Attending medical school can open a lot of opportunities for you. With a medical degree, you’ll be able to secure a high-paying job in the healthcare industry, which can improve the quality of your life in the long run. However, not everyone can afford to go to medical school because of the fees required. Aside from the tuition fee, you still need to consider your cost of living, books, and housing allowance – this is where the GI Bill should come into the picture. Many veterans choose to use the GI Bill to pursue a grad degree such as a medical degree.
Steps to Use The GI Bill for Medical School
- Determine if you're eligible for the GI Bill here. If you're a military veteran with an honorable discharge that served a normal tour or longer, you're most likely good to go.
- Sign up on the new VA.gov website to access your GI Bill benefits and get your Certificate of Eligibility.
- Take the MCAT
- Apply to a VA accredited medical school that is certified to take the GI Bill. You can explore them here.
- Get accepted to medical school.
- Work with the school representative to submit your Certificate of Eligibility and certify payment.
What Is The GI Bill?
In case you didn’t know, the GI Bill is an education benefit given by the Department of Veterans Affairs to people who belong to the Selected Reserve, National Guard Armed Forces and members of Active Duty. It started in 1944 with the GI Bill of Rights.
This benefit extends to the families of the members and aims to help service members to cover the costs involved in getting an education and training. If you’re entitled to this benefit, attending medical school can come off easier – and cheaper.
Being qualified for the GI Bill can provide several benefits to your life. These benefits can be a godsend, especially if you’re planning to attend a medical school soon. Let this article paint a clearer picture of how you can use the GI Bill for medical school.
How Can The GI Bill Help Me For Medical School?
As mentioned, a medical school will require a lot of things from you. Aside from having the determination and passion to finish the course, you also have to be financially stable to afford attending a medical school. This education doesn’t come cheap – and usually, will require you to break the bank or take out several loans at the same time. If you are qualified for the GI Bill, you’ll be financially assisted with the following:
- Tuition and fees: The GI Bill will pay your full resident tuition once you get to enroll in a public school. On the other side of the coin, if you’re eyeing to attend a medical school which is either private or abroad, the GI bill will cover up to $23,671.97 of your academic school year. Some schools around the world participate in the “Yellow Ribbon” program which can waive a portion of the difference of your tuition. This can result in lower tuition and fees "out-of-pocket" for medical school.
- Housing allowance, BAH, or MHA: As a medical student, you don’t only have to pay for your tuition fees; you also have to think about where you can get money for your housing allowance. This is crucial, especially if the medical school you’re planning to attend to is far from your home. You don’t have to be burdened when you’re a beneficiary of the GI Bill. This bill will actually give you a monthly housing allowance based on the ZIP code of the school you’re attending. The housing allowance given under the GI Bill usually ranges from $1,650.00 to $2,700.00 a month. The GI Bill BAH payments and Deposits schedule is paid directly by your school, so the only thing you need to do is ensure your paperwork is properly submitted to the certifying official at your university.
- Books and supplies stipend: For you to become an effective medical student, you need to have the necessary tools and equipment. Obviously, you need several school supplies to help you with your endeavor. Stipend for books and other supplies is something which you can enjoy under the GI Bill. With this bill, you’ll be given up to $1,000 every year intended for your books and other school supplies. This stipend is paid based on the number of credits you are enrolled.
So How Can You Use The GI Bill For Medical School?
For you to utilize the GI Bill, you should adhere to the required procedure. This can be time-consuming and daunting for some, but everything will be worth it once you’re able to make the most of it. To give you an idea of where to begin, pay attention to the following points:
- Make sure that you already signed up for the GI Bill benefits. If you haven’t, do your search online and follow the on-screen instructions given by your state’s website. After this process, you’ll be provided with a Certificate of Eligibility. This document is crucial for authorities to easily determine that you’re a beneficiary of the GI Bill. Hold onto this document because this will be required when applying for medical school.
- Before you can enjoy the financial benefits of the GI Bill, make sure that a certain medical school has already accepted you as a student. This process is also time-consuming, and you should first take a standardized exam, in this case: the MCAT. Taking this exam will cost a fee but as a military veteran, expect that this fee will be waived, as well. This means that you don’t have to pay anything just to enroll yourself in medical school.
- There are a lot of medical schools operating in different parts of the world today. To ensure that the medical school you’ll attend to can actually meet your expectations, take time to scout for options. If possible, have at least three options and inquire about their services and costs. And most importantly, make sure that you’re choosing a medical school which honors the beneficiaries of the GI Bill – after all, you don’t want to be financially burdened just because you’re attending medical school, right? You can double check this with our list of pre-authorized medical schools here.
- Once you’ve narrowed down your search, determine what the requirements of the medical school are and comply as soon as possible. If you don’t want to be stressed in medical school, start by applying early so you won’t be pressed for time. Working on your application early allows you to have time to settle emergencies, too.
- After choosing a medical school and complying with its requirements, it’s now time for you to enroll. During this process, it’s vital that you submit your Certificate of Eligibility to the school’s financial aid office. Again, this document is essential because it determines what fees are covered in your benefit.
- If you find yourself paying for other fees not covered by the GI Bill, consider signing up for the Tuition Assistance Top-Up program or Yellow Ribbon program. Being qualified for these programs will help you lessen your financial burden once you attend a medical school.
Know Your VA Benefits, and Use Them To Further Your Career
The GI Bill can do wonders if you want to attend medical school – but only if you know how to use it properly. Use this article as your guide so you’ll know your benefits and how you can make the most out of these benefits, as well.
