---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 511"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "511"
heading: "College First Program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/511"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 31 — Enlistments"
---

# §511. College First Program

- (a) **Program Authority.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of each [military](/usc/10/801.md?p=8) [department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) may establish a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) to increase the number of, and the level of the qualifications of, [persons](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) entering the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4) as [enlisted members](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-6) by encouraging recruits to pursue higher education or vocational or technical [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) before entry into [active service](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-3).
- (b) **Delayed Entry With Allowance for Higher Education.—** The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may—
  - (1) exercise the authority under [section 513 of this title](/usc/10/513.md)—
    - (A) to accept the enlistment of a [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) as a [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) for service in the Selected [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) or Individual Ready [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) of a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13), or as a member of the Space Force, notwithstanding the scope of the authority under [subsection (a)](#a) of that section, in the case of the [Army National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-3) or [Air National Guard of the United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-5); and
    - (B) to authorize, notwithstanding the period limitation in [subsection (b)](#b) of that section, a delay of the enlistment of any such [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) in a [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) under that subsection for the period during which the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) is enrolled in, and pursuing a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of education at, an [institution of higher education](/usc/10/2199.md?p=2), or a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of vocational or technical [training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9), on a full-time basis that is to be completed within the maximum period of delay determined for that [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) under [subsection (c)](#c); and
  - (2) subject to [paragraph (2)](#d-2) of subsection (d) and except as provided in [paragraph (3)](#d-3) of that subsection, [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) an allowance to a [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) accepted for enlistment under [paragraph (1)(A)](#b-1-A) for each month of the period during which that [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) is enrolled in and pursuing a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) described in [paragraph (1)(B)](#b-1-B).
- (c) **Maximum Period of Delay.—** The period of delay authorized a [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) under [paragraph (1)(B)](#b-1-B) of subsection (b) may not exceed the 30-month period beginning on the date of the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2)’s enlistment accepted under [paragraph (1)(A)](#b-1-A) of such subsection.
- (d) **Allowance.—**
  - (1) The monthly allowance paid under [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2) shall be equal to the amount of the subsistence allowance provided for certain members of the Senior [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [Officers](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-1)’ [Training](/usc/10/301.md?p=9) Corps with the corresponding number of years of participation under [section 209(a) of title 37](/usc/37/209.md?p=a). The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may supplement that stipend by an amount not to exceed $225 per month.
  - (2) An allowance may not be paid to a [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) under this section for more than 24 months.
  - (3) A member of the Selected [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) of a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) may be paid an allowance under this section only for months during which the member performs satisfactorily as a member of a unit of the [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) that trains as prescribed in [section 10147(a)(1) of this title](/usc/10/10147.md?p=a-1) or [section 502(a) of title 32](/usc/32/502.md?p=a). Satisfactory performance shall be determined under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5).
  - (4) An allowance under this section is in addition to any other [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) or allowance to which a member of a [reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) is entitled by reason of participation in the Ready [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) of that [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13).
- (e) **Recoupment of Allowance.—**
  - (1) A [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) who, after receiving an allowance under this section, fails to complete the total period of service required of that [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) in connection with delayed entry authorized for the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) under [section 513](/usc/10/513.md) shall repay the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) the amount which bears the same ratio to the total amount of that allowance paid to the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) as the unserved part of the total required period of service bears to the total period.
  - (2) An obligation to repay the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) imposed under [paragraph (1)](#e-1) is for all purposes a debt owed to the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1).
  - (3) A discharge of a [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) in bankruptcy under [title 11](/usc/11.md) that is entered less than five years after the date on which the [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) was, or was to be, enlisted in the [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) Army pursuant to the delayed entry authority under [section 513](/usc/10/513.md) does not discharge that [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) from a debt arising under [paragraph (1)](#e-1).
  - (4) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may waive, in whole or in part, a debt arising under [paragraph (1)](#e-1) in any case for which the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) determines that recovery would be against equity and good conscience or would be contrary to the best interests of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1).
- (f) **Special Pay and Bonuses.—** Upon enlisting in the [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) [component](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13) of the member’s armed force, a [person](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) who initially enlisted as a [Reserve](/usc/10/101.md?p=c-6) under this section may, at the discretion of the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5), be eligible for all [regular](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-12) special [pays](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15), bonuses, education benefits, and loan repayment [programs](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, § 551(a)(1), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1909; amended Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1717(b)(6), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 655.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 511 was renumbered section 12103 of this title.

### Amendments

2023—Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 118–31 inserted “or as a member of the Space Force,” after “reserve component,”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Continuation for Army of Prior Army College First Program

Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title V, § 551(b), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1911, provided that: “The Secretary of the Army shall treat the program under section 511 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), as a continuation of the program under section 573 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 [Pub. L. 106–65] ([formerly] 10 U.S.C. 513 note), and for such purpose the Secretary may treat such section 511 as having been enacted on October 1, 2004.”