What it is: Education benefits that pay for college, trade school, on-the-job training, flight school, and more. The most widely used program is the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), available to veterans who served at least 90 days of active duty after September 10, 2001.
Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), 2025–2026 Rates
- Tuition & fees: Paid in full at public in-state schools. At private or foreign schools, capped at $29,920.95 per academic year (2025–2026).
- Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA): Paid at the BAH E-5 with dependents rate for the zip code of your school. In high-cost cities this can exceed $3,000 per month. Online-only students receive $1,118.50 per month (2025–2026 rate).
- Books & supplies stipend: Up to $1,000 per academic year, paid proportionally per credit hour.
- Eligibility: Based on length of active-duty service after 9/10/2001. 36 months or more = 100% benefit. 90 days = 40% benefit. The percentage scales between those points.
- Transfer of entitlement: Active-duty members with at least 6 years of service who commit to 4 more years can transfer unused benefits to a spouse or dependent child. This must be approved while still on active duty.
Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30): An older program that pays a flat monthly rate (approximately $2,400 per month for full-time enrollment) but does not cover tuition separately. Generally less valuable than Chapter 33 for most veterans.