Calculate Benefits
Length of service, location of school, type of program (campus or online) and enrollment level (full- or part-time) are all factors in determining the amount of your benefits.
What am I Eligible For?
Tuition and Fees
The Post-9/11 GI Bill reimburses your tuition and fees to your school and makes housing and other payments directly to you.
Your school will receive a percentage, as determined by your length of active-duty service, of the following:
- For resident students at a public Institution of Higher Learning (IHL), all tuition and fee payments are reimbursed.
- For private and foreign IHLs, tuition and fee reimbursement is capped at $17,500 per academic year.
- For students whose tuition and fees exceed $17,500 per academic year who are attending a private IHL in AZ, MI, NH, NY, PA, SC or TX and have been enrolled in the same program since January 4, 2011, schools will be reimbursed either the actual cost of the program or the maximum in-state tuition and fee reimbursement rate for the 2010-2011 school year, whichever is greater.
- For reimbursement information for on-the job or apprenticeship programs,click here.
- For reimbursement information for vocational flight training programs, click here.
If you are attending a public IHL as a non-resident student or a private IHL that is more expensive than the $17,500 cap, you may be eligible for extra payment under the Yellow Ribbon program.
| Individuals serving an aggregate period of active duty after September 10, 2001, of: | Percentage of Maximum Benefit Payable |
|---|---|
| At least 36 months; or at least 30 continuous days and discharged due to service-connected disability | 100 |
| At least 30 months < 36 months | 90 |
| At least 24 months < 30 months | 80 |
| At least 18 months < 24 months | 70 |
| At least 12 months < 18 months | 60 |
| At least 6 months < 12 months | 50 |
| At least 90 days < 6 months | 40 |
Monthly Housing Stipend
A monthly housing allowance (MHA) is equal to the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) amount payable to an E-5 with dependents in same zip code as your school. This allowance is proportionate, based on your enrollment, and paid directly to the veteran.
- If you are attending school at the half-time or less rate or are on active duty or the spouse of an active duty member, you will not receive any MHA.
- If you are attending school overseas, you will receive a MHA of $1,347 a month for 2011, which is the average amount for all CONUS locations.
- If you are enrolled solely in distance learning, you will receive a housing allowance equal to half of the national average BAH for an E-5 with dependents ($673.50 for the 2011 academic year).
- Active-duty students and their spouses cannot receive the Monthly Housing Allowance.
Books and Supplies
Veterans are eligible for an annual stipend of up to $1,000 for books and supplies. This payment is made directly to the student and is paid at the rate of $41.67 per credit hour. You may find that if you take 15 credits your first semester ($625.05), you will only be eligible for $374.95 for the second semester, so it is advisable to create a budget.
Veterans who served less than 36 total months on active duty will receive a percentage of the books and supplies stipend. For example, if the veteran served six months on active duty, the veteran would receive a maximum of $500 annually.
Transferability
Eligible veterans may transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to a dependent if the veteran has already served at least six years on active duty or in the National Guard or Reserves. The veteran must first reenlist for four more years of service on or after August 1, 2009. (Note: If the veteran is eligible to retire before four years expire, the veteran simply needs to finish his or her service obligation before retiring in order to transfer the benefit). The veteran’s dependents must be enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS) at the time of transferability in order to transfer benefits.
Child
In order to transfer your benefits to your child, he or she must be under age 23. If over 18, your child must already be enrolled in college upon receiving the benefit. Children cannot use the benefits until their service member has served 10 years. They have until age 26 to use the benefit, and they will receive the housing stipend regardless of whether the veteran is on active duty.
Spouse
Your wife or husband must use the benefit immediately upon transfer. If you are still on active duty while your spouse is using the benefit, she or he will not receive the housing allowance.
Yellow Ribbon Program
The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision within the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay you:
- All resident tuition & fees for a public school
- The higher of the actual tuition & fees or $17,500 per academic year for a private school
- An exception to this exists for students enrolled in private schools in AZ, MI, NH, NY, PA, SC or TX. In these cases we will pay the higher of the actual tuition & fees or the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition & fees
Only veterans entitled to the maximum benefit rate (based on service requirements) or their designated transferees may receive this funding. Active duty servicemembers and their spouses are not eligible for this program (child transferees of active duty servicemembers may be eligible if the servicemember is qualified at the 100% rate).Institutions of Higher Learning (Degree Granting Institutions) may elect to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program to make additional funds available for your education program without an additional charge to your GI Bill entitlement.
Institutions that voluntarily enter into a Yellow Ribbon Agreement with VA choose the amount of tuition and fees that will be contributed. VA will match that amount and issue payment directly to the institution. You should be aware that schools must re-sign their Yellow Ribbon Program agreements annually, and they are not obligated beyond this.
Search for participating institutions for the 2011-2012 academic year here.
Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship
Public Law 111-32, the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship, amends the Post-9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33) to include the children of service members who die in the line of duty after September 10, 2001. The benefit is retroactively effective to August 1, 2009; the same day the Post-9/11 GI Bill took effect. Eligible children attending school may receive up to the highest public, instate, undergraduate tuition and fees, plus a monthly living allowance and books and supplies stipend under this program.
For more information please click here.
Still Have Questions?
It may be best to speak directly with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. You can e-mail a benefits counselor by clicking hereand selecting the “Ask a Question” tab. Be sure to keep records of communication, and get the name and title of the individual who helps you, in case you have more questions later on. Follow the same protocol when contacting the GI Bill hotline toll-free at 888-442-4551.
You can also contact the admissions or financial aid office at the institution you are considering, and ask to speak to the veterans’ coordinator on campus.