New GI Bill Overview

Military.com

The new "Post-9/11 GI Bill" offers greater benefits than ever, but figuring out who gets what can be very confusing. The following overview can help ensure you get the most out of this brand new benefit.

Tip

Only the VA can verify your personal eligibility for GI Bill benefits. Be sure to call them at 1-888-GIBILL-1 if you have any questions about your eligibility status.

In July of 2008 the Post-9/11 GI Bill was signed into law, creating a new robust education benefits program rivaling the WWII Era GI Bill of Rights. The new Post 9/11 GI Bill, which went into effect on August 1, 2009, provides education benefits for servicemembers who have served on active duty for 90 or more days since Sept. 10, 2001. These benefits are tiered based on the number of days served on active duty, creating a benefit package that gives current and previously activated National Guard and Reserve members the same benefits as active duty servicemembers.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is currently accepting applications for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Once the VA has received your application they will determine your eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and issue you a Certificate of Eligibility. You can apply using the VA Form 22-1990. The form includes the instructions needed to begin the process.

Note: Benefits will not be paid for any training or education programs completed before July 31, 2009.

Details on the New GI Bill Benefit

The New Post-9/11 GI Bill offers a new set of benefits for servicemembers and veterans attending education and training programs taken at an accredited college or university. Post-9/11 benefit payments are tiered based on the amount creditable active-duty service you have since Sept. 10, 2001.
(See the table below to determine your benefit tier)

These new education benefits include the following:

Table of Post-9/11 Benefits - Who Gets What?

The following table offers a quick overview of the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for each major group of recipients who meet the basic eligibility qualifications listed below.

If You Are:	You Qualify for:	Tuition and Fees	Monthly Housing Stipend	Book Stipend	Able to Transfer Benefits	Yellow Ribbon	Relocation Allowance	Licensing and Certification Exams
On Active Duty		NOTE 1			X			X
A Guard or Selected Reserve Member		X	NOTE 2	X	X	X	X	X
A Veteran		X	NOTE 2	X	NOTE 3	X	X	X

NOTE 1: Members on active duty receive the full tuition payment - it is not limited by the state maximum payment rate.

NOTE 2: All students on active duty, those pursuing half-time or less and those attending 100% distance learning (online, etc.) courses are not eligible for the Housing Stipend.

NOTE 3: You may only choose to transfer benefits while you are still serving in the military. Learn more about GI Bill transferability.

Tuition and Fees

If you are eligible, VA will pay your tuition & fees payment directly to the school. This payment is not to exceed the highest undergraduate tuition & fees rates at a state operated college or university (Institution of Higher Learning). This payment rate is based on the state in which the school is located - not your state of residence.

Note: Members on active duty receive the full tuition payment - it is not limited by the state maximum payment rate.

Learn more about Post-9/11 Tuition and Fee coverage.

Yellow Ribbon Program - The new GI Bill also includes a provision to help students avoid some or all of the out-of-pocket tuition and fees associated with education programs that may exceed the Post 9/11 GI Bill tuition benefit. The YRP is not automatic, schools must enter into an agreement with the VA to share the expense.

To qualify to receive the Yellow Ribbon benefits you must meet the following criteria:

Served an aggregate period of active duty after September 10, 2001, of at least 36 months;
Were honorably discharged from active duty for a service connected disability and have served a minimum of 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001;
Are a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on a veteran's service under the eligibility criteria listed above.

Learn more about the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Monthly Living Stipend

As an eligible veteran or member of the National Guard or Selected Reserve you may receive a monthly housing allowance (living stipend) based on the ZIP code of the location of the school you are attending - not your home ZIP code. This stipend currently averages $1,200 a month, but can run as high as $2,700.

This stipend is based on the DoD's Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents. This stipend does not require students to live on campus.

NOTE: Servicemembers currently on active duty and veterans (and eligible family members) taking courses on a half-time or less basis and/or taking 100% of their classes at a distance (online etc.) do not qualify for the monthly housing stipend.

Check out the Military.com GI Bill Calculator to get an estimate of how much you can get under the new Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Book and Supply Stipend

You may receive an annual book stipend of up to $1,000 if you are a veteran or member of the Guard or Selected Reserve. This stipend is paid at the beginning of each term. It is paid proportionately based on the number of credits taken by each student at $41 per credit hour.

NOTE: Servicemembers currently on active duty are not eligible for the Book Stipend.

One-Time Relocation Allowance

You may also receive a one-time rural relocation benefit payment of $500.00 to help cover the cost of relocating from a rural location to attend school.

To qualify you must:

Be an otherwise eligible veteran.
Reside in a county with 6 persons or less per square mile (as determined by the most recent decennial census) and:
Either physically relocate at least 500 miles to attend an educational institution
- or -
Travel by air to physically attend an educational institution if no other land-based transportation exists.

Benefit Transferability

The Department of Defense (DoD) is authorized to allow individuals who, on or after August 1, 2009, have served at least 6 years in the Armed Forces and who agree to serve at least another 4 years in the Armed Forces to transfer unused entitlement to their Spouse. Once the member has reached their 10 year anniversary they may choose to transfer the benefit to any dependent(s) (spouse, children).

NOTE: The ability to transfer benefits is limited to those currently serving in the military with some limited provisions for those retiring over the next few years.

Learn more about transferability.

Other Benefits

In addition to the tuition, fees, housing, and relocation benefits, you may also qualify for a one-time reimbursement of up to $2,000 for a certification or licencing exam, work-study programs, and $100 a month for tutorial assistance.

Eligibility Criteria for Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits

You are eligible if you served a minimum of 90 days on active duty after September 10, 2001. This covers active duty served as a member of the Armed Forces or as a result of a call or order to active duty from a reserve component (National Guard and Reserve) under certain sections of title 10.

However, some periods of active duty service are excluded. Periods of service under the following do not count toward qualification for the Post 9/11 GI Bill:

Active Guard Reserve (AGR) (Title 32);
ROTC under 10 U.S.C. 2107(b);
Service academy contract period;
Service terminated due to defective enlistment agreement;
Service used for loan repayment; and
Selected reserve service used to establish eligibility under the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB chapter 30), MGIB for Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR Chapter 1606), or the Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP chapter 1607).

Further Details From the VA:

At a minimum, you must have served at least 30 days of continuous active duty service after September 10, 2001 and be discharged due to a service-connected disability, or served an aggregate of 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, and:

Be honorably discharged from Armed Forces; or
Be released from Armed Forces with service characterized as honorable and placed on the retired list, temporary disability retired list, or transferred to the Fleet Reserve or the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve; or
Be released from the Armed Forces with service characterized as honorable for further service in a reserve component; or
Be discharged or released from Armed Forces for:
- EPTS (Existed Prior to Service)
- HDSP (Hardship) or
- CIWD (Condition Interfered with Duty); or
- Continue to be on active duty.

Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefit Tiers

All Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit payments are based on the amount of creditable active-duty service each veteran has since Sept. 10, 2001. If you are an active-duty, National Guard, Selected Reserve member, or veterans who has served on active-duty for 90 or more days since Sept. 10, 2001 the following table applies:

Post-9/11 Service	Percentage of Maximum Amount Payable
At least 36 cumulative months (Includes Entry Level or Skills Training time)	100%
At least 30 continuous days on active duty and discharged due to service-connected disability (Includes Entry Level or Skills Training time)	100%
At least 30 cumulative months (Includes Entry Level or Skills Training time)	90%
At least 24 cumulative months (Cannot include Entry Level or Skills Training time)	80%
At least 18 cumulative months (Cannot include Entry Level or Skills Training time)	70%
At least 12 cumulative months (Cannot include Entry Level or Skills Training time)	60%
At least 6 cumulative months (Cannot include Entry Level or Skills Training time)	50%
90 aggregate days (Cannot include Entry Level or Skills Training time)	40%

The following links will help you learn more about this exciting new GI Bill program: