You may be eligible for several types of VA education and training benefits, but there are many things to consider before you apply for a GI Bill program.
For more in depth information, updated changes, and current rates please visit https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/
The Post-9/11 GI Bill, also called Chapter 33, is a VA education program for service members who served on active duty after September 10, 2001. It helps pay for school costs like tuition, housing, books, and other education-related expenses at approved schools. In some cases, benefits can also be transferred to eligible family members.
Minimum Length of Service:
90 days active aggregate service (after 9/10/01) or 30 days continuous if discharged for disability
Duration of Benefits:
15-year time limitation. Lifted for Veterans who left active duty on or after January 1, 2013, and qualifying dependents (Fry Scholarship children who became eligible on or after January 1, 2013 and all Fry Scholarship spouses).
Maximum Number of Months of Benefit: 36
How Payments are Made:
Tuition paid to school, housing stipend paid monthly to student, books and supplied paid to student at the beginning of the term.
The Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program, run by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), helps eligible Veterans and service members with disabilities related to their service get ready for, find, and keep a job that fits their skills and needs.
The program is open to transitioning service members who are within six months of being discharged from active duty, Veterans who are within one year of discharge, any service member or Veteran currently eligible for a VA education benefit, and all individuals who are currently receiving VA education benefits.
If you’re a full-time or 3/4-time student in a college degree, vocational, or professional program, you can “earn while you learn” with a VA work-study allowance.
The VA work-study allowance is available to persons training on a full-time or 3/4 time basis under a VA Education Program
You’ll earn an hourly wage equal to the Federal minimum wage or your State minimum wage, whichever is greater. If you’re in a work-study job at a college or university, your school may pay you the difference between the amount VA pays and the amount the school normally pays other work-study students doing the same job as you.
You may elect to be paid in advance for 40% of the number of hours in your work-study agreement, or for 50 hours, whichever is less. After you’ve completed the hours covered by your first payment, VA will pay you each time you complete 50 hours of service OR bi-weekly, whichever comes first.
You may work during or between periods of enrollment. You can arrange with VA to work any number of hours you want during your enrollment. But, the total number of hours you work can’t be more than 25 times the number of weeks in your enrollment period.
Services you perform under a VA work-study program must be related to VA work. Examples of acceptable work are:
The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) is a VA program that helps eligible Veterans, service members, and some of their dependents pay for education or training. It provides monthly payments that can be used for things like tuition, fees, housing, and books. The benefit can be used for college degrees, job training, and apprenticeships.
