Federal VA benefits for dependents are not limited by which state you live in — what matters is the veteran's disability rating, your dependency status, and your age/school enrollment, not your state of residence. There are two separate programs worth looking into here: education benefits under Chapter 35 (Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance, or DEA) and health coverage through CHAMPVA.
Chapter 35 DEA is available to dependents of a veteran rated 100% permanent and total (P&T) by the VA. If the rating is 100% but not coded as permanent and total, DEA eligibility may not apply yet, so it is worth confirming the exact rating decision language. If eligible, a dependent child can generally use DEA benefits between ages 18 and 26, and the benefit follows the dependent to whatever accredited school they attend, regardless of state. The dependent (not the veteran) applies using VA Form 22-5490, Application for Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance. The school's VA certifying official can also help confirm enrollment once the application is submitted.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →CHAMPVA is a separate health insurance program for dependents of veterans rated 100% P&T (or for surviving dependents of veterans who died from a service-connected condition or while P&T). To qualify as a dependent child under CHAMPVA, you generally need to be unmarried and either under 18, or between 18 and 23 if enrolled as a full-time student at an approved school. Being in a different state than the veteran does not affect CHAMPVA eligibility, since it is a federal program. The application is VA Form 10-10d, Application for CHAMPVA Benefits, along with supporting documents like proof of the veteran's disability rating and your school enrollment if you are 18-23.
One thing to check first is whether the veteran's 100% rating is specifically documented as permanent and total, since some 100% ratings are subject to future review and are not automatically P&T. This distinction affects eligibility for both DEA and CHAMPVA. The rating decision letter or a call to the VA benefits line can confirm this.
The concrete next step is to obtain a copy of the veteran's official rating decision to confirm the P&T designation, then submit VA Form 22-5490 for education benefits and VA Form 10-10d for CHAMPVA, attaching proof of full-time enrollment at the Maryland community college.
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