VA Educational Benefits — Your Complete Guide

What the GI Bill Pays For

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is generous, but it does have limits. Here is what you actually get:

• Tuition & Fees: Full tuition at public (in-state) schools. For private or foreign schools, up to ~$28,937.94 per year
• Monthly Housing Allowance: Equal to the BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) rate for an E-5 with dependents, based on your school's zip code. This is only paid while you are actively enrolled
• Book Stipend: Up to $1,000 per year for books and supplies
• Duration: 36 months of full-time benefits (about 4 academic years)

Yellow Ribbon Program: If your school costs more than the GI Bill cap, some schools participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. The school and the VA split the extra cost — meaning you could attend an expensive private school for free.

Forever GI Bill: Thanks to the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits never expire. You can use them at any point in your life. No more 15-year deadline.

Who Qualifies

You need at least one of these:

• 90+ days of active duty service after September 10, 2001 (you get a percentage of benefits based on time served)
• 30+ days of active duty if you were discharged for a service-connected disability

Transferring to Dependents

You can transfer your GI Bill to your spouse or children, but there are rules:

• You must have at least 6 years of service at the time of transfer
• You must agree to serve 4 more years after the transfer approval
• The transfer must be approved while you are still in the military

Pro tip: If you have a disability rating, consider using VR&E for yourself (covered below) and saving your GI Bill to transfer to your kids. This way, your whole family benefits.

What Is VR&E?

VR&E (Chapter 31) is a VA program that helps veterans with service-connected disabilities get ready for a job, find a job, and keep a job. It can also help you start your own business.

Think of it this way: the GI Bill pays for school. VR&E pays for whatever you need to become employable and successful in a career that works with your disabilities.

That "whatever you need" part is what makes it so powerful. School is just one piece of the puzzle.

Who Qualifies for VR&E?

You need two things:

• A service-connected disability rating of 10% or higher
• An employment barrier — meaning your disability makes it hard for you to get or keep a suitable job

In practice, most veterans with a 20% or higher combined rating qualify. If you have a 10% rating, you can still qualify, but you will need to show that your disability specifically creates a barrier to employment.

You do not need to be unemployed to qualify. Even if you have a job right now, you can use VR&E if your disabilities make it hard to stay in your current career or advance.

What VR&E Actually Pays For

This is where it gets impressive. VR&E can cover all of the following:

• Full tuition and fees at ANY school: Unlike the GI Bill, there is no cap. VR&E can pay for Harvard, Stanford, any private university, any trade school — the full cost. If your counselor approves it, it is covered
• Books, supplies, and required equipment: Textbooks, a laptop or computer, software, tools for a trade — whatever your program requires
• Monthly subsistence allowance: A monthly payment while you are in training, similar to the GI Bill housing allowance
• Tutoring services: If you need extra help in your classes, VR&E can pay for a tutor
• Adaptive equipment: Special tools or technology to help you work with your disabilities
• Resume writing and job placement: Professional help finding a job after training
• Self-employment assistance: VR&E can fund starting your own business — equipment, licenses, supplies, and more
• Certification and licensing exam fees: Whatever tests you need to pass to work in your field
• Work-study opportunities: Part-time work during your program for extra income

How It Works

• Monthly payment: About $2,185.20 per month (2024 rate) for full-time students
• Duration: Up to 36 months of benefits
• How it pays: Unlike the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which pays tuition directly to the school, the MGIB sends a flat monthly check to you. You use that money to pay for school yourself
• Pay-in requirement: Most service members paid $100/month for 12 months ($1,200 total) from their military pay to enroll in this program

Should You Use MGIB or Post-9/11?

For most veterans, the Post-9/11 GI Bill pays significantly more. The Post-9/11 covers full tuition plus a housing allowance plus a book stipend. The MGIB only gives you a flat monthly payment.

However, there are some rare cases where MGIB might pay more — for example, if you attend a very cheap school and the flat MGIB rate exceeds what Post-9/11 would provide in total.

Bottom line: If you served after 9/11, run the numbers, but you will almost certainly get more from the Post-9/11 GI Bill. And if you have a disability rating, look at VR&E first — it beats both.

Who Qualifies

DEA is available to the dependents (spouse and children) of veterans who meet one of these conditions:

• The veteran has a 100% Permanent & Total (P&T) disability rating
• The veteran died in service or from a service-connected disability
• The veteran is MIA or was captured in the line of duty

Important: DEA is a separate benefit from the GI Bill transfer. Your dependents can potentially use both DEA and transferred GI Bill benefits, but not at the same time.

What DEA Provides

• Duration: Up to 36 months of education benefits
• Monthly stipend: A monthly payment to help cover education costs (DEA pays the student a monthly allowance rather than paying tuition directly to the school)
• Covers: College degrees, certificate programs, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training
• Age limit for children: Generally, children must use DEA between ages 18 and 26

Keep in mind: DEA does not pay tuition directly to the school like the Post-9/11 GI Bill does. It provides a monthly allowance. For expensive schools, this may not cover the full cost. But for community colleges and affordable programs, it can be a great benefit.