Education Benefits for Spouses & Children of Veterans. Spouses and children of veterans may be able to get help paying for college, trade school, apprenticeships and more. This page explains Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA, Chapter 35): who qualifies, including families of living veterans rated permanently and totally disabled and stepchildren and adopted children; how much it pays; how payments go straight to the student; time limits, including no time limit for many families who became eligible on or after August 1, 2023; and how divorce, remarriage and DIC affect it. Learn about the Fry Scholarship for families of service members who died in the line of duty after 9/11, and how a service member can transfer the Post-9/11 GI Bill while still serving. Find out how to apply, what to report and who to contact to keep payments coming, and the trade-off that ends a veteran’s extra pay for a student child once DEA starts. Discover help most families miss: in-state tuition at public colleges, the maximum Pell Grant for Gold Star children, the STEM scholarship, CHAMPVA rules for students, and scholarships for survivors. Includes real-life examples, a free benefit finder, a payment estimator, and state tuition waiver tips. Veterans Claims Education is a free education resource; we do not assist with or file claims.