Duration of veteran’s education or training

§ 1611. Duration of veteran’s education or training (a) Each eligible veteran shall be entitled to education or training under this chapter for a period equal to one and a half times the duration of his service on active duty during his basic service period (or to the equivalent thereof in part-time training), except that— (1) in computing the duration of such service, there shall lie excluded a period equal to any period he was assigned by the Armed Forces to a civilian institution for a course of education or training which was substantially the same as established courses offered to civilians or served as a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies; (2) the period of education or training to which an eligible veteran shall be entitled under this chapter shall not, except as provided in subsection (b), exceed thirty-six months reduced by a period equivalent to any period of educational assistance afforded him under chapter 35 of this title; and (3) the period of education or training to which an eligible veteran shall be entitled under this chapter together with education or training received under chapter 31 of this title, part VIII of Veterans Regulation Numbered 1 (a), and section 12 (a) of the Act enacting this title shall not, except as provided in subsection (b),exceed forty-eigth months in the aggregate. (b) Whenever the period of entitlement to education or training under this chapter of an eligible veteran who is enrolled in an educational institution regularly operated on the quarter or semester system ends during a quarter or semester and after a major part of such semester or quarter has expired, such period shall be extended to the termination of such unexpired quarter or semester. In all other courses offered by educational institutions, whenever the period of eligibility ends after a major portion of the course is completed such period may be extended to the end of the course or for nine weeks, whichever is the lesser period. (c) In the case of any eligible veteran who is pursuing any program of education or training exclusively by correspondence, one-fourth of the elapsed time in following such program of education or training shall be charged against the veteran’s period of entitlement