VA Form 21-674: School Attendance Approval

What is VA Form 21-674?

VA Form 21-674 asks VA to recognize a veteran's child between 18 and 23 who is attending school as a dependent, so the veteran or surviving spouse can keep receiving the additional benefit for that child. One form is used per student.

It covers the veteran or claimant, the student, any federal education help the student gets, the school term dates, the student's income and assets, and remarks. VA's instructions say to use VA Form 21-674b, School Attendance Report, to report later changes such as the end of school attendance or marriage.

FileIt fills VA's own PDF (NOV 2024 edition), printing each amount digit by digit in the form's boxes and adding up the total value of the student's estate (item 14E). It files the result in your vault folder. FileIt never submits anything to VA.

Who fills it: The veteran, surviving spouse, guardian or custodian, or the student if an adult claiming on their own behalf.
Given to: VA: the Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444 for compensation, or the Pension Intake Center, PO Box 5365, for pension and survivors benefits.
Calculated for you: Item 14E, the total value of the student's estate.
Signatures: Item 16A, with the signer's relationship to the student and a phone number.
Edition: VA Form 21-674, NOV 2024 (supersedes OCT 2021), OMB 2900-0049
One per student: Use a separate form for each child in school.

Who needs to fill out VA Form 21-674?

Veterans receiving extra compensation or pension for a child who turns 18 and stays in school.
Surviving spouses whose DIC or survivors pension includes a schoolchild.
Guardians or custodians of a veteran's child aged 18 to 23.
Adult students claiming benefits on their own behalf.

When to use VA Form 21-674

When a veteran's child turns 18 and continues in high school, college or vocational school.
At the start of a new school term or course, with the official term dates.
With VA Form 21-686c if you have never received additional benefits for the child.

What you need before you start

The veteran's or claimant's name, VA file number and email.
The student's name, Social Security number, date of birth, marital status and address.
The school term dates: official beginning date, the date the student started, and the expected graduation date, plus the last term's dates.
Any federal education help the student receives (Chapter 35, the Fry Scholarship, FECA, a service academy, Job Corps).
The student's income for the year the term begins and the next year, and the value of their savings, securities, real estate and other assets.

What’s on VA Form 21-674

The 2024 edition has 3 pages. FileIt asks for it in 6 parts, and it is signed by Veteran, claimant or student:

Section I: Veteran/claimant's identification informationVeteran, claimant or student
Section II: Student's identification informationVeteran, claimant or student
Section III: School attendance informationVeteran, claimant or student
Section IV: Student's informationVeteran, claimant or student
Section V: RemarksVeteran, claimant or student
Section VI: Certification and signatureVeteran, claimant or student

How to fill out VA Form 21-674, step by step

1 Sections I and II: Veteran and student

Items 1 to 3 identify the veteran or claimant. Items 4 to 8 give the student's name, Social Security number, date of birth, marriage and address.

2 Section III: School attendance

Item 9 covers federally funded schooling or benefits, item 10 continuous attendance and accreditation, item 11 the current term and expected graduation, and item 12 the last term.

3 Section IV: The student's income and assets

Item 13 reports earnings, Social Security, annuities and other income received and expected, without VA benefits. Item 14 is the value of the student's estate, with the total in 14E.

4 Sections V and VI: Remarks and signature

Item 15 is for remarks. The signer dates the form and gives their relationship to the student and a phone number, agreeing to tell VA about any change in the student's schooling or marriage.

Common mistakes to avoid

Sending one form for several students instead of one form each.
Reporting VA benefits as the student's income in item 13.
Leaving out the official term beginning date or expected graduation date.
Not telling VA later when the student stops attending school or marries (VA Form 21-674b).
Forgetting VA Form 21-686c when the child was never added as a dependent before.

After you fill it out

Sign and date the form and send it to the Evidence Intake Center (compensation) or the Pension Intake Center (pension and survivors benefits) in Janesville, WI, or apply online at va.gov.

Use VA Form 21-674b later to report the end of school attendance or other changes.

Keep the filed PDF in your FileIt vault under the student, with their school documents.

Fill out VA Form 21-674 online with FileIt

Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 61 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start VA Form 21-674 now — it’s free

VA Form 21-674: frequently asked questions

Who is VA Form 21-674 for?

It is for a veteran's child between 18 and 23 who is attending school, so the veteran or surviving spouse can keep receiving benefits for that child.

Do I need one form per child?

Yes. The form says to submit a separate VA Form 21-674 for each additional student.

Should I include VA benefits as income?

No. Item 13 asks for the student's income from all sources except VA benefits.

Do I also need VA Form 21-686c?

VA's instructions on Form 21-686c say to submit it together with 21-674 only if you have never received additional benefits for the child.

Where do I mail it?

Compensation claims go to the Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444; pension and survivors claims to the Pension Intake Center, PO Box 5365, Janesville, WI 53547-5365.

Does FileIt calculate anything?

It adds up the student's assets for item 14E and prints every amount in the form's digit boxes. You still check the figures before you sign.

Official sources

Blank form (PDF), published by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA): https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-674-ARE.pdf
Official instructions and guidance: https://www.va.gov/find-forms/about-form-21-674/
Edition shown on this page: VA Form 21-674, NOV 2024 (OMB No. 2900-0049, expires 11/30/2027) (checked 2026-10-19).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.