---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 3602"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "3602"
heading: "Continuation of educational assistance benefits during emergency situations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/3602"
units:
  - "Part III — Readjustment and Related Benefits"
  - "Chapter 36 — Administration of Educational Benefits"
  - "Subchapter I — Emergency Situations"
---

# §3602. Continuation of educational assistance benefits during emergency situations

- (a) **Authority.—**
  - (1) If the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) determines under [subsection (c)](#c) that an individual is negatively affected by an [emergency situation](/usc/38/3002.md?p=9), the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) may provide educational assistance to that individual under the laws administered by the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) as if such negative effects did not occur.
  - (2) The authority under this section is in addition to the other authorities of the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) to provide [benefits](/usc/38/4303.md?p=2) in [emergency situations](/usc/38/3002.md?p=9), but in no case may the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) provide more than a total of four weeks of additional educational assistance by reason of any other such authority and this section.
- (b) **Housing and Allowances.—** In providing educational assistance to an individual pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) may—
  - (1) continue to pay a monthly housing stipend under [chapter 33](/usc/38/chptIII/ch33.md) of this title, during a month the individual would have been enrolled in a [program of education](/usc/38/3002.md?p=3) or training but for the [emergency situation](/usc/38/3002.md?p=9) at the same rate such stipend would have been payable if the individual had not been negatively affected by the [emergency situation](/usc/38/3002.md?p=9), except that the total number of weeks for which stipends may continue to be so payable may not exceed four weeks; and
  - (2) continue to pay payments or subsistence allowances under chapters [30](/usc/38/chptIII/ch30.md), [31](/usc/38/chptIII/ch31.md), [32](/usc/38/chptIII/ch32.md), [33](/usc/38/chptIII/ch33.md), and [35](/usc/38/chptIII/ch35.md) of this title and [chapter 1606](/usc/10/chstE/ptIV/ch1606.md) of title 10 during a month for a period of time that the individual would have been enrolled in a [program of education](/usc/38/3002.md?p=3) or training but for the [emergency situation](/usc/38/3002.md?p=9), except that the total number of weeks for which payments or allowances may continue to be so payable may not exceed four weeks.
- (c) **Determination of Negative Effects.—** The [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) shall determine that an individual was negatively affected by an [emergency situation](/usc/38/3002.md?p=9) if—
  - (1) the individual is enrolled in a covered [program of education](/usc/38/3002.md?p=3) of an [educational institution](/usc/38/3002.md?p=8) or enrolled in training at a [training establishment](/usc/38/3202.md?p=5) and is pursuing such program or training using educational assistance under the laws administered by the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8);
  - (2) the [educational institution](/usc/38/3002.md?p=8) or [training establishment](/usc/38/3202.md?p=5) certifies to the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) that such program or training is truncated, delayed, relocated, canceled, partially canceled, converted from being on-site to being offered by distance learning, or otherwise modified or made unavailable by reason of the [emergency situation](/usc/38/3002.md?p=9); and
  - (3) the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) determines that the modification to such program or training specified under [paragraph (2)](#c-2) would reduce the amount of educational assistance (including with respect to monthly housing stipends, payments, or subsistence allowances) that would be payable to the individual but for the [emergency situation](/usc/38/3002.md?p=9).
- (d) **Effect on Entitlement Period.—** If the [Secretary](/usc/38/4101.md?p=8) determines that an individual who received assistance under this section did not make progress toward the completion of the [program of education](/usc/38/3002.md?p=3) in which the individual is enrolled during the period for which the individual received such assistance, any assistance provided pursuant to this section shall not be counted for purposes of determining the total amount of an individual’s entitlement to educational assistance, housing stipends, or payments or subsistence allowances under chapters [30](/usc/38/chptIII/ch30.md), [31](/usc/38/chptIII/ch31.md), [32](/usc/38/chptIII/ch32.md), and [35](/usc/38/chptIII/ch35.md) of this title and chapter 1606 of title 10.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 117–333, § 2(a)(2), Jan. 5, 2023, 136 Stat. 6122.)