---
kind: "section"
citation: "45 C.F.R. § 2556.320"
title: "45"
number: "2556.320"
heading: "What benefits may a VISTA receive during VISTA service?"
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/45/2556.320"
---

# §2556.320. What benefits may a VISTA receive during VISTA service?

- (a) **A VISTA receives a living allowance computed on a daily rate.** Living allowances vary according to the local cost of living in the project area where the VISTA is assigned.
- (b) Subject to a maximum amount, and at the discretion and upon approval of AmeriCorps, a VISTA may receive payment for settling-in expenses, as determined by AmeriCorps.
- (c) Subject to a maximum amount, and at the discretion of AmeriCorps, in the event of an emergency (such as theft, fire loss, or special clothing necessitated by severe climate), a VISTA may receive an emergency expense payment in order to resume VISTA service activities, as determined and approved by AmeriCorps.
- (d) Subject to a maximum amount, and at the discretion of AmeriCorps, a VISTA may receive a relocation travel allowance to offset the cost of relocating from the home of record to the project site, as determined by AmeriCorps.
- (e) To the extent eligible, a VISTA may receive health care through a health benefits program provided by AmeriCorps.
- (f) To the extent eligible, a VISTA may receive childcare support through a childcare program provided by AmeriCorps.
- (g) To the extent eligible, a VISTA may elect to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, and upon successful completion of service, receive that award in an amount prescribed by AmeriCorps, in accordance with the applicable provisions of 45 CFR parts [2526](/cfr/45/part2526.md), [2527](/cfr/45/part2527.md), and 25285.
  - (1) A VISTA is eligible to elect to receive an education award if they are a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States.
  - (2) A VISTA who elects an education award is eligible to request forbearance of a student loan from their loan-holder. A VISTA who elects an education award may, upon successful completion of service, be eligible to receive up to 100 percent of the interest accrued on a qualified student loan, consistent with the applicable provisions of [45 CFR part 2529](/cfr/45/part2529.md).
  - (3) A VISTA is not eligible to receive more than an amount equal to the aggregate value of two full-time education awards in their lifetime.
  - (4) Other than for a summer associate, the amount of an education award for the successful completion of a VISTA term of service is equal to the maximum amount of a Federal Pell Grant under Section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ([20 U.S.C. 1070a](/usc/20/1070a.md)) that a student eligible for such grant may receive in the aggregate for the fiscal year in which the VISTA has enrolled in the VISTA program.
- (h) A VISTA who does not elect to receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon successful completion of service receives an end-of-service stipend in an amount prescribed by AmeriCorps.
- (i) In the event that a VISTA does not successfully complete a full term of service, they may not receive a pro-rated Segal AmeriCorps Education Award or a pro-rated end-of-service stipend, except in cases where the appropriate VISTA Case Manager determines the VISTA did not successfully complete a full term of service because of a compelling personal circumstance. Examples of a compelling personal circumstance are: Serious medical condition or disability of a VISTA during VISTA service; critical illness or disability of a VISTA's immediate family member (spouse, domestic partner, parent, sibling, child, or guardian) if this event makes completing a term of service unreasonably difficult; or unusual conditions not attributable to the VISTA, such as natural disaster, strike, or premature closing of a project, that make completing a term of service unreasonably difficult or infeasible.
- (j) In the event of a VISTA's death during service, their family or others that they named as beneficiary in accordance with [section 5582](/usc/5/5582.md) of title 5, United States Code will be paid a pro-rated end-of-service stipend for the period during which the VISTA served. If the VISTA had elected to receive the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award for successful completion of a full term of VISTA service, AmeriCorps will, prior to payment to the named beneficiary, convert that election to an end-of-service stipend and pay the VISTA's family, or others that they named as beneficiary, a pro-rated end-of-service stipend accordingly.

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4951-4953; 5 CFR part 734, 42 U.S.C. 4953(a), (f), 4954(b), (e), 4955(b), 4956, 5043(a)-(c), 5044(a)-(c), (e), 5046, 5052, 5056, and 5057; 42 U.S.C. 12651b (g)(10); 42 U.S.C. 12651c(c); E.O. 13279, 67 FR 77141, 3 CFR, 2002 Comp., p. 2156, 42 U.S.C. 4954(a), (b), (d), 4955, 5044(e), 5055, and 5059; 42 U.S.C. 12602(c), 42 U.S.C. 4953(b), (c), (f), and 5044(e).

### Source

Source: 88 FR 31180, May 16, 2023, unless otherwise noted.