§ 21.7051 - Extended period of eligibility.

§ 21.7051 Extended period of eligibility.

(a) Period of eligibility may be extended. VA shall grant an extension of the applicable delimiting period, as otherwise determined by § 21.7050 of this part provided:

(1) The veteran applies for an extension within the time specified in § 21.1033(c).

(2) The veteran was prevented from initiating or completing the chosen program of education within the otherwise applicable eligibility period because of a physical or mental disability that did not result from the veteran's willful misconduct. VA will not consider the disabling effects of chronic alcoholism to be the result of willful misconduct. (See § 21.7020(b)(38)) It must be clearly established by medical evidence that such a program of education was medically infeasible. VA will not consider a veteran who is disabled for a period of 30 days or less as having been prevented from initiating or completing a chosen program, unless the evidence establishes that the veteran was prevented from enrolling or reenrolling in the chosen program or was forced to discontinue attendance, because of the short disability.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 105, 3031(d); Pub. L. 98-525, Pub. L. 100-689) (Nov. 18, 1988)

(b) Commencing date. The veteran shall elect the commencing date of an extended period of eligibility. The date chosen -

(1) Must be on or after the original date of expiration of eligibility as determined by § 21.7050 of this part, and

(2) Must either be -

(i) On or before the 90th day following the date on which the veteran's application for an extension was approved by VA, if the veteran is training during the extended period of eligibility in a course not organized on a term, quarter or semester basis, or

(ii) On or before the commencing date of the first ordinary term, quarter or semester following the 90th day after the veteran's application for an extension was approved by VA, if the veteran is training during the extended period of eligibility in a course organized on a term, quarter or semester basis.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3031(d); Pub. L. 98-525)

(c) Length of extended periods of eligibility. A veteran's extended period of eligibility shall be for the length of time that the individual was prevented from initiating or completing his or her chosen program of education. This shall be determined as follows:

(1) If the veteran is in training in a course organized on a term, quarter or semester basis, his or her extended period of eligibility shall contain the same number of days as the number of days from the date during the veteran's original eligibility period that his or her training became medically infeasible to the earliest of the following date.

(i) The commencing date of the ordinary term, quarter or semester following the day the veteran's training became medically infeasible,

(ii) The last date of the veteran's delimiting date as determined by § 21.7050 of this part, or

(iii) The date the veteran resumed training.

(2) If the veteran is training in a course not organized on a term, quarter or semester basis, his or her extended period of eligibility shall contain the same number of days as the number of days from the date during the veteran's original delimiting period that his or her training became medically infeasible to the earlier of the following dates:

(i) The date the veteran's training became medically feasible, or

(ii) The veteran's delimiting date as determined by § 21.7050 of this part.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3031(d); Pub. L. 98-525)

[53 FR 1757, Jan. 22, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 20133, May 2, 1991; 64 FR 23773, May 4, 1999; 72 FR 16980, Apr. 5, 2007]