VA education benefits help Veterans, service members, and their qualified family members with needs like paying college tuition, and finding the right school or training program.
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Eligibility for the Post 9/11 GI Bill
The Post-9/11 GI Bill broadened the educational benefits available to Veterans who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001. These benefits can be used on any approved program offered in the United States for an associates degree or higher.
To be eligible, you must have served at least 90 aggregate days and:
- Have been honorably discharged from active duty
- Released from active duty and placed on the retired list or temporary disability retired list
- Released from active duty and transferred to the Fleet Reserve or Fleet Marine Corps Reserve
- Released from active duty for further service in a reserve component of the Armed Forces
- Honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability after serving 30 continuous days after September 19, 2001
The length of your service will determine what percentage of benefits you’re eligible for.
Covered costs
The percentage of benefits covered depends on the time of your monthly service. The percentage of each benefit paid out is as follows:
- At least 36 months- 100%
- At least 30 continuous days and discharged due to a service-connected disability- 100%
- At least 30 months (but less than 36 months)- 90%
- At least 24 months (but less than 30 months)- 80%
- At least 18 months (but less than 24 months)- 70%
- At least 12 months (but less than 18 months)- 60%
- At least 6 months (but less than 12 months)- 40%
- At least 90 days (but less than 6 months)- 40%
The following benefits include:
- Tuition or other education programs
- The VA will cover tuition up to the cost of the most expensive in-state school
- Housing
- The VA will also pay a monthly housing allowance in the same zip code of the school you are attending. This benefit does not apply to those in remote learning programs or enrolled half time or less.
- Books and supplies benefit
- The VA will pay up to $1,000 per year for books and supplies
- Transfer of benefits to a spouse, child or both
Covered programs
- College/university
- Correspondence courses or distant learning
- Apprenticeship/on-the-job training
- Flight training (if you already have a private pilot’s license and valid medical certification)
- National testing programs required for admission to undergraduate programs (SAT/ACT) or graduate programs (GRE, LSAT, GMAT, etc.)
- Professional licensing and certification tests
Do grades matter, and what to do if you're not making progress?
You need to make “satisfactory progress” towards your education to continue receiving payment, meaning you have to meet your school’s minimum requirements for passing as you meet your objective.
If you have failed a course needed to graduate, the VA will pay for you to retake that class in most circumstances.
If you drop out of school or a training program, you may still be able to be recertified or use your benefits at a later date. If you return to the same institution, your school will need to recertify you to the VA.
