U.S. Code > Title 38 Veterans' Benefits > PART III—READJUSTMENT AND RELATED BENEFITS (§§ 3001—4335) > CHAPTER 30—ALL-VOLUNTEER FORCE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (§§ 3001—3036) > SUBCHAPTER II—BASIC EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE (§§ 3011—3020) > § 3015. Amount of basic educational assistance

§ 3015. Amount of basic educational assistance

(a) The amount of payment of educational assistance under this chapter is subject to section 3032 of this title. Except as otherwise provided in this section, in the case of an individual entitled to an educational assistance allowance under this chapter whose obligated period of active duty on which such entitlement is based is three years, a basic educational assistance allowance under this subchapter shall be paid—
(1) for an approved program of education pursued on a full-time basis, at the monthly rate of—
(A) for months occurring during the period beginning on August 1, 2008, and ending on the last day of fiscal year 2009, $1,321; and
(B) for months occurring during a subsequent fiscal year, the amount for months occurring during the previous fiscal year increased under subsection (h); or
(2) at an appropriately reduced rate, as determined under regulations which the Secretary shall prescribe, for an approved program of education pursued on less than a full-time basis.
(b) In the case of an individual entitled to an educational assistance allowance under section 3011 or 3018 of this title whose obligated period of active duty on which such entitlement is based is two years, a basic educational assistance allowance under this chapter shall (except as provided in the succeeding subsections of this section) be paid—
(1) for an approved program of education pursued on a full-time basis, at the monthly rate of—
(A) for months occurring during the period beginning on August 1, 2008, and ending on the last day of fiscal year 2009, $1,073; and
(B) for months occurring during a subsequent fiscal year, the amount for months occurring during the previous fiscal year increased under subsection (h); or
(2) at an appropriately reduced rate, as determined under regulations which the Secretary shall prescribe, for an approved program of education pursued on less than a full-time basis.
(c)
(1) The amount of basic educational allowance payable under this chapter to an individual referred to in paragraph (2) of this subsection is the amount determined under subsection (a) of this section.
(2) Paragraph (1) of this subsection applies to an individual entitled to an educational assistance allowance under section 3011 of this title—
(A) whose obligated period of active duty on which such entitlement is based is less than three years;
(B) who, beginning on the date of the commencement of such obligated period of active duty, serves a continuous period of active duty of not less than three years; and
(C) who, after the completion of that continuous period of active duty, meets one of the conditions set forth in subsection (a)(3) of such section 3011.
(d)
(1) In the case of an individual who has a skill or specialty designated by the Secretary concerned as a skill or specialty in which there is a critical shortage of personnel or for which it is difficult to recruit, the Secretary concerned, pursuant to regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, may, at the time the individual first becomes a member of the Armed Forces, increase the rate of the basic educational assistance allowance applicable to such individual to such rate in excess of the rate prescribed under subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section as the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate, but the amount of any such increase may not exceed $950 per month.
(2) In the case of an individual who after October 7, 1997, receives an enlistment bonus under section 308a or 308f [1] of title 37, receipt of that bonus does not affect the eligibility of that individual for an increase under paragraph (1) in the rate of the basic educational assistance allowance applicable to that individual, and the Secretary concerned may provide such an increase for that individual (and enter into an agreement with that individual that the United States agrees to make payments pursuant to such an increase) without regard to any provision of law (enacted before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this paragraph) that limits the authority to make such payments.
(e)
(1)
(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph and subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, in the case of an individual who on December 31, 1989, was entitled to educational assistance under chapter 34 of this title, the rate of the basic educational assistance allowance applicable to such individual under this chapter shall be increased by the amount equal to one-half of the educational assistance allowance that would be applicable to such individual under such chapter 34 (as of the time the assistance under this chapter is provided and based on the rates in effect on December 31, 1989) if such chapter were in effect.
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, in the case of an individual described in that subparagraph who is pursuing a cooperative program on or after October 9, 1996, the rate of the basic educational assistance allowance applicable to such individual under this chapter shall be increased by the amount equal to one-half of the educational assistance allowance that would be applicable to such individual for pursuit of full-time institutional training under chapter 34 (as of the time the assistance under this chapter is provided and based on the rates in effect on December 31, 1989) if such chapter were in effect.
(2) The number of months for which the rate of the basic educational assistance allowance applicable to an individual is increased under paragraph (1) of this subsection may not exceed the number of months of entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 34 of this title that the individual had remaining on December 31, 1989.
(f) In the case of an individual for whom the Secretary of Defense made contributions under section 3222 (c) of this title and who is entitled to educational assistance under section 3018A, 3018B, or 3018C of this chapter, the Secretary shall increase the rate of the basic educational assistance allowance applicable to such individual in excess of the rate provided under subsection (a) of this section in a manner consistent with, as determined by the Secretary of Defense, the agreement entered into with such individual pursuant to the rules and regulations issued by the Secretary of Defense under section 3222 (c) of this title.
(g) In the case of an individual who has made contributions authorized by section 3011 (e) or 3012 (f) of this title, effective as of the first day of the enrollment period following receipt of such contributions from such individual by the Secretary concerned, the monthly amount of basic educational assistance allowance applicable to such individual under subsection (a), (b), or (c) shall be the monthly rate otherwise provided for under the applicable subsection increased by—
(1) an amount equal to $5 for each $20 contributed by such individual under section 3011 (e) or 3012 (f) of this title, as the case may be, for an approved program of education pursued on a full-time basis; or
(2) an appropriately reduced amount based on the amount so contributed, as determined under regulations which the Secretary shall prescribe, for an approved program of education pursued on less than a full-time basis.
(h)
(1) With respect to any fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide a percentage increase in the rates payable under subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1) equal to the percentage by which—
(A) the average cost of undergraduate tuition in the United States, as determined by the National Center for Education Statistics, for the last academic year preceding the beginning of the fiscal year for which the increase is made, exceeds
(B) the average cost of undergraduate tuition in the United States, as so determined, for the academic year preceding the academic year described in subparagraph (A).
(2) Any increase under paragraph (1) in a rate with respect to a fiscal year after fiscal year 2004 and before fiscal year 2014 shall be rounded down to the next lower whole dollar amount. Any such increase with respect to a fiscal year after fiscal year 2013 shall be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount.

[1] See References in Text note below.