Veterans who have served at least 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, and received an honorable discharge will qualify for Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). To qualify for the full benefit a veteran must have served at least three years of active duty service after September 10, 2001. Active duty veterans serving more than 90 days, but less than three years of post-9/11 active duty service, are eligible for a percentage of the full Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill):

Please see the complete benefit information here: Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill).

Service members can use Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) while on active duty, but do not qualify for the housing stipend or book stipend. These troops may be better served by using Chapter 30 (MGIB). For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

Veterans who have served at least 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, will qualify for Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). Unlike in Chapter 1607 (REAP), benefits for active duty service are based on cumulative active duty service, not the single longest deployment. National Guardsmen and reservists with three years of active duty service post-9/11 now qualify for full benefits under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). As a general rule, only federal activations count toward total active duty service. Training, state call-ups and 32 AGR service do not qualify.

The following chart outlines the breakdown of benefits based on amount of service.

Please see the complete benefit information here: Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill).

Veterans who served at least 30 days of post-9/11 active duty service and were discharged due to a service-connected disability qualify for the full Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill).

Any veteran or service member who served at least 90 days of active duty service post-9/11 will qualify for Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). Those veterans who did not opt in to the Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill) and/or participated in the Chapter 32 (VEAP) program will still be eligible for this benefit.

Officers who graduated from service academies or received ROTC scholarships do qualify for Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). However, time spent satisfying the ROTC/Service Academy active duty obligation does not count toward the active duty service necessary to qualify for the benefits.

Service members who enlisted under the student loan repayment plan (SLRP) qualify for Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). However, time spent satisfying their initial enlistment contract does not count toward the active duty service necessary to qualify for the benefits. For example, a servicemember who enlists for two years and takes SLRP will not have their first two years count toward Chapter 33 eligibility. If that same servicemember enlisted for four years then the first four years would not count. Reenlistment student loan repayment programs do not affect GI Bill benefits.

Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) allows the Secretary of Defense to provide currently serving troops the opportunity to transfer education benefits to a spouse or to one or more of the individual's children.

To qualify for transferability a servicemember must:

1.      Qualify for the education benefits themselves

2.      Served at least 6 years on Active Duty or in the National Guard or Select Reserves

3.      Agree to commit to 4 more years of service starting Aug 2009. EXCEPTION: If a veteran is retirement eligible, than no additional service will be required. If a veteran is less than 4 years to becoming retirement eligible than that veteran just needs to finish the years remaining to retirement eligibility (e.g, 18 years in the service, 2 more years are required).

4.      Have a spouse or dependent(s) enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS) to transfer benefits to.

The ability to transfer benefits will start being available August 2009. A servicemember must visit https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/TEB to fill out the application to transfer benefits (the link does not appear to work right now). The form will require a servicemember to designate who the benefits will be transferred to, the number of months to be transferred and the period of time the dependent has to use the benefits. This application must be completed while the member is still serving in the military.

A servicemember may transfer part or all of their remaining education benefits as they see fit between their family members. Family members will also benefit from any enlistment kickers the servicemember was entitled to.

There are different rules on how a spouse vs. a dependent can use this new benefit. A spouse will have up to 15 years after the servicemember discharges from the military to use their transferred benefits, while a child will have to the age of 26 to complete their education. A spouse can begin using the benefit immediately, while a dependent must wait till the servicemember has completed ten years of service and the dependent has completed high school or turned 18 years old. Lastly, a spouse using the GI Bill while the servicemember is still on active duty will not receive the monthly living allowance and a dependent will be entitled to the full benefit.

The VA recently announced that in order for a child to qualify for transferred benefits, they must be under the age of 23 and if they are over the age of 18 they must already be enrolled in college. IAVA is currently working diligently to expand eligibility to adult children.

A veteran may revoke or modify transferred benefits at anytime. After the servicemember retires or separates from the military a servicemember may not add new transferees, but can still modify transfers to dependents who are already receiving transferred benefits. A divorce will not automatically affect transferred benefits to a spouse or dependents, a servicemember must specifically request the benefits to be revoked or modified. Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits are not considered martial property upon divorce.

Failure to complete the additional 4 year requirement will mean any education benefits used by a spouse or dependent will be considered an overpayment and be charged to the servicemember. Exceptions to this are made for servicemembers who die while finishing the their service commitment, discharge due to a pre-existing medical conditions, hardship as determined by DoD or a physical or medical condition that was not caused by the servicemember’s willful misconduct that interfered with the performance of duty.

Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) offers a total 36 months of education benefits, the equivalent of four academic years. Tuition payments are made directly to the school for the entire quarter, semester or term. The payments are capped separately for tuition costs and fees charges by state. Fees include any mandatory charge by the school, including health insurance premiums, graduation fees, lab fees, freshmen fees and many others.  Click here for the list of state caps.

For example, in Washington, D.C. the state tuition cap is $105/credit and $657/term in fees. A veteran attending Georgetown University will be charged:

                        Cost to Veteran                    VA Pays

Tuition:           $18,372/semester                $1,575/semester (15 units x $105/unit)

Fees:              $1,015/semester                  $657/semester

Total:              $19,387/semester                $2,232/semester

If a veteran goes to a cheaper school than the cap, he or she will not receive a check for the difference between the actual tuition cost and the tuition cap. More expensive schools may participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program to make attendance more affordable.

Veterans who have served less than three years on active duty since September 10, 2001, qualify for a percentage of the tuition benefits under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). See details under the eligibility requirements for Active Duty or National Guard/Reserves.

Although typically the Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) provides a higher benefit than previous programs, some veterans may receive a higher benefit from Chapter 30 (MGIB) or Chapter 1607 (REAP). For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

Private universities and public university graduate school programs that charge tuition and fees above the state cap may participate in the Yellow Ribbon GI Bill Program by offering scholarships or tuition forgiveness to veterans. The school must enter into an agreement with the VA to participate and then the federal government will match dollar for dollar what the university provides, up to the full cost of tuition. If you are interested in getting your school to participate in the Yellow Ribbon GI Bill Program or want more information please join our mailing list.

Veterans enrolled as full-time or three-quarter-time students will be paid a housing allowance based on the military's Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rate for an E-5 with dependents. The living allowance can range from $667/month in Salina, KS, to $2,512/month in San Francisco, CA.

Veterans who have served less than three years on active duty since September 10, 2001 qualify for a percentage of the living allowance benefits under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). See details under the eligibility requirements for Active Duty or National Guard/Reserves.

Service members using Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) while on active duty or veterans in enrolled in distance learning, apprenticeship, on-the-job training, flight training or attending school half-time or less do not qualify for the living allowance. These veterans may receive a large benefit from Chapter 30 (MGIB).

For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

Veterans will receive a lump sum payment accompanying the living allowance for the first month of each quarter, semester or term. The payment will help cover the cost of books, supplies, equipment and other educational fees for that academic term. The payment will be $41.67 for every credit enrolled, but no more than $1,000 per academic year. (e.g., a student enrolled in 12 units will receive $500 for that academic term). 

Veterans who have served less than three years on active duty since September 10, 2001 qualify for a percentage of the book stipend under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). See details under the eligibility requirements for Active Duty or National Guard/Reserves.

Service members using Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) while on active duty do not qualify for the book stipend.

With the passage of the new Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill, or MGIB) is still on the books, and the benefit was increased from $1,101/month to $1,321/month. In addition, yearly increases to the MGIB are now indexed to the rising cost of education, which means that benefit will keep up with the explosive rise in education costs. All the same qualifications still apply for MGIB, including the $1,200 buy-in. 

Although on average the Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) provides a higher benefit than previous programs, some veterans may receive a higher benefit from Chapter 30 (MGIB). For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

Chapter 1607 (REAP) is still on the books. Because the value of REAP is based on a percentage scale of Chapter 30 (MGIB), and the value of the MGIB was increased to $1321/month, the value of REAP has also increased. Here is the new sliding scale:

Chapter 1607 benefits are still calculated based on a service member's single longest deployment, and not his or her total aggregate service. Furthermore, there are still some unresolved VA regulation issues for reservists who get activated from the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) and then want to use their education benefits after they separate from the military. IAVA recommends that Reserve and National Guard service members consider using Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) benefits first.

For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

With the passage of Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), no changes were made to the Select Reserve GI Bill program. For information on this program, please visit the VA website.

For service members eligible for more than one GI Bill program, there are many considerations to take into account when considering which GI Bill program to use. For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

While Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) has a higher benefit on average, some groups may get a larger benefit from using the older programs, Chapter 30 (MGIB) or Chapter 1607 (REAP):

Veterans of active duty with little post-9/11 service will receive only a fraction of the benefit Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). Chapter 30 (MGIB) may be a better option.

Certain groups, including service members still on active duty and those enrolled in distance learning, apprenticeship, on-the-job training or flight training, or attending school part time, qualify for tuition under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), but do not qualify for the living allowance. IAVA encourages these service members to consider using the old Chapter 30 (MGIB) benefits.

Veterans living in regions with relatively low BAH rates and/or paying little or no money for tuition may benefit from staying with the old Chapter 30 (MGIB) benefits.

Graduate School

Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), including the Yellow Ribbon Program, can be used for graduate school.

Distance Learning

Veterans enrolled in exclusively distance learning programs can use the tuition benefit under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), but do not qualify for the living allowance. IAVA encourages these veterans to consider taking at least one course not through distance learning in order to qualify for the full living allowance. If that is not possible the veteran should consider using Chapter 30 (MGIB).

For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

Part-time Schooling (half-time or less)

Veterans attending school exactly half-time or less can use the tuition benefit under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), but do not qualify for the living allowance. The VA’s rules defined half time very narrowly. Thus, if your school considers 12 units full time enrollment then 6 units or below is considered halftime or less. If a veteran is enrolled in 7 units in this situation, then they will receive the full living allowance because they are more than half time.  IAVA encourages veterans who are studying exactly half time or less to consider using Chapter 30 (MGIB).

For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

On-the-Job Training / Apprenticeship / Flight School

Veterans enrolled in apprenticeship, on-the-job training and flight training programs cannot receive benefits under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). Veterans can continue to use older education benefits such as Chapter 30 (MGIB).

For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

Active duty service must be completed after September 10, 2001, to count towards Chapter 33.  In addition, for Guard members and Reservists only federal activations count toward total active duty service. National Guard and reserve training and state call-ups do not qualify. Title 32 Active Guard Reserve (AGR) duty currently does not qualify toward the new GI Bill.

Active duty served to satisfy an enlistment requirement for the following does NOT qualify toward Chapter 33.

·         ROTC students (4 years),

·         Service academy graduates (5 years) and

·         Servicemembers who took advantage of the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)

·         National Guard on Title 32 Active Guard Reserve (AGR) status

Service in the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also does not qualify.

Boot camp and other initial entry training programs only qualify toward Post 9/11 active duty service once a service member has completed 2 years of other active duty service. For example, a National Guard soldier who has been activated for 18 months cannot count their basic training and advance skills training toward Post 9/11 service. If that same soldier had been activated for 24 months, then their basic training time would have counted.

This benefit is not retroactive. A veteran will NOT receive a check for education benefits he or she has already used. However, veterans with the qualifying service can switch into Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). 

The new GI Bill does not repay student loans.

Veterans' education benefits should not be considered in determining eligibility for federal financial aid or tuition assistance. Every state/school sets its own policies for determining how veterans' education benefits affect state/local aid.

Any veteran who paid the $1,200 buy-in for Chapter 30 (MGIB) and elects to use Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) will be refunded the buy-in. The buy-in or a portion of the buy-in will be refunded on the last payment of the monthly living allowance. If a veteran has already used some of their Chapter 30 (MGIB) benefits they will receive prorated refund.

The VA ruled that individuals will not receive an increased amount [under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) for additional contributions ($600 buy-up) paid under Chapter 30 (MGIB) or 1607 (REAP).

Enlistment and reenlistment kickers will continue to apply to veterans under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). Any additional monthly benefits will be simply added to the monthly living allowance. For example, if a veteran is entitled to a $200/month enlistment kicker and a $1400/month living allowance, then that veteran will receive $1,600/month.

Unfortunately, under the VA’s final rules state that they will not pay kicker or college fund bonuses if the veteran is not receiving a living allowance (e.g., while on active duty or exclusively distance learning). IAVA is actively fighting to reverse the VA’s interpretation. 

The VA has recently issued a ruling on students studying overseas. They break these veterans into two categories.

The first category involves students studying at overseas programs which have a main campus back in the states (e.g., BYU in Israel). These students will receive the same level of benefits as student attending the school's main campus. Please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator and enter the zip of the main campus.

The second category involves students studying at foreign programs (e.g., the London School of Economics). These students will receive tuition payments up to the national average tuition for public schools. In 2007 the average tuition was $6,185/yr. They will also receive the national average BAH rate. That average for 2008 was about $1,100/month.

Veterans studying overseas will still qualify for Chapter 30 (MGIB) and Chapter 1607 (REAP) benefits. For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

The military home of record is not used in determining GI Bill benefits. Only the zip code of the school the veteran is attending will affect benefit amounts.

To qualify for these education benefits the veteran must have received an honorable discharge or been discharged due to a service-connected disability.

A veteran who did not receive an honorable or medical discharge, may still qualify for Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits if the veteran can prove that a physical or mental condition, not already characterized as a disability and not a result of the veteran’s own misconduct, interfered with the performance of their duty. A veteran can also petition the Secretary of their military branch to approve a hardship waiver. Lastly, veterans can apply to have their discharge upgraded usually after 6 months. Veterans groups like the American Legion have been very helpful to veterans facing these types of discharges.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill pays generous benefits for part time students. For example:

Tuition and Fees: Tuition payments are based on the number of credits a veteran is enrolled per academic term. Fee payments are the same regardless of the veteran’s level of enrollment.

Living allowance: Paid to students who are enrolled more then half time. A student enrolled one unit above exactly half time will qualify for the full living allowance (e.g., if full time is considered 12 units, half time is considered exactly 6 units. A veteran needs just 7 units to qualify for a living allowance).

Book Stipend: The payment will be $41.67 for every credit enrolled, but no more than $1,000 per academic year. (e.g., a student enrolled in 12 units will receive $500 for that academic term).

Under the current VA rules for the Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), a veteran can maximize their education benefits by attending school part time, at least one unit over half time (e.g., if full time is considered 12 units, then exactly half time is 6 units).

A veteran enrolled in just over half time will be entitled to the full tuition/fee payment, full living allowance and a majority of the book stipend. Most importantly, a veteran attending in this status will only be charged a half month’s worth of entitlement. These rules will likely be modified after the first year of the program, but until then IAVA believes every veteran should at least know how to maximize their education benefits.

If a student drops a course(s) or withdraws from school the VA will immediately stop paying education benefits for those classes and the student may be billed for the education benefits they have already been paid for that term.

The VA will bill a student in this situation unless circumstances beyond the student's control prevented the student from continuing in school or caused the student to reduce credits. These mitigating circumstances are presumed to exist the first time a student drops 6 or less credits. After the first drop a veteran must prove to the VA that mitigating circumstances were the cause of the drop/withdrawal.

Examples of mitigating circumstances include:

• Mental or physical illness or injury afflicting the student during the enrollment period.
• Illness or death in the student’s immediate family.
• Unavoidable change in the student’s conditions of employment.
• Unavoidable geographical transfer resulting from the student’s employment.
• Immediate family or financial obligations beyond the control of the claimant that require him or her to suspend pursuit of the program of education to obtain employment.
• Discontinuance of the course by the school.
• Unanticipated active military service, including active duty for training.
• Unanticipated difficulties with childcare arrangements the student has made for the period during which he or she is attending classes.

If VA rules that mitigating circumstances do not exist than the student will be charged for any education benefits they received for that academic term (e.g., tuition/fees, living allowance and book stipend). 

Boot camp and other initial entry training programs only qualify toward Post 9/11 active duty service once a service member has completed 2 years of other active duty service. For example, a National Guard soldier who has been activated for 18 months cannot count their basic training and advance skills training toward Post 9/11 service. If that same soldier had been activated for 24 months, then their basic training time would have counted.

The VA will bill a spouse or dependent for any education benefits they dispersed, if a veteran does not complete their additional 4 year service requirement. The service requirement is considered waived if the servicemember dies, has a disability that prevents the servicemember from completing their service, the military service secretary (e.g., Secretary of the Army) grants a hardship waiver or if the servicemember lost their job due to a reduction in force by the military.