Education Benefits Programs

The Department of Veterans Affairs is now accepting and processing applications for the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill®. You should complete and submit the application online and you will receive a letter explaining the VA’s decision regarding your eligibility for the program.

The application requires that individuals currently eligible for benefits under the Montgomery G.I. BILL® – Active Duty (MGIB-AD), Montgomery G.I. Bill® – Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR), or the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) make an irrevocable election from their existing program to the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill®.

Please visit https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/ to complete the online application for VA Education Benefits.

The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® is for individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill®. The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® will become effective for training on or after August 1, 2009. This program will pay eligible individuals:

• Tuition & fees directly to the school not to exceed the maximum in-state tuition & fees at a public Institution of Higher Learning.
• A monthly housing allowance based on the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents at the location of the school.
• An annual books & supplies stipend of $1,000 paid proportionately based on enrollment eligibility.

If you are enrolled exclusively online you will receive 50% of the National BAH rate.  If you are on active duty you will not receive the housing allowance or books & supplies stipend. The VA Education comparison tool can be used to view estimated benefit amounts. 

• Comparison between the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and other benefits
• Post-9/11 GI Bill® Benefit

The MGIB program provides up to 36 months of education benefits. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training, and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following your release from active duty. This program is also commonly known as Chapter 30.

See Payment Rates for current rates of payment.

$600 Buy-up Program

Some service members may contribute up to an additional $600 to the G.I. Bill® to receive increased monthly benefits.  For an additional $600 contribution, you may receive up to $5400 in additional G.I. Bill® benefits. The additional contribution must be made while on active duty. For a listing of the increased monthly rates click HERE.

• MGIB-AD General Information​

The MGIB-SR program may be available to you if you are a member of the Selected Reserve. The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

See Payment Rates for current rates of payment.

• General Information

REAP was established as a part of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005. It is a new Department of Defense education benefit program designed to provide educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency (contingency operation) as declared by the President or Congress. This new program makes certain reservists who were activated for at least 90 days after September 11, 2001 either eligible for education benefits or eligible for increased benefits.

$600 Buy-up Program

Some reservists may contribute up to an additional $600 to the G.I. Bill® to receive increased monthly benefits.  For an additional $600 contribution, you may receive up to $5400 in additional G.I. Bill® benefits. You must be a member of a Ready Reserve component (Selected Reserve, Individual Ready Reserve, or Inactive National Guard) to pay into the “buy-up” program. 

See Payment Rates for current rates of payment.

• REAP General  Information 

The DEA program provides up to 45 months of educational benefits to eligible dependents of certain veterans.  These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course.  Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

Please Note: If you began using this program to pay for your school or training before August 1, 2018, you can get benefits for up to 45 months. If you began using the program on or after August 1, 2019, you can get benefits for up to 36 months.

For more information on Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Benefits, visit here.

• See Payment Rates