The VA's Chapter 35 programme pays a monthly education allowance to the children and spouses of veterans and service members who are permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected condition, died from a service-connected disability or in the line of duty, or have been missing, captured or detained for more than 90 days. Benefits run for 36 to 45 months of training depending on the start date and can be used for degrees, vocational and technical training, apprenticeships, on-the-job training and distance learning — which makes it one of the few survivor benefits that funds an engineering apprenticeship or an IT certification as readily as a bachelor's degree. Educational and career counselling is included. Children face age and time limits; spouses becoming eligible on or after 1 August 2023 have no time limit.