Education & Training (GI Bill)
Full in-state tuition (up to $29,920 a year at private schools), a monthly housing allowance, and money for books — and you can pass it to your family.
Overview
The Post-9/11 GI Bill helps pay for tuition and fees, housing, books, and certain training for eligible veterans, service members, and some dependents. Your benefit level is based on your total qualifying active-duty service after September 10, 2001. The Montgomery GI Bill is another option for some veterans.
How to Use Your Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits
What the Post-9/11 GI Bill pays for, how the tuition and housing pieces work, and how to make the most of your 36 months of entitlement.
The complete breakdown
Everything below is explained in plain English so you can make a decision without leaving this page.
Which GI Bill? Post-9/11 vs. Montgomery
The two main GI Bills pay in completely different ways. The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) sends tuition and fees straight to your school, then adds a monthly housing allowance and a yearly book stipend on top. The Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) instead pays you one flat monthly check and you cover tuition yourself.
You can only use one program at a time, and switching from the Montgomery GI Bill to Post-9/11 is usually permanent — so it pays to run the numbers before you commit. For most veterans with qualifying post-9/11 service the Post-9/11 GI Bill is worth more, but the Montgomery GI Bill can win when tuition is low, already covered, or you simply want the cash in hand.
Post-9/11 (Ch. 33): Tuition paid to the school, plus a housing allowance and a book stipend. Best for most degree-seekers, especially at higher-cost or out-of-state schools.
Montgomery (Ch. 30 / 1606): One flat monthly payment to you; you pay the school. Can win for low-cost programs or when you are stacking other aid.
What the Post-9/11 GI Bill actually pays
Tuition & fees: 100% of in-state tuition and fees at a public school at the top tier. Private and foreign schools are capped at $29,920.95 for the 2025–2026 year (the cap resets every August 1). Your benefit tier, from 50% to 100%, scales all of this.
Monthly housing (MHA): Based on the military Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-5 with dependents in the ZIP code where you take most of your classes. Fully-online students get half the national average, capped at $1,118.50 a month. It is paid only while you attend at more than half-time, and is prorated by your course load and your tier.
Books & supplies: Up to $1,000 a year, paid at about $41.67 per credit hour.
How long it lasts: 36 months of full-time benefits. If any qualifying service was on or after January 1, 2013, your benefit never expires (the Forever GI Bill); older service generally runs on a 15-year clock.
Montgomery GI Bill: the flat-rate option
Because these are flat checks and you pay tuition yourself, they are most valuable when your tuition is low or already covered and the monthly cash beats what the Post-9/11 GI Bill would send your school.
Active Duty (Ch. 30): A flat monthly payment — $2,518 a month full-time for 3+ years of service in 2025–2026 ($2,043 for 2–3 years). It requires the $1,200 pay-reduction buy-in from your service days and must be used within 10 years of separation.
Selected Reserve (Ch. 1606): For Guard and Reserve members with a 6-year commitment — $493 a month full-time in 2025–2026, paid to you rather than the school.
Yellow Ribbon: covering the gap at pricier schools
If your school costs more than the Post-9/11 cap — common at private and out-of-state schools — the Yellow Ribbon Program can erase the difference. Participating schools agree to waive part of the leftover tuition, and the VA matches that amount dollar-for-dollar, with no limit on the matched portion.
It is only available if you qualify at the 100% Post-9/11 tier (plus Fry Scholars and certain active-duty members and transferees). Each school decides how many students it accepts and how much it contributes each year, so confirm the details with the school's certifying official before you enroll.
Passing your GI Bill to a spouse or child
Career service members can transfer unused Post-9/11 months to family. You must have at least 6 years of service, agree to serve 4 more, and request the transfer through milConnect while you are still serving — it cannot be done after you separate.
Spouse: Can start using the benefit right away, even while you are still in. Housing is paid while the sponsor is on active duty.
Children: Can use it once you have served 10 years, after they finish high school or turn 18, and must use it before they turn 26. Children do not get the housing allowance while the sponsor is still on active duty.
Benefits for survivors and dependents
Fry Scholarship (Ch. 33): For the children and surviving spouses of a service member who died in the line of duty on or after 9/11. It pays the full Post-9/11 package — tuition at the 100% tier, plus the housing and book stipends. Spouses have 15 years to use it; children usually start at 18.
DEA / Chapter 35: For dependents of a veteran who is permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected condition, or who died from one. It pays a flat monthly stipend — $1,574 a month full-time in 2025–2026 — directly to the student, for up to 36 to 45 months. Children generally use it between ages 18 and 26.
It is not just for four-year degrees
GI Bill benefits reach far beyond a traditional bachelor's degree.
Trades & training: Vocational and technical schools, non-college-degree programs, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training — where you earn a paycheck plus a monthly housing stipend while you learn.
Tests & licenses: Reimbursement for licensing and certification exams (up to $2,000 per test) and national admissions tests like the SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT.
Other paths: Flight training, correspondence courses, and entrepreneurship training are covered too, and some high-tech programs qualify for VET TEC.
Who may qualify
Post-9/11 GI Bill: at least 90 days of aggregate active duty after Sept. 10, 2001 — or 30 continuous days if you were discharged for a service-connected disability.
Your benefit tier scales with service: 100% for 36+ cumulative months (or a Purple Heart, or the 30-day disability discharge), stepping down through 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, and 50% for shorter qualifying service.
The Montgomery GI Bill (Chapters 30 and 1606) is an alternative for some who paid in or who serve in the Guard or Reserve.
Service ending on or after Jan. 1, 2013 has no time limit to use (the “Forever GI Bill”); earlier service generally must be used within 15 years of discharge.
Dependents may receive benefits through Transfer of Entitlement, the Fry Scholarship, or DEA (Chapter 35).
How to apply
Apply for GI Bill benefits on VA.gov- 1
Confirm which program fits you and gather your service history, school, and intended program of study.
- 2
Apply online with VA Form 22-1990 (veterans and service members) or the matching family-member form (22-1990E or 22-5490).
VA Form 22-1990 - 3
Receive your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) — usually within about 30 days — and give it to your school’s certifying official.
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Enroll, then verify your enrollment monthly (by text or online) so your housing payments keep flowing.
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Straight answers to the questions veterans ask most about this benefit. Still stuck? Ask Albert in the chat, or request a free review with our accredited team.
What’s the difference between Chapter 33 and Chapter 35?
Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) is earned by the Veteran’s own service and pays tuition, a housing allowance, and a book stipend. Chapter 35 (DEA) is a survivors’ and dependents’ program for family members of Veterans who died or are permanently and totally disabled from service. They have different rates and rules — many families qualify for Chapter 35 without realizing it.
How much tuition does the Post-9/11 GI Bill pay?
At a public school, it covers full in-state tuition and fees. At a private or foreign school, it is capped — the national maximum for the 2025-26 year is $29,920.95 — with the Yellow Ribbon Program available to cover part of the gap at participating schools. Your percentage of the full benefit depends on your length of qualifying service.
What is the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)?
The MHA is a monthly housing stipend paid while you are enrolled, based on the zip code of your school and set at the military E-5 with dependents BAH rate. Students taking only online classes receive a reduced national rate (capped at $1,118.50 for 2025-26). MHA is paid for the months you are actively in class, not year-round.
Can I transfer my GI Bill to my spouse or children?
Yes — still-serving members can transfer unused Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to a spouse or child through the DoD, usually with a service commitment. Transfer must generally be requested while on active duty, so it is critical to set it up before separating. Once transferred, dependents use the benefit under their own rules.
Do my GI Bill benefits expire?
Under the Forever GI Bill (Colmery Act), service members whose last discharge was on or after January 1, 2013 have no 15-year expiration — the benefit does not time out. Those who separated earlier may still be under the old 15-year delimiting date, so check which rule applies to your service dates.
Can I use the GI Bill for a coding bootcamp or tech training instead of college?
Yes. VET TEC (Veteran Employment Through Technology Education Courses) funds high-tech training — coding, IT, data, cybersecurity — at approved providers, and it does not use up your GI Bill entitlement. Many Veterans use VET TEC for a fast career pivot without touching their college benefit.
Is there a stipend for books and supplies?
Yes — the Post-9/11 GI Bill pays a books and supplies stipend of up to $1,000 per year, paid proportionally based on your enrollment. It is separate from tuition and the housing allowance, and it lands in your account so you can buy what your courses actually require.
Can I use the GI Bill for apprenticeships or on-the-job training?
Yes. The GI Bill covers registered apprenticeships and on-the-job training (OJT) — you earn a paycheck from the employer while VA pays a monthly housing allowance that steps down as your wages rise. It is a strong option for trades, unions, and career fields where you learn while you earn.
