The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers several programs, such as the GI Bill, to provide financial assistance toward higher education to Veterans, servicemembers, and their qualified family members. These VA educational benefits are designed to help pay for educational expenses, including tuition, fees, and living costs.
Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)
Eligibility
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is available to Veterans who started service on or after September 11, 2001, and received an honorable discharge. They must also have served for at least 90 days on active duty; served at least 30 days on active duty without a break and have been honorably discharged with a service-connected disability; or have received a Purple Heart.
What It Covers
Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits can be used toward a bachelor’s degree, licensing or certification training and tests, apprenticeships or on-the-job training, technical training from career education institutions, associate’s degrees, master’s postgraduate studies, and doctorates.
The bill covers tuition costs at public institutions (paid directly to the school/training facility), a monthly housing allowance (MHA) based on the school’s location and student’s enrollment status, and a stipend to cover books and supplies — all paid directly to the student. There is also a one-time rural relocation payment of $500 for those who qualify.
Chapter 33 Benefits
If your last day on active duty was on or after January 1, 2013, Chapter 33 benefits may be used at any time, and they won’t expire. If your last day on active duty was before January 1, 2013, you must use your benefits within 15 years from your last day on active duty.
Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship
Additionally, the VA offers the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship, which provides up to nine extra months of benefits (not to exceed $30,000) for STEM undergraduate degree, dual-degree, and certain clinical training programs. You are eligible if you are a Veteran or Fry Scholar currently enrolled in a STEM undergraduate degree program requiring at least 120 semester credit hours for completion and you have completed at least 60 semester credit hours toward your degree.
Transferring Your Benefits
A Transfer of Entitlement (TOE) can be requested if you are a member of the Armed Forces, including National Oceanic Atmosphere Association (NOAA) or Public Health Service (PHS), and you have completed six years of service, agree to serve four additional years, and are enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). You can transfer up to 36 months of benefits to your spouse and/or children.
Additional Benefit for Dependents: DEA (Chapter 35)
Separate from Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits is the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA or “Chapter 35”). DEA provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain Veterans. Eligibility factors are:
- The Veteran or servicemember is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability
- The Veteran or servicemember died while on Active Duty or because of a service-connected disability.
Eligible spouses and children can receive up to 45 months of full-time or equivalent benefits for a college, technical or vocational degree programs. If the first use of the benefits was after August 1, 2018, you will receive 36 months of educational benefits.
Many colleges and universities have adopted policies granting in-state tuition rates for servicemembers, dependents, and survivors. However, the Colonel John M. McHugh Tuition Fairness for Survivors Act of 2021 requires the VA to disapprove courses at approved institutions that charge out-of-state tuition rates.
We’re Here to Help
If you need more information to understand the education benefits available to you, contact a Member Benefits Representative at 800-522-5221 or memberbenefits@aafmaa.com.
This article was originally published September 1, 2023.