For purposes of augmenting the benefits of a miner or surviving spouse, the term “beneficiary” as used in this section means only a miner or surviving spouse entitled to benefits (see § 725.202 and § 725.212). An individual who is the beneficiary's child (§ 725.208) will be determined to be, or to have been, dependent on the beneficiary, if the child:

Is unmarried; and

Is under 18 years of age; or

Is under a disability as defined in section 223(d) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 423(d); or

Is 18 years of age or older and is a student.

The term “student” means a “full-time student” as defined in section 202(d)(7) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 402(d)(7) (see §§ 404.367-404.369 of this title), or an individual under 23 years of age who has not completed 4 years of education beyond the high school level and who is regularly pursuing a full-time course of study or training at an institution which is:

A school, college, or university operated or directly supported by the United States, or by a State or local government or political subdivision thereof; or

A school, college, or university which has been accredited by a State or by a State-recognized or nationally-recognized accrediting agency or body; or

A school, college, or university not so accredited but whose credits are accepted, on transfer, by at least three institutions which are so accredited; or

A technical, trade, vocational, business, or professional school accredited or licensed by the Federal or a State government or any political subdivision thereof, providing courses of not less than 3 months' duration that prepare the student for a livelihood in a trade, industry, vocation, or profession.

A student will be considered to be “pursuing a full-time course of study or training at an institution” if the student is enrolled in a noncorrespondence course of at least 13 weeks duration and is carrying a subject load which is considered full-time for day students under the institution's standards and practices. A student beginning or ending a full-time course of study or training in part of any month will be considered to be pursuing such course for the entire month.

A child is considered not to have ceased to be a student:

During any interim between school years, if the interim does not exceed 4 months and the child shows to the satisfaction of the Office that he or she has a bona fide intention of continuing to pursue a full-time course of study or training; or

During periods of reasonable duration in which, in the judgment of the Office, the child is prevented by factors beyond the child's control from pursuing his or her education.

A student whose 23rd birthday occurs during a semester or the enrollment period in which such student is pursuing a full-time course of study or training shall continue to be considered a student until the end of such period, unless eligibility is otherwise terminated.