The Educational Assistance Test Program (EATP) was created
by the Department of Defense to encourage enlistment and reenlistment
in the U.S. Army. Benefits are available to individuals who
entered on active duty after September 30, 1980, and before
October 1, 1981. However, if entry was under a delayed enlistment
contract signed between September 30, 1980, and October 1,
1981, then benefits are available if the individual entered
active duty before October 1, 1982.
Benefits earned are one academic year (nine months) of
entitlement for each full calendar year of active duty served
during your qualifying enlistment or reenlistment. For example,
if your qualifying service lasted 40 months, your entitlement
would be 30 months.
The maximum amount of entitlement earned is 36 months
(four standard academic years) based on 48 months (four full
years) of qualifying service.
There are two types of allowances: assistance allowance and
subsistence allowance. A description of each allowance is shown
below:
ASSISTANCE ALLOWANCE
Assistance allowance covers your educational expenses for
instruction received at an accredited institution. Effective
October 1, 2000, the total assistance allowance payable for
an academic year may not exceed $3,524. Servicepersons,
veterans, and dependents of servicepersons and veterans, may
receive assistance allowance.
Your educational expenses include the cost of your tuition,
fees, books, and the lab or shop fees for consumable materials.
If entitled, you will receive assistance allowance once each
term, quarter, or semester. VA issues payment at the end of
the first month in which training begins, or as soon as possible
thereafter.
SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE
Effective October 1, 2000, the monthly rate of subsistence
allowance for full-time training is $878.00.
The monthly rate for part-time training is $439.00.
VA pays subsistence allowance for a month on the first of
the following month. For example, VA issues the check for
March on or about April 1.
If you are a serviceperson or the dependent of a serviceperson,
you are not eligible to receive subsistence allowance. However,
when you receive assistance allowance, VA will charge entitlement
for both assistance and subsistence allowance. This will insure
that your remaining entitlement for both allowances will always
be equal.
More detailed information can be found on the VA
website.
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