—The GI Bill —

The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) helps Veterans pay for school or job training. In addition to paying for education, it also pays for housing.

The GI bill is a product of your hard work and you should view it as such and take full advantage of what it has to offer.

Please visit VA.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits To Get The Most Up to Date Information About The GI Bill

Who Qualifies for the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

  • You served at least 90 days on active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service) on or after September 11, 2001, or

  • You received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service, or

  • You served for at least 30 continuous days (all at once, without a break in service) on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability, or

  • You’re a dependent child using benefits transferred by a qualifying Veteran or service member

Note: If you’re a member of the Reserves who lost education benefits when the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) ended in November 2015, you may qualify to receive restored benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

What Is Covered Under The Post 9/11 GI Bill?

  • Tuition and fees. If you qualify for the maximum benefit, The VA will cover the “ the net tuition and mandatory fees of public institutions.” However for Private and foreign schools, the VA limits what you will receive. These rates are updated each year and can be found at VA.gov

    • The GI Bill currently maxes out at 27K for private and foreign schools for 2024

  • Housing (if you’re in school more than half time). The VA will provide a monthly housing allowance based on the cost of living where your school is located (not on your address).

  • Books and Supplies. The VA also provides a stipend for both books and supplies.

How The VA Determines Your Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)

  • School Credits: The Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) is provided as a portion of the full-time rate, based on the number of classes or hours a student is enrolled in compared to a full-time schedule. This is referred to as the rate of pursuit. For instance, if full-time is defined as 12 credits and a student is taking 9 credits, their rate of pursuit would be 80%. A student must have a rate of pursuit over 50% to qualify for MHA.

  • Online or Foreign Courses: The VA will pay a housing allowance based on 50% of the national average.

  • ZIP Code of the Campus: Your MHA is based on the physical location of the school/campus. The VA calls this “location-based housing allowance.”

  • Calculate Your MHA: To calculate your MHA rate, please visit the Defense Travel Management Office website at Travel.dod.mil and click Allowances and then Basic Allowance for Housing.

Note: Your MHA is based on the monthly military Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for an E-5 with dependents.