VA Form 21-674 VA School Attendance Form: Edit Online Free & Download PDF
VA School Attendance Form: Request for Approval of School Attendance
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VA Form 21-674 in short
VA Form 21-674 asks VA to keep paying benefits for a veteran's child who is at least 18 but under 23 and attending school. VA says it removes children from benefits automatically at 18, so you send this form to keep a student on your award. Use one form per student.
| Issued by | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration |
|---|---|
| Current version | Rev. November 2024 (checked 2026-10-25) |
| Who fills it in | The person receiving or claiming benefits for the child, usually the veteran or surviving spouse, a guardian or custodian. The student signs only if they have reached the age of majority and claim benefits on their own behalf. |
| Who receives it | VA. Compensation cases go to the Evidence Intake Center; pension and survivors cases go to the Pension Intake Center. |
| Where to send it | Online, VA's page says you start the Application Request to Add and/or Remove Dependents (VA Form 21-686c) and choose the option to add a child 18 to 23 who will attend school. By mail, page 3 of the form lists: compensation claims to Department of Veterans Affairs, Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444; pension and survivors benefit claims to Pension Intake Center, PO Box 5365, Janesville, WI 53547-5365. |
| Deadline | The form has no fixed filing date. VA says children are removed at 18, so send it if the child will stay in school past 18. Follow any date in a VA letter. |
| Official links | Official page · Official PDF |
What changed
The NOV 2024 edition supersedes the OCT 2021 edition, as printed on the form. VA did not publish a list of changes.
How to fill out VA Form 21-674, line by line
| Section I, items 1 to 3 | Veteran or claimant Name, VA file number and an optional email for the person receiving or claiming benefits. |
| Section II, items 4 to 8 | Student's identification The child's name, Social Security number, date of birth, whether they have ever married (and the date), and their address. |
| Section III, items 9A to 9C | Federal education benefits Answer yes if the student gets DEA (Chapter 35), the Fry Scholarship or FECA, or attends a school wholly paid for by the federal government, such as a service academy or Job Corps. Then give the program and the date payments began. |
| Section III, items 10A to 12C | School attendance details Whether the student attended continuously, whether the school is accredited, term start dates, the expected graduation date, and the last term's dates. |
| Section IV, items 13 and 14 | Student's income and assets Complete only for disability pension or survivors pension. Write 0.00 where there is no income; the form says a blank is read as 0 or none. Report gross amounts and do not report VA benefits. |
| Section V, item 15 | Remarks Extra details, including any education expenses the student paid if you are on Improved Pension. |
| Section VI, items 16A to 16D | Certification and signature Signature (required), date, relationship to the student and phone number. By signing you agree to tell VA about changes such as leaving school or marriage. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Putting two students on one form. The form says to use a separate VA Form 21-674 for each student.
- Answering yes to 9A for transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill. The instructions say not to report that in item 9A.
- Filling in Section IV for a compensation award. The instructions say it is only for disability pension or survivors pension.
- Leaving income boxes blank instead of writing 0.00 in Section IV.
- Having the student sign when they are not claiming on their own behalf. Usually the veteran, surviving spouse, guardian or custodian signs.
- Not reporting later changes. The form says to use VA Form 21-674b to report changes such as leaving school or marriage.
Questions about VA Form 21-674
Who needs VA Form 21-674?
Anyone claiming VA benefits for a veteran's child who is at least 18 but under 23 and attending school.
Can I submit VA Form 21-674 online?
Yes. VA says to start the online VA Form 21-686c and choose adding a child 18 to 23 who will attend school.
What happens when my child turns 18?
VA says it removes children from your benefits automatically at 18. If the child stays in school, you need to submit their information again.
Can my child get DEA and still be on my award as a student?
The form says receiving DEA, FECA or similar federal benefits together with added payments for school attendance is a duplication of benefits and is not allowed. It also says benefits allowed through this form stop if the student receives DEA.
When do the added benefits stop?
The form says they stop if the student marries, receives DEA, leaves school or passes away.
How do I report that my child left school?
The form says to use VA Form 21-674b, School Attendance Report, to report changes.
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Sources
Checked against the official sources on 2026-10-25. PDF Editor Hub is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.