Military Learning for Credit Act of 2025
Military Learning for Credit Act of 2025 (H.R. 4594) would allow individuals using veterans educational assistance to pay for certain examinations and assessments that grant college credit toward degrees at approved higher education institutions. The bill explicitly includes DSST, CLEP, the National Career Readiness Certificate, other comparable tests, and portfolio-based or narrative assessments that document prior military learning. The goal is to help veterans earn credit more efficiently and potentially shorten time to degree while expanding how benefits can be used. Key features include a per-examination cap of the lesser of the exam cost or $500, and a method to charge entitlement proportional to the cost of the exam relative to the recipient’s monthly VA education benefit rate. The bill also clarifies that using benefits this way must stay within the relevant VA education programs (and does not reduce DoD Tuition Assistance), and it defines important terms such as “approved program of education” and “institution of higher learning.” Overall, the measure aims to broaden credit-earning pathways for veterans without increasing total benefit exposure.
Key Points
- 1Enables veterans and other eligible individuals to use veterans educational assistance to cover costs for credit-bearing examinations and assessments that count toward degrees at approved institutions (including DSST, CLEP, NCC, and similar tests, plus portfolio/narrative assessments of military learning).
- 2Per-exam financial limit: the amount used cannot exceed the lesser of the exam’s actual cost or $500.
- 3Entitlement charged for these exams is prorated: the cost divided by the recipient’s monthly entitlement rate determines how many months of benefits are used.
- 4Does not affect DoD Tuition Assistance or other DoD education benefits; VA and DoD benefit programs remain distinct in this context.
- 5Key definitions provided: what constitutes an approved program of education, what counts as covered examinations/assessments, and what qualifies as an institution of higher learning.