Exceptions in MHA: If you are an active duty trainee or a transferee spouse of a veteran, Post-9/11 doesn’t pay for it.

One of the confusing things about the BAH payment schedule is knowing when your GI Bill BAH gets deposited.  This happens between your school and the VA- make sure that your school's certifying official has all the documents they need to make sure it does not get delayed.

Are Books & Supplies Paid For?

Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, it pays an allowance of up to $1,000 per year for books and supplies that are given directly to you at the beginning of the term.

If you are not full-time, then be aware this will be paid proportionally to your enrollment status.

Understanding Post-9/11 GI Bill for Graduate School

Post-9/11 GI Bill is the most common program that provides education benefits to veterans and their dependents. You are qualified if you have served on active duty for 90 days or more after September 2011. It has 36 months of entitlement, which can be used in your lifetime.

Many think that if they served at least 90 days of service after September 2011, they are already entitled to 100% education benefits.

However:

The percentage of benefits depends on the length of your service. The shorter your service is, the lower the percentage you receive.

With the changes brought in through the Forever GI Bill, you can now use your 36-month entitlement anytime you’d like in your lifetime.

Under the old program, you only had 15 years to utilize it. Thankfully, this is no longer the case.

Here’s an overview of how much percentage you are going to receive under the Post-9/11 if you are one of those veterans who served after September 2011:

Using The Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIB-AD) For Grad School

This is a program that pays education expenses to Service members who want to pursue higher education. Learn more about the Montgomery GI Bill rates here.

Montgomery GI Bill Eligibility

All these facts below must be true to be eligible:

• You contributed $100 each month during your first 12 months in service.
• You have completed at least two years of active duty in service.
• You have a high school diploma, GED or 12 hours credit in college.
• You started active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985.

For more details on the categories of eligibility, click here.

Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)

It is another program under the Montgomery Bill that gives education benefits to personnel who enlisted as reserves to any unit of the Selected Reserves. It covers up to $11,000 throughout your 36-month entitlement. See current rates here.

Eligibility

To be eligible, one of the following must be true:

• You have at least completed 6 year-service in the selected Reserve.
• You are an officer and agreed to add 6 years more in addition to your previous service obligation. Your obligation should have started after June 30, 1985, or after September 30, 1990, for some other types of training.

Additional qualifications are as follows:

• You must have completed your initial active duty for training (IADT).
• You must have a high school diploma or an equivalent like GED, before finishing IADT.
• Have a good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit. You are still eligible if you were discharged because of a disability not caused by misconduct.

Post-9/11 GI Bill vs Montgomery GI Bill for Grad School

Post-9/11 is the most common GI Bill that members use due to its promising benefits. With its no-limit entitlement which is a part of the Forever GI Bill which already took effect, compared to the 10-yr limit of the Montgomery GI-Bill (MGIB-AD), one would choose the Post 9/11. 

But then again, the Montgomery GI Bill has also its advantages.

Look at the table below to see more differences between these two bills to help you decide which one suits you better.

$600 Buy-Up Program

Under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIB-AD), members can contribute an additional $600 (on top of your $1,200 contribution on your first year as active duty) to receive an increased monthly benefit.

It must be made while active on duty, so you can receive another $4,500 in addition to your GI Bill benefits.

Click here for the rates under this program.

GI Bill vs Tuition Assistance for Grad School

There are a few differences between the GI Bill (Post-9/11) and Tuition Assistance (TA):

One significant distinction is that the first is education assistance provided by the VA to veterans, and the latter is for Reserve and those on active duty, and is provided by their respective service branch: Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, Air Force, and National Guard. 

You should be on active duty throughout your studies to reap the benefit of Tuition Assistance (TA), and there are some payback periods which could apply.

Below is a simplified table to see the differences between the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance:

Tuition Assistance TOP-UP

This is financial assistance on top of the Tuition Assistance for active-duty personnel. It pays the difference that the TA doesn't. 

You are qualified to use this benefit if you are eligible to receive the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIB-AD) or the Post-9/11 and are using tuition assistance. 

It is limited to 36 months entitlement only and pays the exact amount of your tuition fee. For more details about this program, click here.

GI Bill or Yellow Ribbon Program for Grad Degree?

The Yellow Ribbon Program is an add-on to the GI Bill, usually, the Post-9/11, if you opt to go to a private school. 

For public institutions, the GI Bill is enough to cover 100% of tuition costs; you don't need the Yellow Ribbon Program

There are times when you don't need to spend any money out of pocket for a private school with the Yellow Ribbon assistance.

But often, some out of pocket cost will be required. It depends on the school. 

Currently, the Post-9/11 GI Bill pays up to $23,671.94 for an academic year at a private university. 

Yellow Ribbon Program Example:

Your private school charges you $60,000 a year for your tuition, this is where the Yellow Ribbon Program helps. 

If your school covers $15,000 with its agreement with the Yellow Ribbon Program, the VA matches the amount. 

So, you get $30,000 from this benefit along with your GI Bill assistance. As a result, you only pay less than $7,000 out of your pocket.

Make sure that your choice of the school participates with the Yellow Ribbon Assistance. Click here to see participating schools.

How to Use the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program at the Same Time

The Yellow Ribbon Program is most useful when trying to use the GI Bill to go to a Private University, and the GI Bill won’t cover the whole amount. 

To be able to use the GI Bill and the Yellow Ribbon Program at the same time, you must be eligible for the maximum benefit rate of the GI Bill. 

Once you are, you can use the Yellow Ribbon Program to help pay the remaining amount, and minimize the amount you have to pay out of pocket.

To qualify for Maximum Benefit Rate for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, one of the following must be true:

• You served for 36 months on active duty, either continuous or with breaks.
• You received a Purple Heart on or before September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service.
• You received a Fry Scholarship on or before August 1, 2018.
• You served for at least 60 days continuously, without a break, on or before September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged because of a disability caused by your service.
• You are a dependent child of a veteran or a service member, who has served for at least 36 months on active duty and transferred his/her benefits to you. The member should qualify for the maximum benefits. Find out how to transfer Post-9/11 benefits here.
• You are receiving the Fry Scholarship since August 1, 2018.

Your school must also meet these requirements:

• Offers the Yellow Ribbon Program.
• Your school has not given Yellow Ribbon assistance to more than the maximum number of students in their agreement with the Veterans Affairs.
• Your school certified your enrollment and submitted your Yellow Ribbon information to the VA.

To Get GI Bill Benefits with the Yellow Ribbon Program, Follow These Steps:

1. Apply for Post-9/11 online, by mail, or in-person in a regional processing office, or with a trained professional's assistance. Click here to do one of these. You will receive a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) if you qualify for the benefits.
2. Bring your COE to your school. Usually to a certifying official, financial aid, military liaison, or any appropriate office. Ask for assistance about the Yellow Ribbon application.
3. Wait for your school’s decision. If it will be granted, you will also be informed about how much assistance you will receive.

Find VA-certified schools in your area by clicking here.

Is Using the GI Bill for Graduate School Different than Undergraduate?

The GI Bill can fund both graduate and undergraduate degrees. 

In the case of undergraduate studies, VA allows you to have more than one degree as long as you still have remaining entitlement.

So if you already have a degree in business, you can have another in a different field. 

It also covers your tuition at another school, while paying for your current school. This is possible as long as your school guarantees that you need the classes at the second school to attain your degree. 

Note that the GI Bill won't pay for the same class twice unless you failed it, and need to take it again in order to graduate.

For both graduate and undergraduate, the school decides what is considered full-time. 

For grad school, if your school says 2 hours is full time, then the VA pays full time for it.

(The school is the authority on what is considered "full time").

In most cases for undergrad, 12 hours or more is considered full time. So the VA pays for full time.

For 9 to 11 hours, it’s considered ¾ time; 6-8 hours is half time; and for less than six hours, the GI Bill pays at a rate that doesn’t exceed the exact tuition and fees for the course.

The VA pays directly to your school for both graduate and undergrad, while books and supplies financial assistance will be given to you directly at the beginning of the term, as well as your housing allowance every end of each month.

Applying for benefits has the same process, too.

How to Use the GI Bill For a Private or Foreign School

Although private and foreign schools participate in the GI Bill, there's no guarantee that your full tuition and fees are covered, like in-state and public universities. 

So before enrolling, make sure your school also participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which waives a portion of the difference that your GI Bill cannot pay. 

The Housing allowance is still based on BAH rates, and book stipend is the same as in public schools. There is an increase in the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) if BAH increases every January each year.

To apply, you still need to follow the standard steps. After receiving your Certificate of Eligibility (COE), bring it to your school’s certifying office.

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What is the Forever GI Bill?

Also known as Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, the Forever GI Bill is expanded financial assistance that brings changes to the educational benefits of veterans, their survivors, beneficiaries and dependents. Most notably, it removes the 15 year timeline to use your GI Bill. You can now use it anytime in your lifetime.

Here are some of the enhanced benefits brought forth with the Forever GI Bill:

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While using your benefits for in-state tuition has a time limit of 3 years after your discharge, there are a lot of other ways you can take advantage of your GI Bill entitlement.

With the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, also called the Forever GI Bill, there is no longer a 15-year limit to using your Post 9/11 GI Bill entitlement benefits. 

This way, you can take the time to evaluate the best options for you in pursuing higher education and advancing your career after your military service.

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Books and supply allowance is up to $1,000 per year. Healthcare is also free, through the school or the VA. Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) is up to $3,012 monthly.

How to Check If You're Eligible For the GI Bill

According to VA, you can be eligible as a GI Bill recipient if you meet one of the following requirements:

1. Served at least 90 days on active duty, whether with breaks or continuous on or after September 11, 2001.

2. You have received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service.

3. Served for at least 30 consecutive days without a break on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability.

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4. You are a dependent child using benefits transferred by an eligible Veteran or service member.

The Yellow Ribbon Program for Law School

The Yellow Ribbon Program covers your education expenses that the GI Bill doesn't. It pays higher tuition fees at a private school or your costs as a non-resident student in a public school.

To be eligible, you must qualify for the maximum benefit rate of the 9/11 GI Bill.

One of the top law schools in the country, Harvard Law School, is also participating in the full tuition fee benefit through the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program. These privileges allow living expenses covered for each academic year that includes a housing allowance, and book stipend.

To take advantage of the Yellow Ribbon program, follow these steps:

1. Apply for Post-9/11 GI Bill here.

Now that you are eligible for the GI Bill and ready to go to law school, the next step is to take the LSAT.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, through the GI Bill, will pay for your LSAT.

Thankfully, there is no limit on the number of tests until you pass.

The following are the GI Bill approved tests and fees, which are usually necessary to enroll in law school:

1.Registration fees

2. Fees for specialized tests (like the LSAT)

3. Administrative fees


For the refund of the testing fee, complete the Form 22-0810 or Reimbursement of National Exam Fee and mail it to your nearest VA regional processing office for reimbursement.

Picking the Right Law School as a Veteran

Picking a military-friendly law school is one of the most important decisions while on your path to becoming an attorney.

Remember that you have to study at this particular university for a few years, so it's best to choose the one that you are most comfortable with.

So we listed some factors below to consider, in hopes to help you narrow down your search for the most suitable school for you:

- First of all, Does the school have dedicated veteran programs? Do they participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program? Do they have a significant number of veteran students?

- Tuition fees! As a veteran, do your benefits pay all the costs for this school? Is it public or private?

- Accepts ACE credit transfer which can convert some of your previous military experience and training into full-fledged college credit.

- Applies the 8 keys of success that the Departments of Education, Veterans Affairs, and Defense designed to allow educational institutions to provide a comfortable environment for Veterans towards success.

- It provides social interaction opportunities for veterans and their family members.

- It offers law specializations that you are interested in, or are related to your educational background, prior training, and experiences as a veteran.

- It has established contacts with reputable law firms for follow on employment opportunities. Be sure to ask the law school liaison about their hiring statistics.

- Does the location fit your desired lifestyle, cost of living, weather preferences? Remember, you will be here for at least three years, so be sure to think this through.

Actionable Steps to Use the GI Bill for Law School

The following are easy steps to follow to use the GI Bill for Law school, from the beginning until you are enrolling and awaiting attendance:

1. Make sure you are eligible for the GI Bill benefits.

2. Apply to be a GI Bill recipient. Click here for an online application. You can also call 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (888-442-4551), from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, ET to request an application form.

Option 1: Mail It:

Fill it out and mail to a regional processing office. 

Option 2: In Person:

You may want to apply in person by visiting a VA regional benefit office near you and have a VA employee help you.

Option 3: Through Accredited Representative​​​​:

You may also work with a trained professional who is an accredited representative to help you claim your education benefits as a veteran. In most cases, there is no fee to be collected when applying through these agents. But there are instances when they charge you so make sure to ask them from the start.

3. Obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Click here for step-by-step procedures.

4. When your COE is in your hands, you are now ready to take the next step, which is to find a law school to take the LSAT. We already mentioned some essential factors above to help you decide.

5. Take the LSAT test and complete the form 22-0810 for reimbursement.

6. You can now enroll as a law student (after being accepted to your chosen school).

Will the GI Bill Pay for the Bar Exam?

In some states, bar exams will be paid up to $2,000.

Only West Virginia pays for the bar exam under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, with its testing fee of $500 and testing cost of $500.

Whereas Texas pays under the MGIB.

In the latter case, exams or certifications are charged in dollars against the monthly rate of $1,426. It will be divided equally each day. For example, if a test costs $800, it charges 17 days of entitlement.

To get this benefit, you need to:

Complete the Application for Reimbursement of Licensing or Certification Test Fees (VA Form 22-0803)​.

Along with your proof of payment, like a receipt, upload the completed form to the GI Bill website or mail it to your nearest VA regional processing office.

Do you want to be a lawyer, a doctor, or get an MBA? 

Then you must be wondering:

“Can I use my GI Bill benefits to get a second degree, or go to graduate school?”

Yes, you can use your GI Bill to get a second degree, or more. The GI Bill can be used to pay for education such as a secondary bachelor’s degree, or a graduate degree in a field related to your bachelor’s degree. It can also be used for attending law school, medical school, dentistry school, or to get an MBA through business school.

For example, if you previously used your GI Bill benefits to obtain a bachelor’s degree in business, you can use the remaining entitlement benefits you have in order to take up an associates or masters degree in the same field.

Or you can also get a second bachelor’s degree in whatever field you choose!

If you want to know how you can take advantage of this benefit, fret not- we have compiled everything you need to know about using the GI Bill for graduate school (and more), so keep reading!

I’ve Used the GI Bill for a Bachelor’s Degree- Can I Use It Again?

The GI Bill education benefits can be used in getting a second degree- whether for graduate studies, law school, medical school, or a second degree- as long as you have remaining entitlement benefits after taking up your bachelor’s degree. 

The following programs are applicable to use this benefit:

• Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Montgomery GI Bill
• Tuition Assistance
• Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship
• Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program

You can check the status of your remaining entitlement benefits by logging on to the VA website and clicking “education” or simply go here.

What Will Be Covered Under the GI Bill the Second Time?

Similar to the rates for taking up a bachelor’s degree, the GI Bill pays for all in-state tuition costs for public schools, or up to $24,476.79 per year for private schools.

It also covers a monthly housing allowance, as well as an annual books and supplies stipend of up to $1,000.

The amount you can receive is calculated based on the duration of your service as an active duty member.

You may refer to this guide to see how much you can get from the GI Bill for tuition and fees:

Information sourced from the VA website

To calculate how much monthly housing allowance you can receive, visit this link. You can also compare the rates from different schools by clicking here.

How much you can get also depends on whether you are studying full time.

The school you are enrolled in decides how many units or credit hours are considered full time. As an example, if your school considers 12 hours as a full time load, the GI Bill will pay you the full time rate.

What the GI Bill Will Not Pay For

Take note that your GI Bill benefit does not pay for the following:

• Classes taken at another school that are not required to get your degree
• Retaking failed classes that are not required for you to graduate

How Does The VA Make The Payments, and When?

All the payments for tuition and fees are reimbursed directly to the school on a monthly basis following an arrears payment scheme. This means that the charges for the current month will be paid the following month.

The monthly housing allowance, also known as the GI Bill BAH, has a payment schedule that is paid to you at the end of each month, while the books and supplies stipend is provided at the beginning of each academic term.

To start receiving this benefit, you must apply for education benefits by filling up the VA Form 22-1990 (Application for VA Education Benefits). You will need to provide the following information:

• Social Security Number
• Bank account direct deposit information
• Education and military history
• The school you are attending and the degree program you are enrolled in

You can accomplish this via the VA.gov website, by mail, or at the nearest VA regional processing office.

The VA takes up to 30 days to process your application. They will be sending your acceptance letter in the mail.

I’ve Exhausted All My GI Bill Benefits- What Are My Options?

The GI Bill is an extremely helpful program in pursuing higher education to advance your career. But what if you have already used up all your entitlement benefits and still want to go to graduate school?

Here is the good news:

There are a lot of other programs that can help you pay for your studies, such as the Yellow Ribbon Program, the Tuition Assistance Top Up, the GI Bill Kicker, and the Tutor Assistance. Here is how you can take advantage of these:

Yellow Ribbon Program

The Yellow Ribbon Program is an education assistance in conjunction with the VA wherein schools voluntarily participate in order to provide discounted rates and scholarships to military servicemen and veterans. 

To know whether your school is participating in this program, check here.

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Tuition Assistance & Top Up

The Department of Defense provides its service members with a tuition assistance of up to $250 per credit hour for those studying while on active duty.

The requirements for eligibility as well as application are different for each branch. You may check this site for more details on how you can take advantage of this program.

Apart from the tuition assistance being offered by the Department of Defense for military members on active duty, the Top Up program pays for tuition charges in excess of the $250 maximum payable amount, which is charged to your entitlement benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill or the Montgomery GI Bill.

GI Bill Kicker

Each service branch of the Department of Defense also provides an additional education benefit that works in conjunction with the GI Bill.

The GI Bill Kicker, also known as the Army, Navy, or Marine Corp College Fund, is often part of an enlistment contract for those with specialized skills needed in the military field.

The requirements for eligibility and how much you can receive varies on a case to case basis, but the program pays up to $950 per month that is sent directly to you under the label of housing allowance.

Tutoring Assistance

Finally, the GI Bill also allows for the use of tutoring assistance for classes that are required for you to graduate and in which you are having difficulty. This pays up to $100 per month for a total maximum of $1,200.

You can use this assistance with no charge at all to your entitlement benefits if you are under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, or for no charge up to $600 if you are under the Montgomery GI Bill.

The first step to open more doors of opportunities for yourself in the civilian world is by furthering your education. The GI Bill education benefits and its related programs are a helpful tool in pursuing higher education- from a bachelor’s degree, to graduate school, or even law, medical, business school, and more. 

Check out all of the 29,000+ VA Approved GI bill opportunities here: https://milversity.com/explore/