38 USC 3523 - Disapproval of enrollment in certain courses

U.S Code last checked for updates: Apr 11, 2026

§ 3523.

Disapproval of enrollment in certain courses

(a)

The Secretary shall not approve the enrollment of an eligible person in—

(1)

any bartending course or personality development course;

(2)

any sales or sales management course which does not provide specialized training within a specific vocational field;

(3)

any type of course which the Secretary finds to be avocational or recreational in character (or the advertising for which the Secretary finds contains significant avocational or recreational themes) unless the eligible person submits justification showing that the course will be a bona fide use in the pursuit of the person’s present or contemplated business or occupation; or

(4)

any independent study program except an accredited independent study program (including open circuit television) leading to a standard college degree.

(b)

The Secretary shall not approve the enrollment of an eligible person in any course of flight training other than one given by an educational institution of higher learning for credit toward a standard college degree the eligible person is seeking.

(c)

The Secretary shall not approve the enrollment of an eligible person in any course to be pursued by radio.

(d)

The Secretary shall not approve the enrollment of an eligible person in any course which is to be pursued as a part of such person’s regular secondary school education (except as provided in section 3533 of this title), but this subsection shall not prevent the enrollment of an eligible person in a course not leading to a standard college degree if the Secretary finds that such person has ended such person’s secondary school education (by completion or otherwise) and that such course is a specialized vocational course pursued for the purpose of qualifying in a bona fide vocational objective.

(e)

An eligible person may not enroll in any course at an educational institution which is not located in a State or in the Republic of the Philippines, unless such course is pursued at an approved institution of higher learning and the course is approved by the Secretary. The Secretary, in the Secretary’s discretion, may deny or discontinue educational assistance under this chapter in the case of any eligible person in such an institution if the Secretary determines that such enrollment is not in the best interest of the eligible person or the Federal Government.

(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1196, § 1723; Pub. L. 86–785, § 4, Sept. 14, 1960, 74 Stat. 1024; Pub. L. 87–546, July 25, 1962, 76 Stat. 216; Pub. L. 91–219, title II, § 209, Mar. 26, 1970, 84 Stat. 83; Pub. L. 92–540, title III, § 311, Oct. 24, 1972, 86 Stat. 1083; Pub. L. 93–508, title II, § 207, Dec. 3, 1974, 88 Stat. 1583; Pub. L. 94–502, title III, §§ 306, 310(12)–(14), Oct. 15, 1976, 90 Stat. 2390, 2392; Pub. L. 96–466, title III, §§ 325, 326, 327(b), Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2196, 2197; Pub. L. 97–306, title II, § 202(b), Oct. 14, 1982, 96 Stat. 1433; Pub. L. 101–237, title IV, § 423(b)(1)(A), (2), Dec. 18, 1989, 103 Stat. 2092; renumbered § 3523 and amended Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), (c)(1),

cite as: 38 USC 3523