38 CFR § 21.9591 - Approved programs of education and courses—for provisions effective after July 31, 2011.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t38/s21.9591"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "38 CFR § 21.9591 - Approved programs of education and courses—for provisions effective after July 31, 2011."
title_number: 38
title_name: "Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief"
section_number: "21.9591"
section_name: "Approved programs of education and courses—for provisions effective after July 31, 2011."
chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS"
part_number: "21"
part_name: "VETERAN READINESS AND EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
cfr_part: "21"
---


# 21.9591 Approved programs of education and courses—for provisions effective after July 31, 2011.

For training that begins on or after August 1, 2011—

(a) *Basis for education assistance payments.* Payments of educational assistance are based on pursuit of a program of education. In order to receive educational assistance under 38 U.S.C. chapter 33, an eligible individual must—

(1) Be pursuing an approved *program* of education;

(2) Be pursuing refresher, remedial, or deficiency courses as these courses are defined in § 21.7020(b);

(3) Be pursuing other preparatory or special education or training courses necessary to enable the individual to pursue an approved program of education;

(4) Have taken an approved licensing or certification test, national test for admission, or national test for credit for which he or she is requesting reimbursement; or

(5) Be an individual who has taken a course for which the individual received tuition assistance provided under a program administered by the Secretary of a military department under 10 U.S.C. 2007(a) or (c), for which the individual is requesting educational assistance for the amount of tuition and fees not covered by military tuition assistance.

(b) *Approval of the selected program of education.* Subject to paragraph (a) of this section, VA will approve a program of education under 38 U.S.C. chapter 33 selected by the individual if:

(1) The program meets the definition of a program of education in § 21.9506; (2) Except for a program consisting of a licensing or certification test, a national test for admission, or a national test for credit, the program has an educational, vocational, or professional objective as described in § 21.7020(b)(13) or (22);

(3) The courses, subjects, licensing or certification tests, national tests for admission, or national tests for credit in the program are approved for VA training; and

(4) Except for a program consisting of a licensing or certification test designed to help the individual maintain employment in a vocation or profession, or for a program consisting of a national test for admission or a national test for credit, the individual is not already qualified for the objective of the program.

(c) *Change of program.* In determining whether an individual may change his or her selected program of education, VA will apply the provisions of § 21.4234.

(d) *Authority.* (1) Paragraph (a) of this section issued under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 3313, 3315, 3315A, 3323(a), 3689; and

(2) Paragraph (b) of this section issued under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 3034(a), 3323(a), 3471, 3689.

[90 FR 5341, Jan. 16, 2025]