GI Bill vs. Tuition Assistance

GI Bill- Benefits and Limitations

GI Bill education benefits are provided by the Department of Veteran Affairs for former military service members who are already discharged from active duty, as well as, in some cases, their eligible dependents.

It can also be used by active duty members, although this comes with some limitations.

Depending on the GI Bill program you are eligible to receive benefits from, as well as your eligibility and other factors, you can get up to $24,476.79 in tuition costs annually (or the full in-state cost if you are attending a public school).

Again, these amounts vary on several factors, such as whether you are under the Post 9/11 GI Bill or the Montgomery GI Bill.

Here are some of the key differences between the two:

Post 9/11 GI Bill vs Montgomery GI Bill

The Post 9/11 GI Bill is a more recent GI Bill program that pays up to $24,476.79 in tuition costs each year, and provides a Monthly Housing Allowance (the rate depends on where you are taking most of your classes, as well as your eligibility percentage and your rate of pursuit), as well as a yearly books and supplies stipend of up to $1,000 each year.

On the other hand, the Montgomery GI Bill is an older program that pays up to $1,994 monthly for tuition and fees. The actual rates you can receive depends on several factors, such as:

• Whether you belong under the Active Duty or Selected Reserve category
• The duration of your service as an active duty service member
• Your rate of pursuit or training time
• Other eligibility factors

Whichever GI Bill program you are on, whenever you use your benefits (which you earn based on how long you were on active duty, and the circumstances of your discharge), your benefits entitlement will be charged or reduced in proportion to how much benefits you use.

Generally, you can be entitled to up to 36 months of benefits.

Tuition Assistance- Benefits and Limitations

Tuition Assistance is an educational benefit provided by the Department of Defense through its individual service branches exclusively for active duty service members of each branch.

Depending on the Tuition Assistance program you are under, you can get up to $4,500 in tuition costs annually (or up to $250 per credit hour). The actual rates of how much you can receive is determined by your service branch, as they set their own requirements, qualifications, and payment rates. 

With the Tuition Assistance, there is no charge whatsoever to you or your entitlement benefits under the VA programs. 

However, since this program only pays a small amount, in a lot of cases, it is not enough to cover all your education related expenses. 

But, here is the good news:

You can also use this program in partnership with a GI Bill program that you are qualified for, as well as another program called Tuition Assistance Top Up.

We will discuss how to do these in a bit. 

First, here is how you can determine whether you are eligible for the Tuition Assistance:

Tuition Assistance Eligibility

In order to be eligible to use Tuition Assistance for pursuing your education, here is what you need to do:

• Request Tuition Assistance from your respective military service branch, and
• See your Education Services Officer or Education Counselor

How the Post 9/11 GI Bill works with Tuition Assistance 

You can use the Tuition Assistance with whatever benefits you have already earned on your Post 9/11 GI Bill. That is, if you are still on active duty.

This is because, as we have mentioned earlier, the Tuition Assistance is only for active duty service members.

However, before deciding to use your GI Bill benefits while on active duty, do make sure to first consult with your ESO or Navy College Representative.

Steps to Supplement Your VA benefits with Tuition Assistance

If you want to use your GI Bill benefits with your Tuition Assistance, here are the steps that you need to follow:

1. First, you need to apply for GI Bill benefits through the VA website (if you haven’t done so already)
2. Then, make sure to check if the school or training facility that you want to attend is accredited by the VA and the DoD. You can use this School Locator to find accredited schools.
3. Finally, you must reach out to the school’s School Certifying Official so that they can process your enrollment documents for VA benefits.

Tuition Assistance for Reserves

We have mentioned that the Tuition Assistance is a benefit for active duty service members. But, what if you are part of the military reserves? 

Well, here’s the thing: Members of the Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard Reserves are eligible to use Tuition Assistance.

The qualifications and requirements for each service branch are slightly different, but you can get up to $4,500 annually if you are part of the Army or Air Force Reserves, or up to $2,500 if you are part of the Coast Guard Reserves.

You can check out these links for more information about Tuition Assistance for Reserves:

• Army Reserve (USAR)
• Air Force Reserve (USAFR)
• Coast Guard Reserve (USCGR)

Tuition Assistance Top Up

The Tuition Assistance Top Up is an additional education benefit offered by the VA to qualified GI Bill recipients who are on active duty and are using Tuition Assistance. This works by your service branch paying your full tuition cost directly to the school, and billing to the VA whatever amount is in excess of the TA you are entitled to. 

If you are under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you are charged on the basis of a semester’s worth of entitlement, while if you are using Montgomery GI Bill benefits, your entitlement benefits are charged the dollar amount of what is in excess of your allotted TA.

How the Top Up works with Tuition Assistance

In order to use DoD’s Tuition Assistance with VA’s Tuition Assistance Top Up, you must be:

• In active duty service,
• Eligible to receive GI Bill benefits,
• Studying under a TA and GI Bill approved program, and
• Studying in an accredited school, institution, or training facility

Federal Student Aid

The FSA is a financial aid provided by the Department of Education in the form of a loan or a grant. It can be used to pay for tuition costs, as well as books and other fees, and can also be used along with Tuition Assistance.

There are different types of aids you can qualify for based on your eligibility. You just need to file one application with the FSA and they will determine whether you are qualified to receive financial aid and under what program. If it is through a loan, you will have to repay this within the agreed upon terms.

Scholarships and Grants

There are hundreds and thousands of different scholarship programs and grants offered by various states, government agencies, schools and institutions, and corporate or private entities.

A lot of these are specifically catering to military service members, especially veterans and their dependents. 

Depending on which one you are applying for, these scholarships and grants can pay for your entire tuition costs and provide additional benefits like stipends. Many of these are also non-competitive, but the requirements and process for application vary a lot.

You can use this Scholarship Finder to look for scholarships and grants that you can apply for.

To find out more about the 29,000+ opportunities that you can take advantage of with your GI Bill benefits, visit milversity.com/explore

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