---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 2143"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "2143"
heading: "Educational assistance: amount"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/2143"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part III — Training and Education"
  - "Chapter 106A — Educational Assistance for Persons Enlisting for Active Duty"
---

# §2143. Educational assistance: amount

- (a) Subject to [subsection (b)](#b), an educational assistance [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) established under [section 2141 of this title](/usc/10/2141.md) shall provide for payment by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) of educational expenses incurred for instruction at an accredited institution by a [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) entitled to such assistance under this chapter. Expenses for which payment may be made under this section include tuition, fees, books, laboratory fees, and shop fees for consumable materials used as part of classroom or laboratory instruction. Payments under this section shall be limited to those educational expenses normally incurred by students at the institution involved.
- (b)
  - (1) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) shall establish the amount of educational assistance for a standard academic year (or the equivalent) to which a [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) becomes entitled under this chapter at the time of an enlistment described in [section 2142 of this title](/usc/10/2142.md). Depending on the needs of the service, different amounts may be established for different categories of [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) or enlistments. The amount of educational assistance to which any [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) is entitled shall be adjusted in accordance with [section 2145 of this title](/usc/10/2145.md).
  - (2) The amount of educational assistance which may be provided to any [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) for a standard academic year (or the equivalent) may not exceed $1,200, adjusted in accordance with [section 2145 of this title](/usc/10/2145.md).
- (c) In this section, the term “accredited institution” means a civilian college or university or a trade, technical, or vocational school in the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) (including the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands) that provides education at the postsecondary level and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting [agency](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3) or association or by an accrediting [agency](/usc/10/3451.md?p=3) or association recognized by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Education.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 96–342, title IX, § 901(a), Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1112; amended Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title XII, § 1231(18)(A), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1161.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1987—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–180 inserted “the term” after “In this section,”.