---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 C.F.R. § 21.9591"
title: "38"
number: "21.9591"
heading: "Approved programs of education and courses—for provisions effective after July 31, 2011."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/38/21.9591"
---

# §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)](/cfr/38/21.7020.md?p=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)](/usc/10/2007.md?p=a) or [(c)](/usc/10/2007.md?p=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)](#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](/cfr/38/21.9506.md); (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)](/cfr/38/21.7020.md?p=b-13) or [(22)](/cfr/38/21.7020.md?p=b-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](/cfr/38/21.4234.md).
- (d) **Authority.**
  - (1) [Paragraph (a)](#a) of this section issued under the authority of 38 U.S.C. [3313](/usc/38/3313.md), [3315](/usc/38/3315.md), [3315A](/usc/38/3315A.md), [3323(a)](/usc/38/3323.md?p=a), [3689](/usc/38/3689.md); and
  - (2) [Paragraph (b)](#b) of this section issued under the authority of 38 U.S.C. [3034(a)](/usc/38/3034.md?p=a), [3323(a)](/usc/38/3323.md?p=a), [3471](/usc/38/3471.md), [3689](/usc/38/3689.md).

## Notes

### Amendments

[90 FR 5341, Jan. 16, 2025]

### Authority

Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501(a), 512, chs. 33, 36 and as noted in specific sections.

### Source

Source: 74 FR 14671, Mar. 31, 2009, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[90 FR 5341, Jan. 16, 2025]