One of the best benefits available to military service members and their families is the GI Bill.
What is the GI Bill?
The GI Bill dates back to 1944, when returning military members needed assistance reacclimating to civilian life. Then, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation to provide financial assistance for service members and Veterans to attend college. Today, the GI Bill includes money for tuition, housing assistance, a financial stipend for books, and the option to use the benefit for training opportunities.
Military members, Veterans, and their dependents can use their GI Bill to:
- Pay for college
- Receive a housing allowance
- Pay for books and supplies
- Take training courses
- Cover education and living expenses while enrolled
Who is Eligible?
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is provided to all service members who served at least 90 days on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. In some scenarios, this benefit also extends to their eligible dependents.
The Montgomery GI Bill includes those who served before September 11, 2001 but completed at least two years on active duty. It also has a program for reservists to get the education benefit.
You need your Social Security number and military record to confirm eligibility for the GI Bill. Once you are approved and enrolled, you’ll also have to provide your school’s information to determine how much the benefit will be and your banking information to set up automatic deposits.
Benefits of the GI Bill
While the GI Bill’s most notable benefit is tuition assistance, the legislation also includes other financial benefits. Those who are eligible for the GI Bill can, in most cases, receive all of the benefits.
Higher Education
The GI Bill can cover the cost of tuition for higher education, including undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and even doctorates. You can use the GI Bill to pay for in-person classes or distance education.
The GI Bill does have caps, however. You can only receive up to the amount for in-state tuition at a public university in the state you attend. You can attend a private university that costs more, but you will have to pay the difference yourself.
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)
If you are attending school in person, you can receive help with housing expenses while using the GI Bill. This is a set rate, regardless of your military pay grade or number of dependents. Everyone eligible for the GI Bill receives the BAH rate for E-5 with dependents in the ZIP code of their school.
When you submit your GI Bill benefit paperwork, you’ll be able to include this information as well.
Certifications
Your GI Bill benefit can provide financial assistance for certification and licensure courses and education. It will cover prep classes and certification exams. However, the program will not pay for the actual fees associated with your certificate or license registration, just the educational component.
A few common programs the GI Bill can cover include:
- Professional Licenses: Teaching, real estate, and more
- IT Certifications: CCNA, CompTIA A+, and more
- Healthcare Certifications: CNA, RN, MD, and more
- Trade and Technical Certifications: Construction, engineering, and more
- Aviation Certifications: Pilot’s license, aviation maintenance, air traffic controller, and more
- Business and Finance Certifications: CPA, CFP, and more
- Law Enforcement/Security Certifications: Cybersecurity, physical security, and more
- Transportation Certifications: CDL and more
- Skilled Trades and Labor Certifications: Welding, plumbing, electrical, and more
Trainings
If eligible for the GI Bill, you can also take advantage of other education and career programs that will help prepare you for life as a student or working professional. You can pursue career-focused training as well as career navigation training with your GI Bill benefit.
The Personalized Career Planning and Guidance (PCPG) program includes counseling and planning support as you go back to school.
If you have a service-connected disability that impacts your ability to pursue traditional employment, you can use your GI Bill benefit to get specialized training through the Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) program. This provides guidance and support to Veterans with at least a 10% disability rating through the VA who are unable to work in a traditional setting due to their disability.
Other
Tuition and housing are two of the most substantial benefits through the GI Bill, but there are other parts as well. You can get a stipend to cover the cost of books and supplies, as well as tutoring help.
Some schools also participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program and offer discounted tuition to GI-Bill-eligible students. If you qualify for the GI Bill, the school may reduce their standard tuition rate to the GI Bill rate so that you don’t have to pay out of pocket to attend. This is school-specific, however, and not available in all places.
GI Bill Comparison
There are different types of the GI Bill available. Some people qualify for more than one, while others can only use one per particular program. The Department of Veterans Affairs provides a helpful comparison tool at va.gov to see just what would be covered in your chosen course of study.
Post-9/11 GI Bill
Most service members today are eligible under the Post 9/11 GI program. This is available to those who served on September 11, 2001 and completed at least 90 days of eligible active duty service.
Montgomery Bill
Those who served before 2001 often fall under the Montgomery Bill category. This benefit requires three full years of active duty service (or two if your agreement was only for two), but it also has a special program for those serving in the reserves.
Common Questions To Receive About the GI Bill
Ready to use your GI benefits? You may still have a few questions covered below.
Does the GI Bill Cover All Four Years?
In some cases, yes, and in some cases, no. The GI Bill is broken up into months of eligibility rather than years. The GI Bill covers 36 months of full-time post-secondary education. Generally, if you attend during the school year and don’t take classes over the summer, the 36 months cover all four years. However, you do not receive housing benefits or other financial benefits during the summer months when you’re not taking classes.
If you attend school year-round, the GI Bill benefits cover three years. You may be able to finish your degree in this shorter time, but this path isn’t right for every student. It does provide a continuous housing allowance as long as you are enrolled.
You can also take more than four years to work on your degree and use your GI Bill benefits. You’ll receive benefits for the months you are in classes and not for the months you take off. This is a good option for working professionals returning to school while still maintaining a job or family responsibilities.
If you are in a STEM-related field, you may be eligible for an additional nine months through the STEM scholarship program. This requires a separate application and is not guaranteed.
Do Active Duty Members and Veterans Have the Same Benefits?
The benefit is the same for active duty members and Veterans using the GI Bill. However, active duty members cannot receive the BAH housing stipend, while Veterans receive that additional benefit when enrolled in school.
Active-duty service members can transfer their GI Bill benefits to their dependents. They must do this while on active duty and can only begin the process after serving for at least six years. They must commit to staying in the military for another four years in order to transfer their eligibility. They can split their months of eligibility between multiple dependents.
| Benefit | Active Duty | Veterans |
| Tuition | Yes | Yes |
| BAH | No | Yes |
| Book & Supply Stipend | No | Yes |
| Licensing & Certification | Yes | Yes |
| Vocational & Trade School | Yes | Yes |
| Apprenticeships | Yes | Yes |
| Professional Testing | Yes | Yes |
How Much Does the GI Bill Pay Per Month?
The exact amount the GI Bill pays per month depends on your location. Coverage is based on the per credit hour cost of in-state tuition at a public university in your school’s state. Your BAH benefit is based on the E5 with dependents rate in your school’s ZIP code, regardless of your pay grade while in the military.
The VA’s GI Bill Calculator can help you determine how much you will receive based on your enrollment.
Summary
The GI Bill is a fantastic program that helps military members, Veterans, and their eligible dependents go back to school during and after military service. You can receive money to cover tuition, housing expenses, books, and materials while you work towards your bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate. The GI Bill can also cover trade and technical schools.
In addition to formal education programs, you can use the GI Bill for certification and licensing education, required exams, and career training. Additional benefits are available to help prepare for your college or career track. Your well-earned GI Bill benefit can help propel your education to the next level.