Post-9/11 GI Bill Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about the Department of Veterans Affairs' Post-9/11 GI Bill.

1. When did the Post-9/11 GI Bill take effect, and how do I apply?

The Post-9/11 GI Bill took effect Aug. 1, 2009. You can apply online using the VA.GOV website. If you have any questions, contact the VA at 888-GIBILL-1. There are several things to consider before submitting the form.

2. Who is eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill?

Service members and veterans are eligible who served a minimum of 90 days of active duty after Sep. 10, 2001. This includes active duty served as a full-time member of the Armed Forces or as a result of a call or order to active duty from a National Guard or reserve component under certain sections of Title 10 (federal orders).

3. Does the length of time served after 9/11 affect my level of benefits?

Yes, tuition and stipends paid under the Post-9/11 GI Bill vary depending on the type of school, whether a service member is currently on active duty, number of classes, and duration of active-duty service after Sept. 11, 2001. Here is a quick reference showing the percentage of total combined benefit eligibility based on the following periods of post-9/11 service:

• 100%: 36 or more total months (1,095 days)
• 100%: 30 or more consecutive days with disability-related discharge
• 90%: 30-35 months (910-1,094 days)
• 80%: 24-29 months (730-909 days)
• 70%: 18-23 months (545-729 days)
• 60%: 6-17 months (180-544 days)
• 50%: 90 days-5 months (90-179 days)

4. What are the major benefits of the the Post-9/11 GI Bill?

The Post-9/11 GI Bill offers several education assistance benefits. The three major benefits include:

• up to 100% paid tuition
• a monthly housing stipend
• ]a stipend of up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies.

5. How are Post-9/11 GI Bill payments calculated and paid?

If you attend less than full time, you will receive a portion of the payment based on the number of units of study. These payment rates are paid according to the length of your period of service as listed in Question 3.

Tuition and fee payments are made to the school. The Post-9/11 GI Bill can pay a veteran or service member's full in-state tuition at a public school. At a private or foreign school, it will pay up to $28,937.09 for the 2024-2025 school year.

The housing stipend and book stipend are paid to the student. The housing stipend is based on the monthly Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) payable to a military member with dependents in pay grade E-5 residing in the same ZIP code as the school where the student attends the majority of classes.

The housing allowance is paid at a percentage based on active-duty service, as listed in Question 3.

MHA Rate Exceptions

You may receive a stipend of up to $1,000 a year for books, supplies, etc. You will receive a lump sum payment in the first month of each term. The amount of the stipend payable is an amount equal to the fraction of the whole academic year that the term represents.

The amount of the monthly housing and book stipends will be paid based on the percentage of maximum benefit payable as noted in Question 3.

6. Does the Post-9/11 GI Bill Include Other Benefits as Well?

Yes, additional benefits include the following, which are not charged against your 36-month entitlement:

• Tutorial assistance may be paid up to $100 per month, not to exceed a total of $1,200.
• Work study is authorized for individuals training at 3/4 time or higher.
• A one-time payment of $500 if the claimant:
  - Lives in a county with six persons or less per square mile (as determined by the most recent decennial Census) and either:
  - Physically relocates at least 500 miles; or
  - Travels by air to physically attend an institution of higher learning, if no land-based transportation exists.

7. I go to school part-time. How does that affect my benefits?

Recipients who enroll at 1/2 time or less are not eligible for the monthly housing stipend. They are eligible for an appropriately reduced stipend for books. The amount of educational assistance payable is the applicable percentage mentioned in Question 3.

8. I am on active duty. How does that affect my benefits?

Active-duty members are not eligible for the monthly housing stipend. The amount of educational assistance payable is the lesser of the:

• Authorized charges, as computed above; or
• The "top-up" amount not covered by military tuition assistance.

9. I elected to make additional contributions under the "buy-up" program. Will I get the additional benefit?

Answer: No, you will not receive an increased amount for additional contributions ($600 buy-up) paid under the Montgomery GI Bill and you will not be refunded this amount under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

10. Will my Montgomery GI Bill $1,200 enrollment fee be refunded?

Answer: Yes, Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) contributions (excluding $600 buy-up) will be refunded at a proportional amount of the basic $1,200 contribution. This refund will be included in the last monthly stipend payment when Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement runs out. Individuals who do not exhaust entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill will not receive a refund of contributions paid under MGIB.

11. Does the Post 9/11 GI Bill have an expiration date?

It depends. If you first entered active duty before Jan. 1, 2013, your eligibility to use the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits expires 15 years from the date of the last discharge or release from active duty of at least 90 consecutive days. If you first entered active duty on or after Jan. 1, 2013, there is no ending date for your eligibility.

12. What types of education programs are approved for the Post-9/11 GI Bill?

In addition to a conventional college degree, the Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay for:

• on-the-job or apprenticeship training
• flight training
• licensing and certifications
• testing
• correspondence training
• entrepreneurship training

All education programs previously available under the Montgomery GI Bill are approved under the Post-9/11 GI Bill with the exception of accelerated training.

13. Can I transfer my GI Bill benefit to family members?

Yes. The Department of Defense (DoD) is authorized to allow individuals who, on or after Aug. 1, 2009, have served at least six years in the Armed Forces and who agree to serve at least another four years in the Armed Forces to transfer unused entitlement to their dependents. The DoD may impose additional eligibility requirements.

14. What if the Post-9/11 GI Bill isn't enough to cover my costs at a private school?

Institutions of higher learning may elect to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program to make additional funds available for your education program. These institutions voluntarily enter into a Yellow Ribbon Agreement with the VA and choose the amount of tuition and fees that will be contributed. The VA matches that amount and issues payments directly to the institution.

Only veterans entitled to the maximum benefit rate, or their designated transferees, are eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Active-duty service members and their spouses are not eligible for this program.

To receive benefits under the Yellow Ribbon Program:

• You must be eligible for the maximum benefit rate under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
• You must not be on active duty or a spouse using transferred entitlement.
• Your school must agree to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
• Your school must have not offered Yellow Ribbon to more than the maximum number of individuals, as stated in their participation agreement.
• Your school must certify your enrollment to the VA and provide Yellow Ribbon Program information.

You may be eligible if you fit the following circumstances:

• You served an aggregate period of 36 months on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001.
• You were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability, and you served 30 continuous days after Sep. 10, 2001.
• You are a dependent eligible for transfer of entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on the service eligibility criteria listed above.

Keep Up With Your Education Benefits

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Jim Absher

Jim Absher is Military.com's former benefits editor and columnist. He joined the Navy to see the world and later realized the world is two-thirds water. He also worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs in field offices and Washington, D.C. before coming to Military.com in 2015. Read Full Bio

Amanda Miller

Amanda Miller is an editor and writer for Military.com specializing in coverage of military and veteran pay and benefits. She became a journalist in the 1990s, began covering the military in 2007 for Military Times, and has since contributed to a number of military-oriented publications including Military Officer Magazine, The War Horse, and Air & Space Forces Magazine. Read Full Bio

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