---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 3315B"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "3315B"
heading: "Preparatory courses for licensure, certification, or national tests"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/3315B"
units:
  - "Part III — Readjustment and Related Benefits"
  - "Chapter 33 — Post–9/11 Educational Assistance"
  - "Subchapter II — Educational Assistance"
---

# §3315B. Preparatory courses for licensure, certification, or national tests

- (a) **In General.—** An individual entitled to educational assistance under this chapter shall also be entitled to payment for a covered preparatory course.
- (b) **Amount.—** The amount of educational assistance payable under this chapter for a covered preparatory course is the lesser of—
  - (1) the fee charged for the covered preparatory course; or
  - (2) the amount of entitlement available to the individual under this chapter at the time of payment for the covered preparatory course under this section.
- (c) **Charge Against Entitlement.—** The number of months of entitlement charged an individual under this chapter for a covered preparatory course shall be pro-rated based on the actual amount of the fee charged for the covered preparatory course relative to the rate for 1 month payable—
  - (1) for the academic year beginning on August 1, 2020, $2,042; or
  - (2) for an academic year beginning on any subsequent August 1, the amount for the previous academic year beginning on August 1 under this subsection, as increased by the percentage increase equal to the most recent percentage increase determined under [section 3015(h)](/usc/38/3015.md?p=h).
- (d) **Covered Preparatory Course Defined.—** In this section, the term “covered preparatory course” means a course—
  - (1) for a licensing or certification test that is required or used to enter into, maintain, or advance in employment in a predetermined and identified vocation or profession; and
  - (2) that has been approved by the [State](/usc/38/4101.md?p=6) approving agency concerned.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 116–154, § 5(a), Aug. 8, 2020, 134 Stat. 691.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 116–154, § 5(d), Aug. 8, 2020, 134 Stat. 692, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [enacting this section] shall take effect on August 1, 2021.”