---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 51510"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "51510"
heading: "Deferment of service obligation under student incentive payment agreements"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/51510"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Merchant Marine"
  - "Part B — Merchant Marine Service"
  - "Chapter 515 — State Maritime Academy Support Program"
---

# §51510. Deferment of service obligation under student incentive payment agreements


The [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Transportation may defer the service commitment of an individual under [section 51509(d)(5) of this title](/usc/46/51509.md?p=d-5) (as specified in the [agreement](/usc/46/53201.md?p=8) under [section 51509](/usc/46/51509.md)) for not more than 2 years if the individual is engaged in a graduate course of study approved by the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8). However, deferment of service as a commissioned officer on active duty must be approved by the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of the affected military department (or the [Secretary](/usc/46/53101.md?p=8) of Commerce, for service with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 8(b), Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1581.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 51510 | 46 App.:1295c(g)(7). | June 29, 1936, ch. 858, title XIII, § 1304(g)(7), as added Pub. L. 96–453, § 2, Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 2006; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(145)(B), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 166; Pub. L. 108–136, title XXXV, § 3515(d)(7), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1795. |

The words “affected military department” are substituted for “military department . . . which has jurisdiction over such service” for clarity and to eliminate unnecessary words.