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VA Post 9/11 GI Bill Fact Sheet
VA Online
Application for Education benefits (VONAPP)
VA Frequenty Asked Questions (FAQ) Page
Calculate your
GI Bill Benefits at GIBill2008.org
The new GI Bill (HR 2642, signed 30 June 2008) or "Post 9/11
GI Bill" (as distinct from the "Montgomery GI Bill")
went into effect on August 1, 2009 and includes educational
benefits beyond tuition, to include a monthly housing stipend and a
$1,000 a year stipend for books and supplies.
This new bill includes benefits for ROTC /
Service Academy officers, and Reserve and Guard members who have
been activated for more than 90 day (cumulative) since 9/11.
You can apply for VA benefits using the online form
HERE.
Or you can also download a .pdf file of the paper form
HERE and mail in your
completed form.
Retroactive benefits?
Benefits will not
be paid for any training or education programs completed before July
31, 2009.
Who is eligible?
All servicemembers who have
served at least 90 consecutive days on active duty in the Armed
Forces since September 11, 2001.
However, the amount of benefits you receive under this program are
determined by the actual amount of accumulated post 9/11 service.
Note: Active duty time required by ROTC/Service
Academy graduates does not count toward the three
years necessary to qualify for the full benefits.
See below for a chart listing the percentage benefit based on
service.
- 100% - 36 or more total months
- 100% - 30 or more consecutive days with a
Disability related Discharge.
- 90% - 30 total months (including service on
active duty in entry level and skill training)
- 80% - 24 total months (including service on
active duty in entry level and skill training)
- 70% - 18 total months (excluding
service on active duty in entry level and skill training)
- 60% - 12 total months (excluding
service on active duty in entry level and skill training)
- 50% - six total months (excluding
service on active duty in entry level and skill training)
- 40% - 90 or more consecutive days (excluding
service on active duty in entry level and skill training)
Note:
You didn’t have to opt-in for the Montgomery
GI Bill to be eligible for this program. There are no
enrollment fees for the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
ROTC / Service Academy graduates?
If you are an officer who graduated from a service academy or
received ROTC scholarships, you also qualify for the new GI Bill
benefits. However, your ROTC/Service Academy associated obligated
active-duty service time does not count toward the three
years necessary to qualify for the full benefits.
How much?
The Post 9/11 GI Bill will provide up to 100% of the
highest in-state undergraduate tuition in the state of your school. In addition, the program provides a monthly housing stipend
a stipend of up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies. If you
attend less than full-time will receive a portion of the payment
based on the number of units of study.
Tuition Rates
Under the new GI Bill you will be
provided tuition up to the highest established charges for full-time
undergraduate students charged by the public institution of higher
education in the State in which you are enrolled.
One of the added features of this tuition payment plan is that the
tuition will be paid directly to the school, relieving you of the
responsibility. This is similar to the process used for military
tuition assistance.
Based on 2008 in-state tuition rates, the anticipated annual tuition
payment rate for 2009 will be just over $6,000. The low being
Wyoming at $3,500 a year and Michigan which is the highest payment
in-state tuition rate at $13,000.
Yellow Ribbon Program
Some school have entered into the
Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement
Program, or Yellow Ribbon Program.
Under this program, degree granting institutions to voluntarily
enter into an agreement with the VA to fund tuition expenses that
exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate.
Monthly Housing Stipend
If you are enrolled in a traditional college program as a half-time
to full-time student, you will be paid a monthly housing stipend
equal to the monthly Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5
with dependents. The average housing stipend will be approximately
$1,100 a month. However, if you attend distance learning programs
such as correspondence courses and online you will not qualify for
this stipend.
Book and Supply Stipend
You will receive a lump sum payment 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 amount will be equal to either a quarter or half
of the annual $1,000 cap for that academic year, depending on how
the academic year is divided – quarter or semester terms.
Benefits Expiration Date
Unlike the Montgomery GI Bill, the
new GI Bill will allow you to use this benefit for up to 15 years
after your last discharge or separation from active duty.
Licensing and Certification Payments
This new GI Bill will provide up to
$2,000 to cover the cost of one licensing or certification test.
This benefit is not charged against your 36 month entitlement.
Tutorial Assistance
Like the Montgomery GI Bill, the new
GI Bill will provide up to a maximum of $1,200 for tutorial
assistance. The program will pay up to $100 per month, for a maximum
of 12 months. This benefit is not charged against your 36 month
entitlement.
Benefit Transferability
Servicemembers who have served at
least 10 years on active duty will be able to transfer their benefit
to a spouse or dependent child. Spouses of servicemember who
have served at least six years and agrees to another four-year
contract can receive the money even sooner.
The transferred benefit will cover the cost of tuition only.
Benefits may be divided as long as they don't exceed 36 months of
college classes. For example, a retired soldier can use half of the
benefits to pay for a two-year degree program, then transfer the
remaining half to a spouse or child.
College-age children of long-serving servicemembers could get a free
college education starting fall 2009, provided they attend a
state-backed school.
Transferability is limited to those currently serving in the
military and will likely be used as a retention tool.
VA Post 9/11 GI Bill Fact Sheet
VA Online
Application for Education benefits (VONAPP)
VA Frequenty Asked Questions (FAQ) Page
Calculate your
GI Bill Benefits at GIBill2008.org |
