Last Updated: October 8, 2026 Reading Time: 11 min

"A 100% P&T rating gets your kids free college" is half true. The federal half is true everywhere: Chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance pays $1,621 a month for full-time study from October 1, 2026, for up to 36 months (for schooling that starts on or after August 1, 2018), to the spouse and children of a veteran VA rates permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected condition. The state half depends on where you live. FedTools reviewed the statute or the state veterans-agency page for 46 jurisdictions, 45 states and the District of Columbia, on October 8, 2026; five states could not be confirmed. Of the 46, 29 list some program for the family of a living disabled veteran, several of them narrow, and 17 list nothing. The programs differ on four things that change the answer: the rating threshold, where the veteran lived when entering service, the child's age cap, and whether federal aid is subtracted first.

The Federal Layer: Chapter 35 DEA in Every State

VA's eligibility page lists, as its first qualifying condition, a veteran who "is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability." For schooling that started on or after August 1, 2018, the spouse or child "may be able to get benefits for up to 36 months" (45 months for earlier starts).

VA's rate table effective October 1, 2026 pays $1,621 for each full month of full-time enrollment, $1,281 at 75%, and $939 at 50%. A full 36 months at the full-time rate is $58,356 before future increases, by FedTools' arithmetic.

The time limits changed in 2023. A child has no deadline if any one of three things happened on or after August 1, 2023: the child became eligible, turned 18, or finished high school or a GED. A child for whom all three happened before that date generally has up to 8 years to use the benefit before turning 26; VA lists extensions, including eligibility or a parent's death between 18 and 26, and military service (up to 8 years from discharge, before age 31). A spouse has no deadline if the qualifying event happened on or after August 1, 2023. Earlier spouse cases generally get 10 years; 20 years if the member died on active duty, or in most cases if the P&T rating's effective date is within 3 years of discharge; and another 10 years if a P&T-rated veteran later dies.

Two programs people confuse with DEA do not apply here. The Fry Scholarship requires that the service member died, in the line of duty or from a service-connected disability. Transferred Post-9/11 benefits are a separate route that has to be set up while the parent is still serving. A child eligible for both Fry and DEA may use only one at a time, and a spouse must elect one, irrevocably.

Does Your State Add Anything? All 51 Jurisdictions

FedTools built this table from each state's statute or its veterans-affairs or higher-education agency page, read on October 8, 2026. "None listed" means the agency page or statute list read that day shows no program for the family of a living disabled veteran; it is not proof that no program exists anywhere in state law. "Not confirmed" means the state's sources could not be reached. Aggregator sites recycle stale rows, and several of the figures below correct them.

State Program for a living P&T veteran's family? Rating threshold Who Age cap What is covered Residency and notes
Alabama Yes, G.I. Dependents' Scholarship 40% or more service-connected; a narrow 20% grandfather route remains for specified claims pending before May 23, 2017, if the dependent applies within six months of the final award Child, stepchild, spouse, unremarried widow(er) A child or stepchild must start training before 26 (up to 30 in certain situations) Undergraduate tuition up to $400 per credit hour; books and fees up to $1,000 combined. A child gets 10 semesters, to be used within 8 years of ADVA receiving the application Student must be an Alabama resident at application, and the veteran must meet one of ADVA's residency routes, including 5 years of Alabama residence for 100% P&T ratings. Other scholarships and grants must be applied first, unless state or federal law provides otherwise. Older pages that show 20% as the general threshold are stale
Alaska None listed; survivors only n/a Survivors of members who died in the line of duty, POWs, or KIA n/a University of Alaska undergraduate tuition and fees Agency page lists nothing for families of living P&T veterans
Arizona None found in force n/a n/a n/a n/a A.R.S. § 15-1808 covers wounded veterans and dependents of members killed in the line of duty. A 2026 bill (HB 2240) would have added a 30%+ scholarship; no record found that it became law
Arkansas Yes, Military Dependents' Scholarship 100% P&T and receiving special monthly compensation Dependent child or legal spouse n/a (full-time undergraduates) In-state tuition, on-campus room and board, fees; one academic year, renewable up to 8 semesters in total Veteran an Arkansas resident at entry or now, and the child or spouse must be a current Arkansas resident. Applicant must also apply for DEA; the rules do not say whether DEA is subtracted
California Yes, College Fee Waiver Plan A: totally service-connected disabled, with wartime or campaign-medal service; Plan B: any service-connected disability, with the child's prior-year AGI plus parental support not exceeding $22,941 (2026-27) Plan A: unmarried child over 14 and under 27, spouse of a wartime totally disabled veteran; Plan B: child Plan A: child over 14 and under 27 (30 if the child is a veteran), and the total-disability rating must predate the child's 21st birthday. Plan B: no age rule Mandatory systemwide tuition and fees at community colleges, CSU, and UC; no books, parking, or housing Every plan requires California residency under the school's rules. Plan A prohibits concurrent DEA; Plans B and D allow it
Colorado None listed; Guard and first responders only n/a Dependents of Guard members, police, firefighters, and search-and-rescue volunteers who died or were permanently disabled on duty n/a Tuition and room and board, reduced by federal education benefits C.R.S. § 23-3.3-205
Connecticut Narrow, a need-based education grant (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10a-166) Grant: parent rated totally and permanently disabled by VA, with wartime service Grant: children 16 to 23. Separate tuition waivers cover children of POW/MIA members, children and surviving spouses of members killed in action on or after 9/11, and wartime veterans themselves 16 to 23 (grant) Grant: need-based state aid of up to $400 a year toward tuition, fees, room, board, and books. Waivers: tuition at state institutions Grant: the parent was a Connecticut resident at induction or reenlistment; apply through the Board of Regents for Higher Education. Waivers: Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 10a-77 and 10a-99
Delaware None listed n/a Children 16 to 24 of members killed or who died of service disabilities, POW/MIA, state police killed on duty 16 to 24 Tuition program 14 Del. C. ch. 34, subch. VI
District of Columbia None listed n/a n/a n/a n/a DC Office of Veterans Affairs lists only a homestead exemption and claims help
Florida Yes, Fla. Stat. § 295.01 100% total and permanent service-connected Spouse (married 1 year) and dependent children n/a Set under separate sections; no dollar figure retrieved Florida must have been the member's DEERS home of record before the disability, or the child is a Florida tuition resident and the member lives in Florida. Spouse eligibility ends at divorce
Georgia None listed n/a n/a n/a n/a Georgia Department of Veterans Service pages list no dependent tuition program
Hawaii None listed n/a n/a n/a n/a Office of Veterans' Services page lists tax exemptions and plates, no tuition program
Idaho Yes, Armed Forces and Public Safety Officer Dependent Scholarship Idaho DVS answers yes for P&T dependents Idaho undergraduates n/a Tuition and fees, up to $750 a semester for books, on-campus housing and meals Eligibility details are on the linked scholarship page
Illinois Yes, Deceased, Disabled and MIA/POW Veterans' Dependents Scholarship 100% permanent service-connected; the agency page also names a 100% P&T rating based on unemployability Spouse or child None Tuition and mandatory fees at state universities and public community colleges for the equivalent of 4 years of enrollment, capped at 120 award points that expire 12 years after enrollment begins Veteran an Illinois resident at entry, within 6 months of entry, or 15 consecutive years now. On divorce or remarriage, benefits for the spouse and stepchildren end that day, or at the end of the current term if they are already enrolled. The "90%" seen online is not in the statute
Indiana Yes, Tuition and Fee Exemption Any service-connected rating; wartime service, or hazardous duty recognized by a service or campaign medal Children only Apply before 33 100% of tuition and regular fees if the parent enlisted before July 1, 2011; otherwise 20% plus the rating, so a 100% parent's child gets 100%. Up to 124 credit hours; $5,000 a year at private nonprofits for high-school graduates from 2023 on Veteran listed Indiana as home of record at enlistment or lived in Indiana 5 years before the student first applies; the student must qualify for resident tuition. ScholarTrack application
Iowa None listed; the 2026 waiver covers the veteran only n/a n/a n/a n/a H.F. 2491 (2026) is a last-dollar waiver for the 100% P&T veteran, not dependents
Kansas Yes, Kansas Hero's Scholarship 80% or more service-connected (or unable to continue service) Dependent or spouse of a Kansas resident 10 semesters of undergraduate study Tuition and fees at public Kansas institutions Funding-limited, first come first served. Regents warn Post-9/11 users to check the interaction
Kentucky Yes, KRS § 164.515 100% service-connected, or P&T for pension Spouse (any age), child, stepchild, or orphan under 26 Child under 26, extended by like time for the child's own honorable military service No matriculation or tuition fees at state-supported institutions, up to 45 months The veteran must be a Kentucky resident (or have been one at death) discharged under honorable conditions. As codified in the text read (effective 2017); a 2026 amendment bill's status is unconfirmed
Louisiana Yes, La. R.S. 29
 90% to 100%, or 100% IU Children 16 to 25 only; spouses of living veterans do not qualify 16 to 25 Coverage not retrieved; five years to obtain four years of education Veteran a Louisiana resident for a year before the student starts
Maine Yes, 37-B M.R.S. § 505 Total permanent service-connected disability Child and spouse A child must enroll in a degree program and be awarded benefits before 22 (or apply until 26 if military service prevented earlier enrollment); the director may waive certain requirements in special and extenuating circumstances Tuition plus mandatory and lab fees at state-supported schools. Child: 120 undergraduate credit hours within 10 academic years of first entrance; schools may waive beyond 120 for longer programs, and the director may waive the 10-year limit for hardship Veteran entered service from Maine or lived there 5 years before the application, and must keep living in Maine. Must apply for Pell
Maryland Yes, Conroy Memorial Scholarship 100% permanent service-connected Son, daughter, stepchild; unremarried surviving spouse At least 16 Up to $13,689 a year (2025-26), subject to available funds; held up to 5 years full-time or 8 part-time. For 2026-27 MHEC funds schools through institutional allocations Maryland resident at application; apply to the institution by July 15
Massachusetts Not confirmed n/a n/a n/a n/a State sources could not be reached
Michigan Yes, Children of Veterans Tuition Grant (a grant, not a waiver) Totally and permanently disabled from service, per VA Children older than 16 and younger than 26 only 17 to 25 Up to $2,800 per academic year Veteran a Michigan resident immediately before service (and not living outside Michigan more than two years afterward), or established Michigan residency after entering. The student must have lived in Michigan for 12 months before applying and since July 1 of the prior calendar year; a dependent student's FAFSA contributors must also be Michigan residents. FAFSA required annually
Minnesota Yes, Minnesota GI Bill (a grant, reduced by other aid) Total and permanent service-connected disability Spouse or child who is eligible for Chapter 33 or Chapter 35 n/a $5,000 per state fiscal year, $15,000 lifetime, cost of attendance minus other aid including most federal veterans education benefits The student must be a Minnesota resident under the statute's definition and file the FAFSA. Offset state
Mississippi Not confirmed n/a n/a n/a n/a Agency booklet unreadable; statute pages blocked
Missouri Narrow, Wartime Veteran's Survivors Grant 80% disabled from combat injuries, post-9/11 Spouse, or a child (natural, adopted, or stepchild) under 25 Children under 25 Tuition up to the MU in-state rate, up to $2,000 a semester room and board, up to $500 a semester books Veteran a Missouri resident at entry or at injury; 25 grants a year. Most P&T families will not qualify
Montana None listed in the statute n/a Children of those killed in action or who died of service disabilities, POW/MIA families, wartime veterans n/a Discretionary regents' waiver MCA § 20-25-421; confirm the Montana University System policy
Nebraska Yes, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 80-411 Permanently and totally disabled as a result of military service; permanent IU counts, temporary ratings do not Child, stepchild, or spouse who is a Nebraska tuition resident Children and stepchildren under 26 (active duty between 18 and 26 extends it to 5 years after the first discharge or release from that duty, never past 31); no age rule for spouses All tuition and the fees left after federal grants and state aid, at the University of Nebraska, state colleges, and community colleges One community-college credential plus one bachelor's degree
Nevada None listed; POW/MIA only n/a Children and spouses of POW/MIA 10-year use window Waiver Nevada DVS lists nothing for P&T families
New Hampshire Yes, RSA § 188-F
 Totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected disability Children only Through the semester the child turns 27 Tuition at Community College System schools only, not UNH Parent domiciled in NH at entry or at the disability finding and living in NH now. FAFSA required
New Jersey Not confirmed n/a n/a n/a n/a Agency page redirects to a new site; not retrieved
New Mexico None listed; deceased veterans' children only n/a Children 16 to 26 of those killed or who died in wartime service, Guard or State Police killed on duty 16 to 26 Scholarship NMDVS benefits page
New York Two narrow programs 40% or more service-connected with wartime service (Regents award); severe permanent disability during military duty (MERIT) Children (Regents); children, spouses, dependents (MERIT) n/a Regents award up to $450 a year New York residency; no general P&T waiver
North Carolina Yes, Scholarships for Children of Wartime Veterans 100% (Class I-B, limited scholarship); 20% to under 100%, or a qualifying Purple Heart (Class II, up to 100 awards a year). A child can be considered under more than one class Child under 25 at application Under 25 at application Class I-B: tuition, fees, and short-term workforce courses, no room and board; 4 academic years within 8 Student domiciled in and a resident of North Carolina at application, and either the veteran was a North Carolina legal resident on entering the qualifying period of service, or the child was born in North Carolina and has lived there continuously since birth (NCDMVA may waive the in-state birth if the child's mother was a native-born North Carolina resident at her marriage to the veteran and was temporarily out of state at the birth, and the child returned within a reasonable time and has lived there continuously since returning). Deadlines by class on NCDMVA's portal help page: Class II and III applications by February 14 (a later application counts for the following year); Class I-A, I-B and IV by June 1 for a July award or December 1 for a January award; VA determines the class
North Dakota Yes, N.D.C.C. 15-10-18.2 and 18.3 100% service-connected, including IU that brings the total to 100% Child, stepchild, spouse, widow(er) of a resident veteran, or of a nonresident veteran when the child's other parent meets North Dakota's residency rules While eligible Tuition and fees at state institutions for an undergraduate degree or certificate No flight charges
Ohio Yes, War Orphans and Severely Disabled Veterans' Children Scholarship 60% or more service-connected, or VA permanent and total nonservice-connected benefits Child 16 to under 25 at application 16 to under 25 Award set by the board; not retrieved Ohio residency rules; financial need required
Oklahoma None listed in the 70 O.S. § 3218 series n/a Children of Oklahoma peace officers, firefighters, and EMTs killed in the line of duty, among others n/a n/a Each institution may set its own waiver scholarships
Oregon Yes, ORS § 350.285 "100 percent disabled" from a service-connected disability as certified by VA or a service branch; IU not mentioned in the statute. Separately, children of Purple Heart recipients qualify without a rating if the recipient was awarded the medal in 2001 or later for wounds received in combat and was relieved or discharged from service in the Armed Forces of the United States with an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions Child 31 or younger at application, spouse, unremarried surviving spouse 31 or younger at application; a child over 31 can still get a master's waiver after a bachelor's waiver or with DEA eligibility Tuition waived at public universities and OHSU: 4 years baccalaureate, 2 years master's Oregon tuition resident at application. The waiver may be reduced by federal grants and other aid, but not by DEA
Pennsylvania Yes, Educational Gratuity Program (a grant paid to the school) 100% permanent and total service-connected, wartime veteran Children 16 to 23 16 to 23 Grant toward an approved Pennsylvania school Five years of Pennsylvania residence; financial need; apply through the county director of veterans affairs
Rhode Island None listed; the state waiver is for the veteran 10% or more, for the veteran only n/a n/a n/a Described by Rhode Island College's military resource center; the state site returned a bot challenge
South Carolina Yes, S.C. Code § 59-111-20 Permanently and totally disabled as determined by VA "from any cause"; service connection not required; wartime veteran Child 26 or younger 26 or younger Tuition only, not fees, at state-supported colleges and technical schools Veteran an SC resident at entry and during service, or 1 year of residence now. SCDVA approves
South Dakota Not confirmed n/a n/a n/a n/a State pages returned errors
Tennessee Not confirmed n/a n/a n/a n/a The scholarships subpage could not be retrieved
Texas Yes, Hazlewood Act, Tex. Educ. Code § 54.341 Totally and permanently disabled, or meets IU requirements Children and spouses An age-25 line appears in the Legacy subsection; whether it binds these children is unsettled Tuition and fees at public institutions, 150 cumulative credit hours Texas tuition resident. The statute withholds Hazlewood only when federal benefits usable only for tuition and fees equal or exceed it, so DEA, a monthly allowance, can be received alongside, by FedTools' reading
Utah None listed; survivors only n/a Surviving dependents of members killed in action on or after 9/11 n/a Scott Lundell waiver Utah DVMA education page
Vermont None listed n/a n/a n/a n/a The Office of Veterans Affairs disabled-veterans page, which calls its list not exhaustive, names VA disability, vocational rehabilitation, tax exemptions, home and vehicle modification, and employment assistance; no tuition program
Virginia Yes, VMSDEP, Va. Code § 23.1-608 At least 90% permanently disabled from service Spouse, or child 16 to 29 16 to 29, extendable for extenuating circumstances Tuition and mandatory fees at public institutions Veteran domiciled in Virginia when entering active service or called to active duty, or one of the statute's five-year domicile or physical-presence alternatives
Washington Yes, RCW § 28B.15.621 Rated 100% disabled by VA as a result of active federal service. The veteran or Guard member must be a Washington domiciliary who served under Title 10 or Title 32 in a war or conflict on foreign soil or international waters, or in support of those serving there, with a qualifying discharge if discharged Child 17 to 26, spouse or domestic partner 17 to 26 All tuition and fees waived, up to 250 quarter credits (older fact sheets say 200); graduate waivers are encouraged, not required Child must be a Washington domiciliary. A surviving spouse or partner must be a Washington domiciliary, has 10 years from the latest qualifying death, disability, or federal determination date, and loses eligibility on remarriage or a new registered domestic partnership
West Virginia None listed n/a n/a n/a n/a WVDVA state-benefits page lists tax credits and plates, no tuition program
Wisconsin Yes, Wisconsin GI Bill, Wis. Stat. § 36.27(3n) 30% or more Spouse, unremarried surviving spouse, child 17 to under 26 17 to under 26 Full remission of academic and segregated fees for 128 credits or 8 semesters, whichever is greater; GPA of 2.0 Veteran a Wisconsin resident at entry, or 3 consecutive years of Wisconsin residence otherwise. The spouse or child must meet the school's residency-for-tuition rules, and when eligibility rests on the veteran's 3-year residence, the spouse or child also needs 3 consecutive years of Wisconsin residence before each term. Transferred Post-9/11 benefits are applied first; Chapter 35 is not named
Wyoming None listed; Guard only n/a Guard members and their dependents n/a Wyoming National Guard Educational Assistance Plan Wyoming Military Department benefits page

FedTools reference table, sources read October 8, 2026 and listed below. Where the program is a grant rather than a waiver (Connecticut, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New York), the row says so.

The Four Things That Change the Answer

The rating threshold. Most programs require 100%, and many require that the rating be permanent. Eleven states verified here go lower, and South Carolina goes the other way: it requires P&T but not service connection. A TDIU rating that brings the total to 100% is expressly accepted in Texas, North Dakota, and Nebraska and named in Louisiana and on Illinois's agency page; Oregon's statute says only "100 percent disabled."

Where the veteran lived. Florida looks at the DEERS home of record before the disability, or current residency of both. Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Michigan, and Wisconsin, among others, test the veteran's residency at entry into service or for a period of years. Maine requires the veteran to keep living in Maine.

The child's age. Caps run from 23 (Pennsylvania, and Connecticut's grant) through 25, 26, 27, 29 (Virginia), and 31 (Oregon), and many carry extensions for military service or special circumstances; Oregon still allows a master's waiver after 31 in specified cases. Illinois sets none. Several programs cover spouses too; others, for example Louisiana, New Hampshire, Indiana, Michigan, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania, cover children only.

Whether federal aid comes first. DEA is a monthly allowance paid to the student, not a tuition payment, and most state texts say nothing about it; that silence usually means the two can be used together, which is FedTools' inference rather than a source's statement. The documented rules: Texas allows both, by FedTools' reading of the statute; California's Plan A prohibits concurrent DEA while Plans B and D allow it; Minnesota reduces its grant by most federal veterans education benefits; Nebraska covers what is left after federal grants, and whether DEA counts is not stated; Arkansas requires that you apply for DEA; Oregon's statute bars reducing its waiver by DEA; Wisconsin applies transferred Post-9/11 benefits first. Ask the school's certifying official before counting on both.

What to Confirm Before You Count On It

  1. Pull the veteran's current rating letter. Most programs require a 100% or permanent rating; Texas, North Dakota, and Nebraska expressly accept IU, Illinois's agency page names it, and others are silent.
  2. Check the veteran's residency history against the state's rule, not just the student's.
  3. Check which event the state's age limit attaches to: application (North Carolina and Ohio), enrollment and award (Maine), or the start of training (Alabama).
  4. Ask whether the program is a waiver, a grant, or a last-dollar award, and whether DEA or transferred GI Bill benefits are applied first.
  5. Apply for DEA regardless. It is federal, it pays the student directly, Arkansas requires the application, and Minnesota requires DEA or GI Bill eligibility.

Check the Veteran's Own Federal Hiring Preference

A 100% P&T rating also changes the veteran's standing in federal hiring. Select the rating and the service period in the Veterans' Preference Calculator to see the preference category that applies. Our CHAMPVA vs. FEHB guide and TDIU vs. 100% P&T guide cover the other decisions a 100% rating opens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a 100% P&T rating get my children free college?

Federally, a service-connected P&T rating can make them eligible for Chapter 35 DEA, subject to VA's rules for children: up to 36 months for schooling that starts on or after August 1, 2018 (45 for earlier starts), at $1,621 a month full-time from October 1, 2026. State tuition waivers are separate. Of the 46 jurisdictions FedTools confirmed, 29 list a program for the family of a living disabled veteran, some of them narrow, and 17 list none.

How much is Chapter 35 DEA per month in 2026-27?

$1,621 for full-time enrollment, $1,281 at three-quarter time, and $939 at half time, effective October 1, 2026, per VA's rate table.

Is there still an age-26 deadline for DEA?

Not if the child became eligible, turned 18, or finished high school or a GED on or after August 1, 2023; any one of those removes the time limit. A child for whom all three happened before that date generally has up to 8 years to use the benefit before turning 26, and VA lists extensions, including for military service.

Can my children use the Fry Scholarship?

No. The Fry Scholarship requires that the service member died, in the line of duty or from a service-connected disability.

Which states cover families of veterans rated below 100%?

Verified on October 8, 2026: Indiana (any rating), Wisconsin (30%), Alabama (40%), New York (40%, a $450 Regents award), Ohio (60%), Kansas (80%), Missouri (80%, combat-related and post-9/11), Virginia (90%), Louisiana (90% or 100% IU), North Carolina (20% to 99% or a qualifying Purple Heart, up to 100 awards a year), and California Plan B (any service-connected rating, income-capped).

Does TDIU count as 100% for a state waiver?

Texas, North Dakota, and Nebraska say yes, Louisiana names 100% IU, and Illinois's agency page names a 100% P&T rating based on unemployability. Oregon's statute says only "100 percent disabled" and does not mention individual unemployability.

Can I use DEA and a state waiver together?

Most state texts do not say; because DEA is a monthly allowance rather than a tuition payment, FedTools' inference is that the two usually can be combined. Texas law allows both, by FedTools' reading of the statute. Minnesota reduces its grant by federal veterans education aid, California's Plan A bars concurrent DEA while Plans B and D allow it, and Arkansas requires that you apply for DEA. Ask the school's certifying official.

Do we have to live in the state?

Usually yes, and many states also test the veteran's residency at entry into service or for years beforehand: Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Wisconsin among them. Florida looks at the DEERS home of record before the disability or current residency.

Sources