Who qualifies: Fry: children and surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001 (and some Selected Reserve deaths). DEA: children and spouses of veterans who are P&T disabled from service, died from service, or were missing or captured.
What they are
These programs exist because families sacrifice too. Both help pay for school or training, but they work differently.
The Fry Scholarship works like the Post-9/11 GI Bill. It can cover tuition and fees paid to the school, a monthly housing allowance, and money for books and supplies, for up to 36 months. It also reimburses license and certification tests.
DEA (Chapter 35) pays a monthly check directly to the student. The full-time rate is $1,621 a month from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027. You can use it for college, trade school, apprenticeships, on-the-job training, certification tests and more. It's usually up to 36 months.
Who qualifies for Fry
The children or surviving spouse of a service member who:
- Died in the line of duty while on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, or
- Died from a service-connected disability within 120 days of leaving the military, or
- Was a Selected Reserve member who died from a service-connected disability, in certain cases
Children must be at least 18 or have finished high school. If the parent died on or after Jan. 1, 2013, there's no time limit. A child who gets DIC must give up DIC while using Fry. Spouses can keep DIC while using Fry and can keep eligibility if they remarry. Spouses who lost Fry eligibility because they remarried may be able to get it back, starting in 2025.
Who qualifies for DEA
The children or spouse of a veteran or service member who:
- Is permanently and totally (P&T) disabled from a service-connected condition, or
- Died from a service-connected condition or in the line of duty, or
- Is missing in action, captured, or detained for more than 90 days
Time limits: If you became eligible on or after Aug. 1, 2023, there's no time limit to use DEA. Before that, children generally had to use it between 18 and 26, and spouses had 10 years (20 years in some death cases).
Fry or DEA?
If you qualify for both, you can only use one at a time. In many cases you must choose, and the choice may be permanent. Fry is often worth more at expensive schools because it pays tuition directly. DEA may be better for apprenticeships, cheaper schools, or if you'd lose DIC as a child under Fry. Talk to your school's certifying official and do the math before you choose.
How to apply, step by step
- Confirm eligibility. For DEA, check that the veteran's rating says "permanent and total."
- Pick your school or program and make sure it's approved for VA benefits.
- Apply online or mail VA Form 22-5490 to the VA Claims Intake Center in Janesville, Wisconsin.
- Get your Certificate of Eligibility from VA.
- Give it to your school's certifying official, who reports your enrollment to VA.
- Verify enrollment as required so payments keep coming.
Mistakes to avoid
- Picking without comparing. The choice between Fry and DEA can affect DIC and total months.
- Assuming you aged out. Newer rules removed many time limits.
- Forgetting state benefits. Many states offer free tuition to these families too.
Related benefits
See our guides on the GI Bill, DIC survivor benefits, CHAMPVA, and state veteran benefits.
Last reviewed November 2026. WeSpeakVA is not the VA. Rules and amounts change, so confirm on VA.gov or with an accredited representative.