GI Bill for Spouse Use, Online Education and More (2025 Edition)

Military spouses and dependents can use the GI Bill to cover education and related expenses for a post-secondary degree. This helpful benefit can cover the cost of college for your spouse, children, and other eligible family members.

Not only does the GI Bill cover the cost of school, but it can also cover housing and living expenses, plus books and supplies while attending classes. It can even cover certification and licensing, training, and exams.

First things first: What is the GI Bill? The GI Bill is a set of benefits that allow qualified military members to cover payments for a wide variety of educational costs, career training, and more. There are several GI Bill programs that cover different benefits and allow different types of Servicemembers and relatives to access benefit money. For example, you have:

• Post-9/11 GI Bill
• Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD)
• Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)
• Survivors’ and Dependents’ Assistance

Servicemembers can use GI Bill benefits, or gift them, to pay for undergraduate and graduate degrees, some foreign programs, tuition assistance, non-college degree programs, co-op training, work study assistance, online college, and more.

If you’ve landed here, you’re probably also wondering, “Can a spouse use a GI Bill?” The answer is yes. In fact, both spouses and dependents can be gifted your GI Bill and all the benefits thereof. Learn more about the process of gifting your GI Bill for spouse use further below.

To transfer your GI Bill eligibility to a qualifying dependent, you must first make sure you qualify for this benefit. The main requirements are time on active service and an honorable discharge if a Veteran.

To receive the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you must have served on or after September 11, 2001. For full benefits, you have to complete at least 36 months of qualifying active service. Some service obligations, such as a Service Academy appointment or ROTC scholarship, do not count toward eligibility.

If you received a Purple Heart, you can receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits regardless of length of service. Those discharged due to a service-connected disability only need to have served for 30 days to receive full benefits.

You can get partial benefits if you serve less than the required 36 months on active duty. Beginning at 90 days, you can receive a partial benefit. Use the VA’s GI Bill Calculator to see exactly how much to expect.

• 1,095 days or more: 100%
• 910 to 1,094 days (30 to 35 months): 90%
• 730 to 909 days (24 to 29 months): 80%
• 545 to 729 days (18 to 23 months): 70%
• 180 to 544 days (6 to 17 months): 60%
• 90 to 179 days (90 days to 5 months): 50%

A few timing requirements are important to note to transfer your eligibility to your dependents. First, you must be currently serving on active duty to transfer your GI Bill benefit. If you wait until you’ve separated or retired, you can still use the program, but you can’t shift it to your dependents.

You must have served at least 6 years on active duty to transfer your benefits. You can designate it for one or more dependents, and once you elect to transfer your eligibility, you can reallocate it among your dependents at any time.

After you transfer your GI Bill, you commit to serving at least four additional years on active duty, so you can’t go this route after you’ve left active duty service.

Only dependents listed in your official record in DEERS are eligible to receive your GI Bill benefits. You must add your dependent spouse or children to your military record to transfer it to them. Sometimes, other family members can be added as dependents in DEERS, but you must complete additional paperwork through the court system showing they are in your custody.

Children must be at least 18 years old or have finished high school. If your children plan to use your GI Bill benefit, they have to wait until you complete 10 years on active duty service, even though you can officially transfer it to them at year 6. Your spouse can use the benefit immediately after the transfer.

Dependents using the GI Bill receive the same benefits as an active duty service member or Veteran, including:

• Tuition
• Housing
• Books and supplies
• Education-related standardized tests
• Certification and licensing courses
• Certification and licensing exams

Sometimes, dependents cannot receive the housing allowance. If your spouse uses your GI Bill entitlement while you are on active duty, they will not receive housing allowance. However, if your child uses the benefit while you are on active duty, they may still get the housing benefit.

When a military member dies, their benefits are not automatically transferred to their dependents. For dependents to receive GI Bill benefits, the service member must have completed the transfer form before they passed. If the service member transfers benefits but passes before completing their additional four-year obligation, the benefits and eligibility remain the same as if they had completed the time.

Spouses and dependents of military members who passed away may be eligible for similar benefits through the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance or the Fry Scholarship.

Both programs are open to surviving spouses and children, plus some spouses and children of those with a service-connected disability.

The application process for eligible dependents to use GI Bill benefits has two steps. First, the military member must complete the transfer paperwork and process. Then, the dependent must apply to use the benefits.

You need basic documentation showing your identity, including a photo ID, and your contact information. You also need to access your military record to show your time in service and eligibility. Find a complete list of required information, plus access to the online application portal, at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

If you want to use your GI Bill for your own education or training, go through the Department of Veterans Affairs. You can complete the application online, and it only requires basic information, including:

• Your Social Security number
• Military record to confirm eligibility
• School information.

Once ready to receive the benefits, provide your bank information as well.

To transfer your benefits to a spouse or child, you must complete the Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) through the Department of Defense’s MilConnect system. Make sure you complete this while still on active duty, even if your dependents will not use the benefit until years later.

Once your dependent is ready for school or training, they need to apply to use the GI Bill through the VA. The online application is straightforward, but they can also complete a paper copy and mail it in.

First, the spouse or child must create an account through ID.me or login.gov. Next, they need their own eligibility verification (shown in the service member’s record), personal information, and bank information to set up direct deposit. Each dependent sets up their own login to complete the application. Sometimes, the decision letter is generated immediately, while others require further review. Most can move forward within 30 days of applying.

For children under 18, the service member completes the application on their behalf. However, they must have a high school diploma to be eligible.

Some schools and institutions take special steps to work with members of the military community. These military-friendly schools offer flexible scheduling, discounted tuition, student support services, and more. Many participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which reduces tuition to the GI Bill-approved amount for students using this benefit.

You can search for military-friendly schools through the GI Bill Comparison Tool for schools and employers at the Department of Veterans Affairs website. You can filter search results by the type of school, the programs offered, whether or not they participate in the Yellow Ribbon program, and more.

The GI Bill education benefit is a helpful tool that allows service members, Veterans, and their families to pursue higher education. Transferring this benefit to eligible spouses and children sets them up for college without a hefty bill.

The timeline is important to note, since you’ll need to transfer your eligibility while still on active duty. But once you take care of this step, your dependents can get help with tuition, books, housing, and more as they pursue a degree.