Post-9/11 GI Bill® - Are You Eligible?

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) helps you pay for school or job training. If you’ve served on active duty after September 10, 2001, you may qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33).

Am I eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits?

You must meet at least one of the requirements listed below. You:

• Served at least 90 days on active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service) on or after Sept. 11, 2001

• Received a Purple Heart on or after Sept. 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service,

• Served for at least 30 continuous days (all at once, without a break in service) on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability

• Are a dependent child using benefits transferred by a qualifying Veteran or service member

Note: If you’re a member of the Reserves who lost education benefits when the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) ended in November 2015, you may qualify to receive restored benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

What if I qualify for other VA education benefits too?

You’ll have to pick which benefit you’d like to use. This decision is irrevocable meaning you can’t change your mind.

What benefits can I get through the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33)?

You can receive up to 36 months of benefits, including:

• Tuition and fees. If you qualify for the maximum benefit, The VA will cover the full cost of public, in-state tuition and fees. The VA caps the rates for private and foreign schools, and update those rates each year.

• Money for housing (if you’re in school more than half time). The VA will base your monthly housing allowance on the cost of living where your school is located.

• Money for books and supplies. You can receive up to $1,000 per school year.

• Money to help you move from a rural area to go to school. You may qualify for this one-time payment of $500 if you live in a county with 6 or fewer people per square mile and you’re either moving at least 500 miles to go to school or have no other option but to fly by plane to get to your school.

The specific amount you’ll receive will depend on how much active service you’ve had since September 10, 2001.

For example: If you had 90 days of active service since September 10, 2001, you would qualify for 40% of the maximum amount. If you served for 3 years, you would qualify for 100% of the benefit. So if your school charges $22,000 for in-state tuition and fees, you would receive $8,800 if you had 90 days of active service and the full $22,000 if you had 3 years of active service.

Note that this amount will change August 1, 2022. In this example, 90 days of active service would qualify you for 50% of the maximum amount as of August 1, 2021.

Do these benefits expire?

This depends on when you were discharged from active duty. If your service ended before January 1, 2013, your Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) benefits will expire 15 years after your last separation date from active service. You must use all of your benefits by that time or you’ll lose whatever’s left.

If your service ended on or after January 1, 2013, your benefits won’t expire thanks to a new law called the Forever GI Bill® - Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act.

How do I know how much of my Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits are left?

If you already applied for and were awarded Post-9/11 GI Bill® education benefits, your GI Bill® Statement of Benefits will show you how much of your benefits you’ve used and how much you have left to use.

Can my family members or I get any additional benefits through the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33)?

You may qualify for additional benefits:

•If you need more money to cover higher private-school or out-of-state tuition, you can apply for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

•If you are a qualified service member, you can transfer all 36 months or a portion of your Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits to a spouse or child. The Department of Defense approves a transfer of benefits.

•If you are the child or surviving spouse of a service member who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001, you may qualify for the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship

What is Section 107 (Location-Based Housing Allowance)?

Previously, GI Bill® beneficiaries were paid Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) based on the main or branch campus of the school they were enrolled. Now, MHA is based on the campus location where the student physically attends the majority of their classes.

For more information visit www.va.gov.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill