirement of § 21.4233(a).

(a) General; letter of approval and other notice of approval requirements. The State approving agency, upon determining that an educational institution, training establishment, or organization or entity offering a licensing or certification test has complied with all the requirements for approval will—

(1) Notify by letter, as described in paragraph (b) of this section, each such educational institution, training establishment, or organization or entity offering a licensing or certification test; and

(2) Furnish VA an official copy of the letter, any attachments, and any subsequent amendments. In addition, the State approving agency will furnish VA a copy of each such—

(i) Educational institution's approved catalog or bulletin;

(ii) Training establishment's application requesting approval; or

(iii) Organization's or entity's candidate handbook.

(b) Contents of letter of approval. The letter of approval will include the following:

(1) For an educational institution: (i) Date of the letter and effective date of approval of courses;

(ii) Proper address and name of the educational institution;

(iii) Authority for approval and conditions of approval, referring specifically to the approved catalog or bulletin;

(iv) Name of each course approved, except that a State approving agency, in lieu of listing the name of each course approved at an institution of higher learning, may identify approved courses by reference to page numbers in the school catalog or bulletin;

(v) Where applicable, enrollment limitations, such as maximum number of students authorized and student-teacher ratio;

(vi) Signature of responsible official of State approving agency; and

(vii) Such other fair and reasonable provisions as are considered necessary by the appropriate State approving agency.

(2) For a training establishment: (i) Date of the letter and effective date of approval of the apprentice or other on-the-job training;

(ii) Proper address and name of the training establishment;

(iii) Authority for approval and conditions of approval;

(iv) Name of the approved program of apprenticeship or other on-the-job training;

(v) Where applicable, enrollment limitations, such as maximum number of trainees authorized;

(vi) Such other fair and reasonable provisions as are considered necessary by the appropriate State approving agency; and

(vii) Signature of responsible official of State approving agency.

(3) For an organization or entity offering a licensing or certification test:

(i) Date of the letter and effective date of approval of test(s);

(ii) Proper name of the organization or entity offering the licensing or certification test(s);

(iii) Name of each test approved indicating whether it is a licensing test or certification test;

(iv) Where applicable, enrollment limitations such as maximum numbers authorized and test taker-test proctor ratio; and

(v) Signature of responsible official of State approving agency.

(c) Compliance with equal opportunity laws. (1) The State approving agency shall solicit assurance of compliance with:

(i) Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964,

(ii) Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972, as amended,

(iii) Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973,

(iv) The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and

(v) All Department of Veterans Affairs regulations adopted to carry out these laws.

(2) The State approving agency shall solicit this assurance from:

(i) Proprietary vocational, trade, technical, or other institutions and such schools not a part of a public elementary or secondary school.

(ii) All other educational institutions which the Department of Education has not determined to be in compliance with the equal opportunity laws listed in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(3) Whenever a State approving agency forwards to VA a Notice of Approval for a course offered by an institution described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, it shall also forward the institution's signed statement of compliance with these equal opportunity laws.

(a) The appropriate State approving agency, after approving any course or licensing or certification test:

(1) May suspend the approval of a course for new enrollments, or approval of a licensing or certification test, for a period not to exceed 60 days to allow the institution to correct any deficiencies, if the evidence of record establishes that the course or licensing or certification test fails to meet any of the requirements for approval.

(2) Will immediately disapprove the course or licensing or certification test, if any of the requirements for approval are not being met and the deficiency cannot be corrected within a period of 60 days.

(3) Upon suspension or disapproval, the State approving agency will notify the educational institution by certified or registered letter with a return receipt secured (38 U.S.C. 3679). It is incumbent upon the State approving agency to determine the conduct of courses and to take immediate appropriate action in each case in which it is found that the conduct of a course in any manner fails to comply with the requirements for approval.

(b) Each State approving agency will immediately notify VA of each course, or licensing or certification test, that it has suspended or disapproved.

(c) The Department of Veterans Affairs will suspend approval for or disapprove courses or licensing or certification tests under conditions specified in paragraph (a) of this section where it functions for the State approving agency. See § 21.4150(c).

(d) The Department of Veterans Affairs will immediately notify the State approving agency in each case of Department of Veterans Affairs suspension or disapproval of any school under 38 U.S.C. chapter 31.

(e) The Secretary or the appropriate State approving agency will disapprove a licensing and certification program of education if the educational institution providing the program of education fails to publicly disclose in a prominent manner any conditions or additional requirements, including training, experience, or examinations required to obtain the license, certification, or approval for which the program of education is designed to provide preparation.

(1) The Secretary will determine whether a disclosure is sufficiently prominent; however, at a minimum, the educational institution must publish the conditions or requirements on a publicly facing website and in their catalog, and include them in any publication (regardless of medium) which explicitly mentions “educational assistance benefits for servicemembers (and their dependents) or veterans (and their dependents)” or which, in the view of the Secretary, is intended for VA educational assistance beneficiaries.

(2) Individuals continuously enrolled at the same educational institution pursuing a program of education subject to disapproval under paragraph (e) of this section may complete the program of education.

(a) Approval of postsecondary courses in foreign countries. (1) In order to be approved a postsecondary course offered in a foreign country must meet all the provisions of this paragraph. A course offered by a foreign medical school (other than one located in Canada) must also meet all of the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section.

(i) The educational institution offering the course is an institution of higher learning, and

(ii) The course leads to a standard college degree or its equivalent.

(2) For the purpose of this paragraph, a degree is the equivalent of a standard college degree when the program leading to the degree has the same entrance requirements as one leading to a degree granted by a public degree-granting institution of higher learning in that country.

(b) Approval of courses offered by a foreign medical school. In addition to meeting all the criteria stated in paragraph (a) of this section, a course offered by a foreign medical school (other than one located in Canada) must also meet all of the following criteria:

(1) The school satisfies the criteria for listing as a medical school in the World Directory of Medical Schools published by the World Health Organization (WHO).

(2) The evaluating bodies (such as medical associations or educational agencies) whose views are considered relevant by the Director, Education Service, and which are located in the same country as the school—

(i) Recognize the school as a medical school, and

(ii) Approve the school.

(3) The school provides, and in the normal course requires its students to complete, a program of clinical and classroom instruction at least 32 months long. This program must be—

(i) Supervised closely by members of the school's faculty, and

(ii) Provided either.

(A) Outside the United States in facilities adequately equipped and staffed to afford students comprehensive clinical and classroom medical instruction, or

(B) Inside the United States, through a training program for foreign medical students which has been approved by all the medical licensing boards and evaluating bodies whose views are considered relevant by the Director, Education Service.

(4) The school has graduated classes during each of the two 12-month periods immediately preceding the date on which VA receives the school's application for approval of its courses.

(5) The Director, Education Service, shall withdraw approval of any course when the course or the school offering it fails to meet any of the approval criteria in this section or in Chapter 36, Title 38 U.S.C.

(6) In making the decisions required by this paragraph, the Director, Education Service, may consult with the Secretary of Education. The Director may review any information about a foreign medical school which the Secretary may make available.

(c) Approval of enrollments in foreign courses. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the Department of Veterans Affairs will approve the enrollment of a veteran or eligible person in a course offered by an educational institution not located in a State when—

(i) The eligible person, serviceperson, veteran, or reservist meets the eligibility and entitlement requirements of either §§ 21.3040 through 21.3046, §§ 21.5040 and 21.5041, §§ 21.7040 through 21.7045, or § 21.7540, as appropriate;

(ii) The eligible person's, serviceperson's, veteran's, or reservist's program of education meets the requirements of either § 21.3021(h), § 21.5230, § 21.7020(b)(23), or § 21.7520(b)(17), as appropriate; and

(iii) The course meets the requirements of this section and all other applicable VA regulations.

(2) VA may deny or discontinue the payment of educational assistance allowance to a veteran, serviceperson, eligible person or reservist pursuing a course in an institution of higher learning not located in a State when VA finds that the veteran's, serviceperson's, eligible person's, or reservist's enrollment is not in his or her best interest or the best interest of the Federal Government.

(a) General. An apprentice course is any training on-the-job course which has been established as an apprentice course by a training establishment as defined in § 21.4200(c) and which has been approved as an apprentice course by the State approving agency.

(b) Application. Any training establishment desiring to furnish a course of apprentice training will submit a written application to the appropriate State approving agency setting forth the following:

(1) Title and description of the specific job objective for which the veteran or eligible person is to be trained;

(2) The length of the training period;

(3) A schedule listing various operations for major kinds of work or tasks to be learned and showing for each job operations or work, tasks to be performed, and the approximate length of time to be spent on each operation or task;

(4) The number of hours of supplemental related instruction required; and

(5) Any additional information required by the State approving agency.

(c) Approval criteria. The appropriate State approving agency may approve a course of apprentice training when the training establishment and its apprentice courses are found upon investigation to have met the following criteria:

(1) The standards of apprenticeship published by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to 29 U.S.C. 50a;

(2) A signed copy of the training agreement for each veteran or eligible person, making reference to the training program and wage schedule as approved by the State approving agency, is provided to the veteran or eligible person and the Department of Veterans Affairs and the State approving agency by the employer; and

(3) The course meets such other reasonable criteria as may be established by the State approving agency.

(d) Promotion. As funding permits, Department of Veterans Affairs employees will promote the development of apprenticeships. They will:

(1) Visit employers and joint apprenticeship committees,

(2) Coordinate their efforts with activities of any State approving agencies that may choose to promote the development of apprenticeships, and

(3) Avoid duplicating the efforts of others by coordinating their promotional efforts with similar activities of the Department of Labor and State employment security agencies as provided by written agreements covering these activities, including utilization of disabled veterans' outreach program specialists.

(a) General. An “other training on-the-job” course is any training on the job which does not qualify as an apprentice course, as defined in § 21.4261, but which otherwise meets the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section.

(b) Application. Any training establishment desiring to furnish a course of other training on-the-job will submit to the appropriate State approving agency a written application setting forth the following:

(1) Title and description of the specific job objective for which the veteran or eligible person is to be trained;

(2) The length of the training period;

(3) A schedule listing various operations for major kinds of work or tasks to be learned and showing for each job operations or work, tasks to be performed, and the approximate length of time to be spent on each operation or task;

(4) The number of hours of supplemental related instruction required;

(5) The entrance wage or salary paid by the training establishment to employees already trained in the kind of work for which the veteran or eligible person is to be trained;

(6) A certification that the wages to be paid the veteran or eligible person upon entrance into training are not less than wages paid nonveterans in the same training position and are at least 50 percent of the wages paid for the job for which he or she is to be trained, and will be increased in regular periodic increments until, not later than the last full month of the scheduled training period they will be at least 85 percent of the wages paid for the job for which the veteran or eligible person is being trained;

(7) A certification that there is reasonable certainty that the job for which the veteran or eligible person is to be trained will be available to him or her at the end of the training period; and

(8) Any additional information required by the State approving agency.

(c) Approval criteria. The appropriate State approving agency may approve the application submitted under paragraph (b) of this section, when the training establishment and its courses are found upon investigation to have met the criteria outlined in this paragraph. Approval will not be granted for training in occupations which require a relatively short period of experience for a trainee to obtain and hold employment at the market wage in the occupation. This includes occupations such as automobile service station attendant or manager, soda fountain attendant, food service worker, salesman, window washer, building custodian or other unskilled or common labor positions as well as clerical positions for which on-the-job training is not the normal method of procuring qualified personnel.

(1) The job which is the objective of the training is one in which progression and appointment to the next higher classification are based upon skills learned through organized and supervised training on-the-job and not on such factors as length of service and normal turnover;

(2) The training content of the course is adequate to qualify the veteran or eligible person for appointment to the job for which he or she is to be trained;

(3) The job customarily requires a period of training of not less than 6 months and not more than 2 years of full-time training;

(4) The length of the training period is not longer than that customarily required by the training establishments in the community to provide the veteran or eligible person with the required skills, arrange for the acquiring of job knowledge, technical information, and other facts which the veteran or eligible person will need to learn in order to become competent on the job for which he or she is being trained;

(5) Provision is made for related instruction for the individual veteran or eligible person who may need it;

(6) There is in the training establishment adequate space, equipment, instructional material, and instructor personnel to provide satisfactory training on-the-job;

(7) Adequate records are kept to show the progress made by each veteran or eligible person toward his or her job objective;

(8) The veteran or eligible person is not already qualified by training and experience for the job;

(9) The requirements of paragraphs (b)(6) and (7) of this section are met;

(10) A signed copy of the training agreement for each veteran or eligible person, including the training program and wage schedule as approved by the State approving agency, is provided to the veteran or eligible person and the Department of Veterans Affairs and the State approving agency by the employer; and

(11) The course meets such other reasonable criteria as may be established by the State approving agency.

(d) Promotion. As funding permits, Department of Veterans Affairs employees will promote the development of on-the-job training courses. They will:

(1) Visit employers,

(2) Coordinate their efforts with activities of any State approving agencies that may choose to promote the development of on-the-job training courses, and

(3) Avoid duplicating the efforts of others by coordinating their promotional efforts with similar activities of the Department of Labor and State employment security agencies as provided by written agreements covering these activities, including utilization of disabled veterans' outreach program specialists.

(a) A flight school or institution of higher learning are the only entities that can offer flight courses. A State approving agency may approve a flight course only if a flight school or an institution of higher learning offers the course. A State approving agency may not approve a flight course if an individual instructor offers it. The provisions of § 21.4150 shall determine the proper State approving agency for approving a flight course.

(b) Definition of flight school. A flight school is a school, other than an institution of higher learning, or is an entity, such as an aero club; is located in a State; and meets one of the following sets of requirements:

(1) The Federal Aviation Administration has issued the school or entity either a pilot school certificate or a provisional pilot school certificate specifying each course the school is approved to offer under 14 CFR part 141;

(2) The entity is either a flight training center or an air carrier that does not have a pilot school certificate or provisional pilot school certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration under 14 CFR part 141, but pursuant to a grant of exemption letter issued by the Federal Aviation Administration under 14 CFR part 61 is permitted to offer pilot training by a flight simulator instead of an actual aircraft; or

(3) The Federal Aviation Administration has issued the school or entity a training center certificate under 14 CFR part 142.

(c) Aero club courses. An aero club, established, formed, and operated under authority of service department regulations as a nonappropriated sundry fund activity, is an instrumentality of the Federal government. Consequently, VA has exclusive jurisdiction over approval of flight courses offered by such aero clubs.

(d) Approval of flight training as part of a degree program. A State approving agency may approve a flight training course that is part of a program of education leading to a standard college degree provided the course and program meet the requirements of § 21.4253 or § 21.4254, as appropriate. The institution of higher learning offering the course need not be a flight school.

(e) Approval of flight training courses that are not part of a degree program. A flight course is subject to the same approval requirements as any other course. In addition, the State approving agency must apply the following provisions to the approval of flight courses:

(1) The Federal Aviation Administration must approve the course; and

(2)(i) The course must meet the requirements of 14 CFR part 63 or 141, and a flight school described in paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(3) of this section must offer it; or

(ii) The course must meet the requirements of 14 CFR part 61, and either be offered—

(A) By a flight school described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section; or

(B) In whole or in part by a flight simulator pursuant to a grant of exemption letter issued by the Federal Aviation Administration to the flight school offering the course.

(f) Application of 38 U.S.C. 3680A(e)(2) to flight training. Notwithstanding the fact that the Federal Aviation Administration will permit flight schools to conduct training at a base other than the main base of operations if the requirements of either 14 CFR 141.91 or 14 CFR 142.17 are met, the satellite base is considered under 38 U.S.C. 3680A(e)(2) to be a branch of the principal school, and must meet the requirements of 38 U.S.C. 3680A(e)(2).

(g) Providing a flight course under contract between schools or entities. When a school or entity offers all or part of a flight course under a contract with another school or entity, the State approving agency must apply § 21.4233 in the following manner:

(1) The requirements of § 21.4233(e) must be met for all contracted flight instruction, instruction by flight training device, flight simulator instruction, and ground school training. Ground school training may be given through a ground school facility operated jointly by two or more flight schools in the same locality; and

(2) The responsibility for providing the instruction lies with the flight school. The degree of affiliation between the flight school and the entity or other school that actually does the instructing must be such that all charges for instruction are made by, and paid to, one entity having jurisdiction and control over both the flight and ground portions of the program.

(h) Nonaccredited courses—(1) Application of § 21.4254 to flight training. The provisions of § 21.4254 are applicable to approval of flight training courses.

(2) Additional instruction requirements. The State approving agency will apply the following additional requirements to a flight course:

(i) All flight instruction, instruction by flight training device, flight simulator instruction, preflight briefings and postflight critiques, and ground school training in a course must be given by the flight school or under suitable arrangements between the school and another school or entity such as a local community college.

(ii) All ground school training connected with the course must be in residence under the direction and supervision of a qualified instructor providing an opportunity for interaction between the students and the instructor. Simply making provision for having an instructor available to answer questions does not satisfy this requirement.

(3) A flight school must keep at a minimum the following records for each eligible veteran, servicemember, or reservist pursuing flight training:

(i) A copy of his or her private pilot certificate;

(ii) Evidence of completion of any prior training that may be a prerequisite for the course;

(iii) A copy of the medical certificate required by paragraph (a)(2) of this section for the courses being pursued and copies of all medical certificates (expired or otherwise) needed to support all periods of prior instruction received at the current school;

(iv) A daily flight log or copy thereof;

(v) A permanent ground school record;

(vi) A progress log;

(vii) An invoice of flight changes for individual flights or flight lessons for training conducted on a flight simulator or advanced flight training device;

(viii) Daily flight sheets identifying records upon which the 85-15 percent ratio may be computed;

(ix) A continuous meter record for each aircraft;

(x) An invoice or flight tickets signed by the student and instructor showing hour meter reading, type of aircraft, and aircraft identification number;

(xi) An accounts receivable ledger;

(xii) Individual instructor records;

(xiii) Engine log books;

(xiv) A record for each student above the private pilot level stating the name of the course in which the student is currently enrolled and indicating whether the student is enrolled under 14 CFR part 61, part 63, part 141, or part 142;

(xv) Records of tuition and accounts which are evidence of tuition charged and received from all students; and

(xvi) If training is provided under 14 CFR part 141, the records required by that part, or if training is provided under 14 CFR part 142, the records required by that part.

(i) Hourly limitations. A flight course approved pursuant to paragraph (e) of this section shall be approved only for those hours of instruction generally considered necessary for a student to obtain an identified vocational objective. This requirement is met only if the number of hours approved does not exceed the maximum set forth in paragraph (i)(1) through (3) of this section. Flight instruction may never be substituted for ground training.

(1) Flight or flight simulator instruction. Except as provided in paragraph (i)(4) of this section, the maximum number of hours of flight instruction or flight simulator instruction which may be approved for a flight course shall not exceed the number determined by this paragraph.

(i) The maximum number of hours of solo flight instruction shall not exceed the minimum number of hours required for the course provided by FAA regulations.

(ii) The maximum number of hours of dual flight instruction shall not exceed the lesser of—

(A) The number of hours of dual flight instruction in the course outline approved by the FAA, or

(B) 120% of the minimum number of hours of dual flight instruction required for the course by FAA regulations.

(iii) The maximum number of hours of instruction by flight simulator or flight training device that a State approving agency may approve is the maximum number of hours of instruction by flight simulator or flight training device permitted by 14 CFR part 61 for that course when:

(A) A course is offered in whole or in part by flight simulator or flight training device conducted by a training center certificated under 14 CFR part 142; and

(B) 14 CFR part 61 contains a maximum number of hours of instruction by flight simulator or flight training device that may be credited toward the requirements of the rating or certificate that is the objective of the course.

(iv) If a course is offered in whole or in part by flight simulator or flight training device, and the course is not described in paragraph (i)(1)(iii) of this section, either because the course is offered by a flight training center with a grant of exemption letter, or because 14 CFR part 61 does not contain a maximum number of hours of instruction by flight simulator or flight training device, the maximum number of hours of instruction by flight simulator or flight training device that may be approved may not exceed the number of hours in the Federal Aviation Administration-approved outline.

(2) Ground school. The ground training portion of a flight course may include two forms of ground training instruction, ground school and preflight briefings and postflight critiques. The minimum hours for ground training, as specified in 14 CFR part 141, appendixes C through J refer only to ground school and not to preflight briefings and postflight critiques. If the ground school training consists of units using kits containing audiovisual equipment, quizzes and examinations, the maximum number of units approved shall not exceed the number on the course outline approved by the FAA. For all other ground school training, the number of hours of training shall not exceed the number of hours on the course outline approved by the FAA.

(3) Preflight briefings and postflight critiques. Hours spent in preflight briefings and postflight critiques need not be approved by the FAA.

(i) If these hours are on the FAA-approved outline, the maximum number of hours of preflight briefings and postflight critiques shall not exceed the number of hours on the outline exclusive of the preflight briefings and post-flight critiques which are attributable to solo flying hours that exceed the minimum number of solo flying hours for the course in 14 CFR part 141.

(ii) If these hours are not on the FAA-approved outline, they may not be approved unless the State approving agency finds that the briefings and critiques are an integral part of the course and do not precede or follow solo flying hours which exceed the minimum number of solo flying hours for the course in 14 CFR part 141. The maximum number of hours of preflight briefings and postflight critiques which may be approved for these courses may not, when added together, exceed 25 percent of the approved hours of flight instruction.

(4) Waiver of limitation in approvable course hours. (i) Flight schools that wish to have a greater number of hours of dual flight instruction approved than are permitted by paragraph (i)(1)(ii) of this section, may seek an administrative review of their approval by the Director, Education Service. Requests for such a review should be made in writing to the Director of the VA facility having jurisdiction over the flight school. The request should—

(A) State the reasons why the flight school believes that the approval should extend to a greater number of hours, and

(B) Include any evidence tending to show that the greater number of hours should be approved.

(ii) The Director, Education Service shall base her or his decision upon the evidence submitted, the recommendation of the Director of the VA facility, and, if appropriate, the recommendation of the State approving agency having jurisdiction over the flight school.

(iii) The limit on the number of hours of solo flight instruction found in paragraph (i)(1)(i) of this section may not be waived.

(j) Charges. The appropriate State approving agency shall approve charges for tuition and fees for each flight course exclusive of charges for tuition and fees for solo flying hours which exceed the maximum permitted under paragraph (i)(1)(i) of this section and for preflight briefings and postflight critiques which precede or follow the excess solo hours.

(1) The approved charges for tuition and fees shall be based upon the charges for tuition and fees which similarly circumstanced nonveterans enrolled in the same flight course are required to pay. Charges for books, supplies and lodging may not be reimbursed.

(2) For the ground school portion of ground training, the State approving agency should approve group charges or unit prices if audio-visual equipment is used. For the preflight briefings and postflight critiques, the State approving agency should approve individual instructor rates for individual training flights. An average charge per hour based upon total hours and cost of all training given on the ground may not be approved.

(3) A veteran, servicemember or reservist or group (all or part of whom are veterans, servicemembers or reservists) owning an airplane may lease it to an approved flight school and have exclusive use of the aircraft for flight training. The aircraft should meet the requirements prescribed for all airplanes to be used in the course, and should be shown in the approval by the State approving agency. The leasing arrangement should not result in charges for flight instruction for those owning the airplane greater than charges made to others not leasing an aircraft to the school.

(4) If membership in a flight club entitles a veteran, servicemember or reservist to flight training at less than the standard rate, his or her educational allowance will be based on the reduced rate. No payments will be made for the cost of joining the flight club, since it is not a charge for the flight course.

(k) Substitute aircraft. Except for minor substitutions a veteran, servicemember or reservist enrolled in a flight course may train only in the aircraft approved for that course. If a particular aircraft is not available for some compelling reason, the veteran, servicemember or reservist may be permitted to train in an aircraft different from that approved for the particular course, provided the aircraft substituted will adequately meet the training requirements for this particular phase of the course. Substitutions should be explained on the monthly certifications of flight training. If this shows that the charge for the substituted aircraft is different from the charge approved for the regular aircraft, the reimbursement will be based on the lesser charge. When substitution becomes the practice rather than the exception, VA will suspend payments and notify the veterans, servicemembers, reservists and the school. VA will refer the matter to the State approving agency for appropriate action.

(l) Enrollment limitations. A flight course must meet the 85-15 percent ratio requirement set forth in § 21.4201 before VA may approve new enrollments in the course. The contracted portion of a flight course must meet all the requirements of § 21.4201 for each subcontractor.

(a) Description of a farm cooperative course. A farm cooperative course is an institutional agricultural course. It provides training on a reduced basis to those engaged in farming, compared to other types of training. Part-time benefits are provided for students whose farming operation will not permit them to attend class at least 10 hours per week.

(b) Farm cooperative students must be farmers. In order to receive educational assistance allowance an eligible person must be engaged concurrently in agricultural employment for an average of at least 40 hours per week. This agricultural employment must be relevant to the farm cooperative course.

(c) Acceptable class schedules. (1) The institutional portion of a farm cooperative course:

(i) May be on a term, quarter or semester basis, or

(ii) May consist of courses which:

(A) Are offered during at least 44 weeks of the year, and

(B) Require a minimum of 5 clock hours per week.

(2) The time involved in field trips and individual and group instruction, sponsored and conducted by the educational institution offering farm cooperative courses may be counted toward meeting the clock-hour requirements. See § 21.4270(c) of this part for measurement of farm cooperative courses.

(d) Application. (1) Any school desiring to enroll spouses or children in farm cooperative courses:

(i) Will submit to the appropriate State approving agency a written application for approval in accordance with § 21.4253 or § 21.4254 as appropriate; and

(ii) Must submit statements of fact showing at least the following:

(A) That the course is set up in the school catalog or other literature of the school;

(B) That the agricultural course is offered concurrently with agricultural employment; and

(C) That the school itself verifies on a continuing basis that students are engaged for an average of at least 40 hours per week in suitable agricultural employment which is relevant to the institutional agricultural course offered by the school and is in an area consistent with their institutional training program.

(2) For the purposes of this paragraph suitable agricultural employment must include employment on a farm or other agricultural establishment where the basic activity is either:

(i) The cultivation of the ground such as the raising and harvesting of crops including fruits, vegetables and pastures, or

(ii) The feeding, breeding and managing of livestock, including poultry and other specialized farming.

(3) The Department of Veterans Affairs does not consider employment in training establishments which are engaged primarily in the processing, distribution or sale of agricultural products or combinations thereof, such as dairy processing plants, grain elevators, packing plants, hatcheries, stockyards or florists shops to be suitable agricultural employment.

(e) Approval criteria. The appropriate State approving agency may approve the school's application when the agency finds upon investigation that the school and its courses have met the following conditions:

(1) The criteria specified in § 21.4253 or § 21.4254, as appropriate; and

(2) The requirements of paragraph (d) of this section.

(a) Medical-dental internships and residencies. (1) Medical residencies (other than residencies in podiatric medicine), dental residencies, and osteopathic internships and residencies may be approved and recognized as institutional courses only when an appropriate accrediting agency accredits and approves them as leading to certification for a recognized professional objective.

(2) The appropriate accrediting agencies are:

(i) The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, or where the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has delegated accrediting authority, the appropriate Residency Review Committee,

(ii) The American Osteopathic Association, and

(iii) The Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.

(3) These residency programs—

(i) Must lead to certification by an appropriate Specialty or Subspecialty Board, the American Osteopathic Association, or the American Dental Association; and

(ii) Will not be approved to include a period of practice following completion of the education requirements even though the accrediting agency requires the practice.

(4) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(5) of this section, no other medical or dental residency or osteopathic internship or residency will be approved or recognized as institutional training.

(5) A residency in podiatric medicine may be approved and recognized as institutional training only when it has been approved by the Council on Podiatry Education of the American Podiatry Association.

(b) Nursing courses. (1) Courses for the objective of registered nurse or registered professional nurse will be assessed as institutional training when they are provided in autonomous schools of nursing, hospital schools of nursing, or schools of nursing established in other schools or departments of colleges and universities, if they are accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or if they meet the requirements of the licensing body of the State in which the school is located. The hospital or fieldwork phase of a nursing course, including a course leading to a degree in nursing, will be assessed as an institutional course when the hospital or fieldwork phase is an integral part of the course, the completion thereof is a prerequisite to the successful completion of the course, the student remains enrolled in the school during the period, and the training is under the direction and supervision of the school.

(2) Courses offered by schools which lead to the objective of practical nurse, practical trained nurse, or licensed practical nurse will be assessed as institutional training including both the academic subjects and the clinical training if the clinical training is offered by an affiliated or cooperating hospital and the student is enrolled in and supervised by the school during the period of such clinical training. Also they must be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or meet the requirements of the licensing body of the State in which the school is located.

(3) Except for enrollment in a nurse's aide course approved pursuant to § 21.4253(a)(5), VA shall not approve an enrollment in a nonaccredited nursing course which does not meet the licensing requirements of the State where the course is offered.

(c) Medical and dental specialty courses. (1) Required clinical training included in a school course given in an affiliated hospital, clinic, laboratory, or medical center as a part of a medical or dental specialty course whether accredited or nonaccredited offered by a school such as X-ray technician, medical technician, medical records administrator, physical therapist or dental technician shall be assessed as institutional training provided:

(i) The student remains enrolled in the course during the clinical period;

(ii) The clinical training is;

(a) An integral part of the course;

(b) A prerequisite to the successful completion of the course; and

(c) Under the direction and supervision of the school; and

(iii) The course includes substantial technical or professional training and does not consist of training preliminarily directed to clerical, administrative, secretarial, or receptionist duties.

(2) Medical and dental specialty courses offered in hospitals, clinics, laboratories, or medical centers which are accredited as institutional courses by a nationally recognized accrediting agency will be assessed as institutional training.

(3) Clinical training included in a school course given in a physician's office or a dentist's office, also called externship, will be recognized as part of the institutional training if the course is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency and meets the other requirements of paragraph (c)(1) of this section. If the course is not so accredited such practical or on-the-job training or experience in a physician's office may not be included unless the program is approved as a cooperative course.

(4) Nonaccredited courses offered in hospitals, clinics, laboratories, or medical centers will be considered on-the-job training when the courses meet the requirements of § 21.4262.

(d) Medical and dental assistants courses for the Department of Veterans Affairs. A course prescribed by the Secretary for full-time physicians' assistants or for full-time expanded-function auxiliaries (formerly referred to as dentists' assistants) may be approved as institutional training, if the course is conducted at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities or in facilities operated by hospitals, medical schools, or medical installations pursuant to a contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(e) Professional training courses. (1) Any non-medically related professional internship program, such as a clinical pastoral course, will be recognized as an institutional course when it is accredited as an institutional course by a nationally recognized accrediting agency, and

(2) The approved facility for such a course must be the institution or other facility where the training is given.

(f) Other practical training courses. (1) Other off-campus job experience included in a school course, variously described by schools as internship, residency, practicum, externship, et cetera, may be included as a part of a cooperative program when the course meets the requirements of § 21.4233(a).

(2) However, such off-campus courses may be considered as resident institutional training only if all of the following conditions are met. The course is:

(i) Accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or is offered by a school that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting associations;

(ii) A part of the approved curriculum of the school;

(iii) Directly supervised by the school;

(iv) Measured in the same unit as other courses;

(v) Required for graduation; and

(vi) Has a planned program of activities described in the school's official publication which is approved by the State approving agency and which is institutional in nature as distinguished from training on-the-job. The description shall include at least:

(A) A unit subject description;

(B) A provision for an assigned instructor;

(C) A statement that the planned program of activities is controlled by the school, not by the officials of the job establishment;

(D) A requirement that class attendance on at least a weekly basis be regularly scheduled to provide for interaction between instructor and student;

(E) A statement that appropriate assignments are required for completion of the course;

(F) A grading system similar to the system used for other resident subjects offered by the school; and

(G) A schedule of time required for the training which demonstrates that the student shall spend at least as much time in preparation and training as is normally required by the school for its other resident courses.

(g) Nonaccredited courses. Any nonaccredited internship program not given in a school will be recognized as other on-the-job training when it meets the requirements of § 21.4262 and when the program is required for licensure by the State in which it is offered. (See § 21.4275 for measurement.)

(a) Definitions. The following definitions apply to the terms used in this section.

(1) Administrative capability means the ability to maintain all records and accounts that § 21.4209 requires.

(2) Certifying official means a representative of an educational institution designated to provide VA with the reports and certifications that §§ 21.4203, 21.4204, 21.5810, 21.5812, 21.7152, and 21.7652 require.

(3) Main campus means the location where the primary teaching facilities of an educational institution are located. If an educational institution has only one teaching location, that location is its main campus. If it is unclear which of the educational institution's teaching facilities is primary, the main campus is the location of the primary office of its Chief Executive Officer.

(4) Branch campus means a location of an educational institution that—

(i) Is geographically apart from and operationally independent of the main campus of the educational institution;

(ii) Has its own faculty, administration and supervisory organization; and

(iii) Offers courses in education programs leading to a degree, certificate, or other recognized education credential.

(5) Extension means a location of an educational institution that is geographically apart from and is operationally dependent on the main campus or a branch campus of the educational institution.

(b) State approving agency jurisdiction. (1) The State approving agency for the State where a residence course is being taught has jurisdiction over approval of that course for VA education benefit purposes.

(2) The fact that the location where the educational institution is offering the course may be temporary will not serve to change jurisdictional authority.

(3) The fact that the main campus of the educational institution may be located in another State from that in which the course is being taught will not serve to change jurisdictional authority.

(c) Approving a course offered by a branch campus or an extension of an educational institution. Before approving a course or a program of education offered at a branch campus or an extension of an educational institution, the State approving agency must ensure that—

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, each location where the course or program is offered has administrative capability; and

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, each location where the course or program is offered has a certifying official on site.

(d) Exceptions to the requirement that administrative capability exist at each location. (1) A State approving agency may approve a course or program offered by a branch campus that does not have its own administrative capability if—

(i) The main campus of the educational institution within the same State maintains a centralized recordkeeping system that includes all records and accounts that § 21.4209 requires for each student attending the branch campus without administrative capability. These records may be originals, certified copies, or in an electronically formatted record keeping system; and

(ii) The main campus can identify the records of students at the branch campus for which it maintains centralized records.

(2) The State approving agency may approve a course or program offered by an extension that does not have its own administrative capability if—

(i) The extension and the main campus or branch campus it is dependent on are located within the same State;

(ii) The main campus or branch campus the extension is dependent on has administrative capability for the extension; and

(iii) The State approving agency combines the approval of the course(s) offered by the extension with the approval of the courses offered by the main campus or branch campus the extension is dependent on.

(e) Combined approval. The State approving agency may combine the approval of courses offered by an extension of an educational institution with the approval of the main campus or the branch campus that the extension is dependent on, if the extension is within the same State as the campus it is dependent on. Combining the approval of courses offered by an extension, with the approval of courses offered by the main campus or branch campus the extension is dependent on, does not negate the minimum period of operation requirements in § 21.4251 for courses that do not lead to a standard college degree offered by an extension of a proprietary educational institution. The State approving agency will list the extension and courses approved on the notice of approval sent to the educational institution pursuant to § 21.4258 of this part.

(f) Exceptions to the requirement that each location where the course or program is offered must have a certifying official on site. Exceptions to the requirement in paragraph (c) of this section, that each location with an approved course or program of education must have a certifying official on site, will be permitted for—

(1) Extensions of an educational institution when the State approving agency combines the approval of the courses offered by the extension with a branch campus or main campus. (See paragraph (e) of this section.)

(2) Educational institutions with more than one campus within the same State if the main campus—

(i) Maintains a centralized recordkeeping system. (See paragraph (d)(1) of this section.);

(ii) Has administrative capability for the branch campus (or branch campuses) within the same State; and

(iii) Centralizes its certifying official function at the main campus.

(3) Educational institutions with multi-state campuses when an educational institution wants to centralize its certifying official function into one or more locations if:

(i) The educational institution submits all required reports and certifications that §§ 21.4203, 21.4204, 21.5810, 21.5812, 21.7152, and 21.7652 require via electronic submission through VA's Internet-based education certification application;

(ii) The educational institution designates an employee, at each teaching location of the educational institution that does not have a certifying official present, to serve as a point-of-contact for veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or other eligible persons; the certifying official(s); the State approving agency of jurisdiction; and VA. The designated employee must have access (other than to transmit certifications) to VA's Internet-based education certification application to provide certification information to veterans, servicemembers, reservists, or other eligible persons, State approving agency representatives, and VA representatives;

(iii) Each certifying official uses the VA facility code for the location that has administrative capability for the teaching location where the student is training when submitting required reports and certifications to VA; and

(iv) Each certifying official has full access to the administrative records and accounts that § 21.4209 requires for each student attending the teaching location(s) for which the certifying official has been designated responsibility. These records may be originals, certified copies, or in an electronically formatted record keeping system.

(a) Overview. Except as provided in §§ 21.4252(g), 21.7120(d), and 21.7622(f), VA may not pay educational assistance for a nonaccredited course which is offered in whole or in part by independent study. Hence, it is necessary to differentiate independent study from similar courses.

(b) Definition of independent study. (1) VA considers a course to be offered entirely by independent study when—

(i) It consists of a prescribed program of study with provision for interaction between the student and the regularly employed faculty of the institution of higher learning. The interaction may be personally or through use of communications technology, including mail, telephone, videoconferencing, computer technology (to include electronic mail), and other electronic means;

(ii) It is offered without any regularly scheduled, conventional classroom or laboratory sessions; and

(iii) It is not a course listed in paragraph (c), (d), or (e) of this section.

(2) VA considers a course to be offered in part by independent study when—

(i) It is not classified as one of the three types of courses listed in paragraph (c) of this section;

(ii) It has some weeks when standard class sessions are scheduled; and

(iii) It consists of independent study as defined in paragraph (b)(1) of this section during those weeks when there are no regularly scheduled class sessions.

(c) Scope of independent study. VA does not consider any of the following courses to be courses offered by independent study.

(1) A cooperative course as defined in § 21.4233(a);

(2) A farm cooperative course; or

(3) A course approved as a correspondence course.

(d) Undergraduate resident training. VA considers the following undergraduate courses to be resident training.

(1) A course which meets the requirements for resident institutional training found in § 21.4265(f);

(2) A course which requires regularly scheduled, standard class sessions at least once every two weeks and which has a total number of class sessions equal to the number of credit hours awarded for the course, times the number of weeks in a standard quarter or semester, as applicable;

(3) A course of student teaching; and

(4) Flight training which is an integral part of a standard undergraduate college degree.

(e) Graduate resident training. VA considers a graduate course to be resident training if the course—

(1) Is offered through regularly scheduled, conventional classroom or laboratory sessions; or

(2) Consists of research (either on campus or in absentia) necessary for the preparation of the student's—

(i) Master's thesis,

(ii) Doctoral dissertation, or

(iii) Similar treatise which is prerequisite to the degree being pursued; or

(3) Consists of a combination of training as described in paragraphs (e)(1) and (e)(2) of this section.

(f) Course approval. A State approving agency may approve a course offered by independent study or a combination of independent study and resident training only if the course—

(1) Is accredited;

(2) Meets the requirements of § 21.4253; and

(3) Either—

(i) Leads to a standard college degree; or

(ii) For courses approved on or after December 27, 2001, leads to a certificate that reflects educational attainment offered by an institution of higher learning.

(g) Remedial and deficiency courses. Remedial and deficiency courses offered by independent study cannot be approved.

(a) Authority to approve licensing and certification tests. (1) Except for approval of the licensing and certification tests and the organizations or entities offering these tests that, as provided in § 21.4250(c)(2), are VA's responsibility, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs delegates to each State approving agency the authority, within the respective State approving agency's jurisdiction provided in § 21.4250(a), to approve licensing and certification tests and to approve the organizations or entities offering licensing and certification tests.

(2) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs delegates to the Under Secretary for Benefits, and to personnel the Under Secretary for Benefits may designate within the Education Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration, the authority to approve the licensing and certification tests and the organizations or entities offering these tests that, as provided in § 21.4250(c)(2)(vi), are VA's responsibility.

(b) Approval of tests. (1) If an organization or entity wants a licensing or certification test that it offers to be approved for payment of educational assistance, it must apply for approval to the State approving agency having jurisdiction over the locality where the organization or entity has its headquarters. The application must be in the form the State approving agency requires.

(2) In order to be approved for payment of educational assistance to veterans and eligible persons, a licensing or certification test must meet the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, and the organization or entity offering the test must meet the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section and, if appropriate, the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section.

(i) The State approving agency may approve a licensing or certification test only if—

(A) The test is required under Federal, State, or local law or regulation for an individual to enter into, maintain, or advance in employment in a predetermined and identified vocation or profession; or

(B) The State approving agency decides that the test is generally accepted, in accordance with relevant government, business, or industry standards, employment policies, or hiring practices, as attesting to a level of knowledge or skill required to qualify to enter into, maintain, or advance in employment in a predetermined and identified vocation or profession.

(ii) If a State or political subdivision of a State offers a licensing or certification test, the State approving agency will deem the test to have met the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.

(3) In considering whether the test is generally accepted, a State approving agency may consider the following:

(i) The nature and number of the entities that recognize the certificate awarded to candidates who pass the test;

(ii) The degree to which employers in the relevant industry accept the certification test;

(iii) Whether major employers in an industry require that their employees obtain the certificate awarded to candidates who pass the test;

(iv) The percentage of people employed in the vocation or profession who have taken the test and obtained the certificate; or

(v) Any other reasonable criterion that the State approving agency believes will clarify whether the test is generally accepted.

(4) Generally, if a State approving agency approves a certification test, VA will consider that the test is approved for any veteran or eligible person even if he or she takes the test at a location outside the State where the organization or entity offering the test has its headquarters. However, a certification test approval is valid only in the State where the State approving agency has jurisdiction if—

(i) A State licensing agency recognizes the certification test as meeting a requirement for a license and has sought approval for that test; and

(ii) The State approving agency for the State where the licensing agency is located approves that test.

(c) Approval of organizations or entities offering licensing or certification tests. An organization or entity must meet the requirements of this paragraph and, if a nongovernmental organization, of paragraph (d) of this section, in order for the State approving agency to approve a licensing or certification test that the organization or entity offers for payment of educational assistance to veterans and eligible persons who take the test. The organization or entity must—

(1) Maintain appropriate records with respect to all candidates who take the test for a period of not less than three years from the date the organization or entity administers the test to the candidates;

(2) Promptly issue notice of the results of the test to the candidate for the license or certificate;

(3) Have a process to review complaints submitted against the organization or entity with respect to the test or the process for obtaining a license or certificate required for a vocation or profession;

(4) Give to the State approving agency the following information:

(i) A description of the licensing or certification test that the organization or entity offers, including the purpose of the test, the vocational, professional, governmental, and other entities that recognize the test, and the license or certificate issued upon passing the test;

(ii) The requirements to take the test, including the amount of the fee charged for the test and any prerequisite education, training, skills, or other certification; and

(iii) The period for which the license or certificate is awarded is valid, and the requirements for maintaining or renewing the license or certificate; and

(5) Agree to give the following information to VA at VA's request:

(i) The amount of the fee a candidate pays to take a test;

(ii) The results of any test a candidate takes; and

(iii) Personal identifying information of any candidate who applies for reimbursement from VA for a test.

(d) Approval of nongovernmental organizations or entities offering certification tests. (1) In addition to complying with the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section, a nongovernmental organization or entity must meet the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section before a certification test it offers can be approved for payment of educational assistance to veterans and eligible persons who take the test. Except as provided in paragraphs (d)(3) and (d)(4) of this section, the organization or entity—

(i) Certifies to the State approving agency that the licensing or certification test offered by the organization or entity is generally accepted, in accordance with relevant government, business, or industry standards, employment policies, or hiring practices, as attesting to a level of knowledge or skill required to qualify to enter into, maintain, or advance in employment in a predetermined and identified vocation or profession;

(ii) Is licensed, chartered, or incorporated in a State and has offered the test for a minimum of two years before the date on which the organization or entity first submits to the State approving agency an application for approval under this section;

(iii) Employs, or consults with, individuals with expertise or substantial experience with respect to all areas of knowledge or skill that are measured by the test and that are required for the license or certificate issued; and

(iv) Has no direct financial interest in—

(A) The outcome of the test; or

(B) An organization that provides the education or training of candidates for licenses or certificates required for a vocation or profession.

(2) At the request of the State approving agency, the organization or entity seeking approval for a licensing or certification test must give such information to the State approving agency as the State approving agency decides is necessary to perform an assessment of—

(i) The test the organization or entity conducts as compared to the level of knowledge or skills that a license or certificate attests; and

(ii) The applicability of the test over such periods of time as the State approving agency decides is appropriate.

(3) The provisions of paragraph (d)(1)(ii) of this section will not prevent the approval of a test if the organization or entity has offered a reasonably related test for at least two years.

(4) The provisions of paragraph (d)(1)(iv) of this section will not prevent the approval of a test if the organization or entity—

(i) Offers a sample test or preparatory materials to a candidate for the test but does not otherwise provide preparatory education or training to the candidate; or

(ii) Has a financial interest in an organization that provides preparatory education or training of a candidate for a test, but that test is advantageous in but not required for practicing a vocation or profession.

(e) Notice of approval and withdrawal of approval. The State approving agency must provide notice of an approval of a test as required in § 21.4250(b). If the State approving agency wishes to withdraw approval of a test, it must follow the provisions of § 21.4259.

(f) A decision to disapprove a test or an organization or entity offering a test may be reviewed. (1) If an organization or entity offering a test disagrees with a State approving agency's decision to disapprove a test or to disapprove the organization or entity offering the test, it may seek a review of the decision from the Director, Education Service. If the Director, Education Service has acted as the State approving agency, the organization or entity may seek a review of the decision from the Under Secretary for Benefits.

(2) The organization or entity must make its request for a review in writing to the State approving agency. The State approving agency must receive the request within 90 days of the date of the notice to the organization or entity that the test or the organization or entity is disapproved.

(3) The review will be based on the evidence of record at the time the State approving agency made its initial decision. It will not be de novo in character.

(4) The Director, Education Service or the Under Secretary for Benefits may seek the advice of the Professional Certification and Licensure Advisory Committee, established under 38 U.S.C. 3689(e), as to whether the State approving agency's decision should be reversed.

(5) The decision of the Director, Education Service or the Under Secretary for Benefits is the final administrative decision. It will not be subject to further administrative review.

(a) Beginning on August 1, 2019, a State approving agency, or the Secretary when acting in the role of the State approving agency, shall disapprove a program of education provided by an educational institution that has in effect a policy that is inconsistent with any of the following:

(1) A policy that permits any covered individual to attend or participate in the program of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution any verifiable and authoritative VA document demonstrating entitlement to educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 31, chapter 33, or chapter 35 (such as a decision or notice of decision on entitlement, letter from VA, updated award letter from VA, or print-out of eligibility (statement of benefits) from a web-based VA system or beneficiary portal to include verification through VA's secure information technology system in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 3699A if an individual has provided authorization to obtain remaining entitlement information), and ending on the earlier of the following dates:

(i) The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution.

(ii) The date that is 90 days after the date on which the educational institution certifies tuition and fees following receipt of the verifiable and authoritative VA document proving entitlement to educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 31, chapter 33, or chapter 35.

(2) A policy that ensures an educational institution will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual's inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be provided by VA under 38 U.S.C. chapter 31, chapter 33, or chapter 35.

(b) For purposes of this section, a covered individual is any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 31, chapter 33, or chapter 35.

(c) The Secretary (or designee) may waive such requirements of paragraph (a) of this section as the Secretary (or designee) considers appropriate. An educational institution must apply for a waiver within 60 days of the SAA determination that an educational institution is not in compliance with paragraph (a).

(d) It shall not be inconsistent with a policy described in paragraph (a) of this section for an educational institution:

(1) To require a covered individual to take the following additional actions:

(i) Submit any verifiable and authoritative VA document to prove entitlement to educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 31, chapter 33, or chapter 35 (as described in paragraph (a)(1)) not later than the first day of a program of education for which the individual has indicated the individual wishes to use the individual's entitlement to educational assistance.

(ii) Submit a written request to use such entitlement.

(iii) Provide additional information necessary to the proper certification of enrollment by the educational institution. If an educational institution intends to require additional information necessary for proper certification of enrollment, any such requirement must be included in the school's published catalog and also must be approved by the State approving agency, or the Secretary when acting in the role of the State approving agency, as being necessary for proper certification and not overly burdensome to submit.

(2) In a case in which a covered individual is unable to meet a financial obligation to an educational institution due to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be provided by VA under 38 U.S.C. chapter 31, chapter 33, or chapter 35 and the amount of such disbursement is less than the educational institution anticipated, to require additional payment of or impose a fee for the amount that is the difference between the amount of the financial obligation and the amount of the disbursement.

(i) Such additional payment may include the amount of a financial obligation associated with charges for which VA does not pay benefits (e.g., room and board, any portion of tuition for which a claimant does not qualify).

(ii) An educational institution may utilize its standard debt collection policies for these amounts, including the assessment of late fees.

(a) Measurement of trade, technical, and high school courses. Trade, technical, high school, and high school preparatory courses shall be measured as stated in this paragraph.

(1) Trade and technical courses. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, if shop practice is an integral part of a trade or technical course not leading to a standard college degree—

(A) A full-time enrollment is 22 clock hours per week (exclusive of supervised study) with not more than 2 1/2 hours rest period allowance;

(B) A three-quarter-time enrollment is 16 through 21 clock hours per week (exclusive of supervised study) with not more than 2 hours rest period allowance;

(C) A one-half-time enrollment is 11 through 15 clock hours per week (exclusive of supervised study) with not more than 1 1/4 hours rest period allowance;

(D) A less than one-half-time but more than one-quarter-time enrollment is 6 through 10 clock hours per week (exclusive of supervised study) with not more than 3/4 hour rest period allowance; and

(E) A quarter-time enrollment is 1 through 5 clock hours per week (exclusive of supervised study).

(ii) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, if theory and class instruction constitute more than 50 percent of the required hours in a trade or technical course not leading to a standard college degree, enrollments will be measured as follows. In measuring net instruction there will be included customary intervals not to exceed 10 minutes between classes. Shop practice and rest periods are excluded. Supervised instruction periods in a school's shops and the time involved in field trips and group instruction may be included in computing the clock hour requirements.

(A) A full-time enrollment is 18 clock hours net instruction per week (exclusive of supervised study);

(B) A three-quarter-time enrollment is 13 through 17 clock hours net instruction per week (exclusive of supervised study);

(C) A one-half-time enrollment is 9 through 12 clock hours net instruction per week (exclusive of supervised study);

(D) A less than one-half-time but more than one-quarter-time enrollment is 5 through 8 clock hours net instruction per week (exclusive of supervised study); and

(E) A quarter-time enrollment is 1 through 4 clock hours net instruction per week (exclusive of supervised study).

(2) High school courses. If a student is pursuing high school courses at a rate which would result in an accredited high school diploma in four ordinary school years, VA considers him or her to be enrolled full time. Otherwise, for high school enrollments, training time will be determined as follows. (For the purpose of this paragraph, a unit is not less than one hundred and twenty 60-minute hours or the equivalent of study in any subject in one academic year.)

(i) A full-time enrollment is 18 clock hours net instruction per week or four units per year or the equivalent;

(ii) A three-quarter-time enrollment is 13 through 17 clock hours net instruction per week or three units per year or the equivalent;

(iii) A one-half-time enrollment is 9 through 12 clock hours net instruction per week or two units per year or the equivalent;

(iv) A less than one-half-time but more than one-quarter-time enrollment is 5 through 8 clock hours net instruction per week or one unit per year or the equivalent; and

(v) A one-quarter-time enrollment is 1 through 4 clock hours net instruction per week.

(3) Elementary school. For a high school preparatory course pursued at the elementary school level—

(i) A full-time enrollment is 18 clock hours net instruction per week;

(ii) A three-quarter-time enrollment is 13 through 17 clock hours net instruction per week;

(iii) A one-half-time enrollment is 9 through 12 clock hours net instruction per week;

(iv) A less than one-half-time but more than one-quarter-time enrollment is 5 through 8 clock hours net instruction per week; and

(v) A one-quarter-time enrollment is 1 through 4 clock hours per week.

(b) Measurement of non-college degree courses offered by institutions of higher learning. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, if a student is enrolled in a course which is not leading to a standard college degree and which is offered by an institution of higher learning, VA will measure his or her enrollment in the same manner as collegiate undergraduate courses are measured according to the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, if a student is enrolled in a course not leading to a standard college degree which is offered on a standard quarter- or semester-hour basis by an educational institution which is not an institution of higher learning, VA shall measure his or her enrollment in the same manner as collegiate undergraduate courses are measured according to the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section, provided that the educational institution requires at least the same minimum number of hours of weekly attendance as are required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section for courses offered on a clock-hour basis. If the educational institution does not require at least the same minimum number of hours of weekly attendance as are required in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, VA will not apply the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section, but will measure the course according to the criteria in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(c) Undergraduate, graduate, professional, and on-the-job training courses. Collegiate graduate, professional and on-the-job training courses shall be measured as stated in this table. This shall be used for measurement of collegiate undergraduate courses subject to all the measurement criteria of § 21.4272. Clock hours and sessions mentioned in this table mean clock hours and class sessions per week.

VA will measure a college level course in an institution of higher learning on a credit-hour basis provided all the conditions under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section are met. See also § 21.4273.

(a) Degree courses—accredited or candidate. VA will measure a degree course on a credit-hour basis when—

(1) An institution of higher learning offers the course; and

(2) A nationally recognized accrediting association either—

(i) Accredits the institution of higher learning, or

(ii) Recognizes the institution as a candidate for accreditation; and

(3) The credits earned in the course can be applied towards an associate, baccalaureate or higher degree which is—

(i) Appropriate to the level of the institution of higher learning's accreditation, or

(ii) Appropriate to the level of the institution of higher learning's candidacy for accreditation; and

(4) The course is offered on a semester-hour or quarter-hour basis, and

(5) The degree to which the course credits are applicable either—

(i) Is granted by the institution of higher learning offering the course,

(ii) Is a part of a concurrent enrollment as described in § 21.4233(b), or

(iii) Is being pursued by a nonmatriculated student as provided in § 21.4252(l)(1), (2) or (3).

(b) Degree courses—nonaccredited. VA will measure on a credit-hour basis a degree course which does not meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section when—

(1) The course is offered on a semester- or quarter-hour basis, and

(2) The course leads to an associate, baccalaureate, or higher degree, which is granted by the school offering the degree under authority specifically conferred by a State education agency, and

(3) The school will furnish a letter from a State university or letters from three schools that are full members of a nationally recognized accrediting association. In each letter the State university or accredited school must certify either:

(i) That credits have been accepted on transfer at full value without reservation, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a baccalaureate or higher degree for at least three students within the last 5 years, and that at least 40 percent of the subjects within each curriculum, for which credit-hour measurement is sought, has been accepted without reservation by the certifying State university or accredited school, or

(ii) That in the last 5 years at least three students, who have received a baccalaureate or higher degree as a result of having completed the nonaccredited course, have been admitted without reservation into a graduate or advanced professional program offered by the certifying State university or accredited school.

(c) [Reserved]

(d) Course measurement general. When an undergraduate course qualifies for credit-hour measurement, VA will measure it according to the table contained in § 21.4270(c) of this part.

(e)-(f) [Reserved]

(g) Course measurement; nonstandard terms. (1) When a term is not a standard semester or quarter as defined in § 21.4200(b), the Department of Veterans Affairs will determine the equivalent for full-time training by:

(i) Multiplying the credits to be earned in the term by 18 if credit is granted in semester hours, or by 12 if credit is granted in quarter hours, and

(ii) Dividing the product by the number of whole weeks in the term.

(2) In determining whole weeks for this formula VA will—

(i) Determine the number of days from the beginning to the end of the term as certified by the educational institution, subtracting any vacation period of 7 days or more;

(ii) Divide the number of days in the term by 7;

(iii) Disregard a remainder of 3 days or less, and

(iv) Consider 4 days or more to be a whole week.

(3) The quotient resulting from the use of the formula is called equivalent credit hours. VA treats equivalent credit hours as credit hours for measurement purposes.

(h)-(i) [Reserved]

(j) Course measurement; credit course taken under special circumstances. If a course is acceptable for credit, but the educational institution does not award credit to the veteran or eligible person because he or she has not met college entrance requirements or for some other valid reason, the Department of Veterans Affairs will measure the course as though it were pursued for credit, provided the veteran or eligible person performs all of the work prescribed for other students who are enrolled for credit.

(k) Course measurement; noncredit courses. (1) Except for courses leading to a secondary school diploma or equivalent, the Department of Veterans Affairs will measure noncredit courses given by an institution of higher learning on a quarter- or semester-hour basis if the institution considers them to be the equivalent, for other administrative purposes, of undergraduate courses that lead to a standard college degree at the institution of higher learning.

(2) The Department of Veterans Affairs shall measure other noncredit courses under the appropriate criteria of § 21.4270.

(3) Where a school requires a veteran or eligible person to pursue noncredit deficiency, remedial or refresher courses in order to meet scholastic or entrance requirements, the school will certify the credit-hour equivalent of the noncredit deficiency, remedial or refresher courses in addition to the credit hours for which the veteran or eligible person is enrolled. The Department of Veterans Affairs will measure the course on the total of the credit hours and credit-hour equivalency.

(a) In residence. (1) The Department of Veterans Affairs will measure a nonaccredited graduate or advanced professional course (other than a law course) as provided in § 21.4272. The Department of Veterans Affairs will measure a nonaccredited law course as stated in § 21.4274.

(2) An accredited graduate or advanced professional course, including law as specified in § 21.4274, pursued in residence at an institution of higher learning will be measured in accordance with § 21.4272 unless it is the established policy of the school to consider less than 14 semester hours or the equivalent as full-time enrollment, or the course includes research, thesis preparation, or a comparable prescribed activity beyond that normally required for the preparation of ordinary classroom assignments. In either case a responsible official of the school will certify that the veteran or eligible person is pursuing the course full, three-quarter, one-half, less than one-half but more than one-quarter, or one quarter or less time.

(b) In absentia. A responsible official of the school will certify a program of research pursued by a veteran or eligible person in absentia as full, three-fourths, one-half, less than one-half but more than one-quarter, or one-quarter or less time, and the activity will be assessed by the Department of Veterans Affairs accordingly when:

(1) The research activity is defined and organized so as to enable the certifying official to evaluate the time required for its successful pursuit, and

(2) The time certified for the research activity is independent of the time devoted to any employment situation in which the veteran or eligible person might be engaged.

(c) Undergraduate or combination. If a graduate student is enrolled in both graduate and undergraduate courses concurrently, or solely in undergraduate courses, VA will measure such an enrollment using the provisions of § 21.4272 or the graduate school's assessment of training time, whichever will result in a higher monthly rate for the veteran.

(a) Accredited. A law course in an accredited law school leading to a standard professional law degree will be assessed as provided in § 21.4273(a).

(b) Nonaccredited. A law course leading to a professional law degree, completion of which will satisfy State educational requirements for admission to legal practice, pursued in a nonaccredited law school which requires for admission to the course at least 60 standard semester units of credit or the equivalent in quarter units of credit, will be assessed on the basis of 12 class sessions per week for full-time attendance. If the course does not meet these requirements it will be assessed on the basis of clock hours of attendance per week.

(a) Medical and dental residencies and osteopathic internships and residencies. VA will measure medical and dental residencies, and osteopathic internships and residencies as provided in § 21.4270(c) of this part if they are accredited and approved in accordance with § 21.4265(a) of this part.

(b) Nursing courses. (1) Courses for the objective of registered nurse or registered professional nurse will be measured on the basis of credit hours or clock hours of attendance, whichever is appropriate. The clock hours of attendance may include academic class time, clinical training, and supervised study periods.

(2) Courses offered by schools which lead to the objective of practical nurse, practical trained nurse, or licensed practical nurse will be measured on credit hours or clock hours of attendance per week whichever is appropriate.

(c) Medical and dental specialty courses. (1) Medical and dental specialty courses offered by a school whether accredited or nonaccredited, shall be measured on the basis of credit hours or clock hours of attendance, whichever is appropriate.

(2) Medical and dental specialty courses offered in hospitals, clinics, laboratories or medical centers which are accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency shall be measured on the basis of clock hours of attendance per week.

(d) Medical and dental assistants courses for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Programs approved in accordance with the provisions of § 21.4265(d) will be measured on a clock-hour basis as appropriate in accordance with § 21.4270, however, the program will be regarded as full-time instructional training: Provided, The combined total of the classroom and other formal instruction portion of the program and on-job-training portion of the program requires 30 or more clock hours of attendance per week.

(e) Professional training courses. Nonmedically related professional training courses, such as the clinical pastoral course, shall be measured in semester hours of attendance or clock hours of attendance per week, whichever is appropriate.

(f) Other practical training courses. These courses will be measured in semester hours of credit or clock hours of attendance per week, whichever is appropriate, if approved under § 21.4265(f). (See § 21.4265 for approval.)

(a) Satisfactory pursuit of program. Entitlement to benefits for a program of education is subject to the requirement that the veteran or eligible person, having commenced the pursuit of such program, continues to maintain satisfactory progress. If the veteran or eligible person does not maintain satisfactory progress, educational benefits will be discontinued by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Progress is unsatisfactory if the veteran or eligible person does not satisfactorily progress according to the regularly prescribed standards and practices of the institution he or she is attending.

(b) Satisfactory conduct. Entitlement to a program of education is subject to the requirement that the veteran or eligible person, having commenced the pursuit of such program, continues to maintain satisfactory conduct in accordance with the regularly prescribed standards and practices of the institution in which he or she is enrolled. If the veteran or eligible person will no longer be retained as a student or will not be readmitted as a student by the institution in which he or she is enrolled, educational benefits will be discontinued, unless further development establishes that the action of the school is of a retaliatory nature. See § 21.4253.

(c) Satisfactory attendance. Entitlement to benefits for a program of education is subject to the requirement that the veteran or eligible person, having commenced the pursuit of such program, continues to maintain satisfactory attendance in accordance with the regularly prescribed standards and practices of the institution in which he or she is enrolled. If the veteran or eligible person will no longer be retained as a student or will not be readmitted as a student by the institution in which he or she is enrolled, educational benefits will be discontinued.

(a) Conditions permitting reentrance after discontinuance. A veteran or eligible person may be reentered following discontinuance because of unsatisfactory conduct, progress or attendance only when either of the following sets of conditions exist:

(1) The veteran or eligible person is resuming enrollment at the same educational institution in the same program of education and the educational institution has—

(i) Approved the veteran's or eligible person's reenrollment, and

(ii) Certified it to the Department of Veterans Affairs; or

(2) All of the following exist:

(i) The cause of unsatisfactory conduct, progress or attendance has been removed,

(ii) VA determines that the program which the veteran or eligible person now proposes to pursue is suitable to his or her aptitudes, interests and abilities, and

(iii) If a proposed change of program is involved, the change meets the requirements for approval under §§ 21.4234, 21.5232, 21.7114 and 21.7614 of this part.

(b) Programs which may be reentered after discontinuance. Reentrance may be for the same program, for a revised program or for an entirely different program depending on the cause of the discontinuance and the removal of that cause.

(a) Requirements for pursuit. A program of education may be pursued partly in residence and partly by correspondence for the attainment of a predetermined and identified objective under the following conditions:

(1) The correspondence and residence portions are pursued sequentially; that is, not concurrently.

(2) It is the practice of the institution to permit a student to pursue a part of his or her course by correspondence in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the attainment of the specified objective.

(3) The total credit established by correspondence does not exceed the maximum for which the institution will grant credit toward the specified objective.

(4) The educational institution offering the course is accredited by an agency recognized by the Secretary of Education; and

(5) The State approving agency has approved the correspondence-residence course and has verified compliance with the requirement of 38 U.S.C. 3672(e) and § 21.4256(a) that at least 50 percent of those pursuing the correspondence-residence course require six months or more to complete it.

(b) Payment for pursuit of a correspondence-residence program. The rate of educational assistance payable to a spouse or surviving spouse under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 for the residence portion of a correspondence-residence course or program shall be computed as set forth in §§ 21.3131(a) and 21.4270.

(1) The charges for that portion of the course or program pursued exclusively by correspondence will be in accordance with § 21.3131(a) with 1 month entitlement charged for each $404 of cost reimbursed.

(2) The charges for the residence portion of the program must be separate from those for the correspondence portion.