Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) — Current Rates
Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) — Current Rates
| Benefit | 2025-2026 | 2026-2027 (current from Aug 1, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Private school tuition cap | $29,920.95/yr | $30,908.34/yr |
| Foreign school tuition cap | $29,920.95/yr | $30,908.34/yr |
| Flight training cap | $17,097.67 | $17,661.89 |
| Books & supplies stipend | Up to $1,000/yr | Up to $1,000/yr |
| In-person housing (BAH) | E-5 w/dep BAH rate | E-5 w/dep BAH rate |
| Online-only housing | $1,169.00/mo | $1,261.00/mo |
| Foreign school housing | $2,338.00/mo | $2,522.00/mo |
| Licensing/cert tests | Up to $2,000 | Up to $2,000 |
| Tutorial assistance | $100/mo ($1,200 max) | $100/mo ($1,200 max) |
| Rural relocation grant | $500 one-time | $500 one-time |
2026-2027 rates effective August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027, per VA. Source: VA.gov Future Post-9/11 GI Bill Rates. Public school in-state tuition is covered at 100% with no cap.
Benefit Tier — Based on Active Duty Service
Benefit Tier — Based on Active Duty Service
Your tier determines the percentage of ALL benefits you receive (tuition, housing, books).
Automatic 100%: Purple Heart recipients (service on/after 9/11) and veterans discharged with a service-connected disability after 30+ continuous days qualify for 100% regardless of total time served.
Transferability to Dependents
Transferability to Dependents
Requirements
Key Details
Spouse: Can use immediately. No time limit if member separated on/after Jan 1, 2013. Does NOT receive housing while sponsor is active duty.
Children: Member must have 10+ years of service. Child must be under 26. MAY receive housing even while sponsor is active duty.
Purple Heart: May transfer regardless of years of service, but must request while on active duty.
Yellow Ribbon Program
Yellow Ribbon Program
What it is: Participating schools contribute additional funds toward tuition that exceeds the GI Bill cap, and VA matches the school's contribution dollar-for-dollar. There is no cap on the combined amount.
Who qualifies: Must be at the 100% benefit level, OR a Purple Heart recipient, OR discharged for service-connected disability. Fry Scholars and dependents using transferred benefits from qualifying members also qualify.
How it works: Schools voluntarily join. They set their own contribution amount and number of students accepted per year (first-come, first-served).
Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30)
Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30)
FY2027 rates (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027)
The small figure under each rate is FY2026 (October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026), for a term that started before the change.
| Enrollment | 3+ Yrs | 2-3 Yrs |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | $2,601.00FY2026: $2,518.00 | $2,110.00FY2026: $2,043.00 |
| 3/4-time | $1,950.75FY2026: $1,888.50 | $1,582.50FY2026: $1,532.25 |
| 1/2-time | $1,300.50FY2026: $1,259.00 | $1,055.00FY2026: $1,021.50 |
MGIB pays a flat rate directly to YOU, not to the school. Source: VA.gov — MGIB-AD rates (both years as published by VA).
MGIB vs Post-9/11
MGIB can be better when: Attending a very low-cost school — you keep the entire flat rate regardless of actual tuition.
Requires $1,200 buy-in: $100/mo deducted from first 12 months of pay. Refundable up to $1,200 if you elect Post-9/11 GI Bill and fully exhaust that entitlement.
Rudisill decision (Apr 2024): Veterans with qualifying periods for BOTH may now use up to 48 months combined. Previously irrevocable waivers can be revoked.
Source: VA.gov — Rudisill Decision
Forever GI Bill (2017) & STEM Extension
Forever GI Bill (2017) & STEM Extension
Key Changes
STEM Extension (Edith Nourse Rogers)
Up to 9 additional months or $30,000 (whichever comes first) for STEM programs.
Eligible fields: Agriculture/natural resources, biological/biomedical, computer/info science, engineering, healthcare, math/statistics, medical residency (undergrad only), physical science, and science technologies/technicians.
Requirements: Must have 6 months or less of Post-9/11 GI Bill remaining. Must be enrolled in a qualifying STEM undergrad program (120+ semester hours). Cannot be for graduate programs.
Source: VA.gov — STEM Scholarship
Veteran Readiness & Employment (Chapter 31 / VR&E)
Veteran Readiness & Employment (Chapter 31 / VR&E)
Eligibility: Service-connected disability of at least 10% from VA, with an employment handicap. No time limit if discharged on/after Jan 1, 2013.
Duration: Up to 48 months — 12 more months than the GI Bill.
What it covers beyond tuition: Adaptive equipment, assistive technology, job placement, self-employment support, case management, independent living services. Far more comprehensive than GI Bill alone.
Housing option: If you have Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement, you can elect the GI Bill housing rate instead of VR&E subsistence (usually higher).
FY2027 subsistence (full-time, no dependents): $837.23/mo. With 1 dependent: $1,038.49/mo. These took effect October 1, 2026; the FY2026 rates were $812.84 and $1,008.24.
Subsistence source: VA — VR&E FY2027 subsistence rates.
Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35 / DEA)
Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35 / DEA)
Who qualifies: Children and spouses of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled (100% P&T), died from a service-connected disability, died in the line of duty, or are MIA/POW for 90+ days.
Full-time rate: $1,621.00/month for October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 (FY2027). It was $1,574.00 in FY2026.
Duration: Up to 36 months (started on/after Aug 1, 2018). Up to 45 months for earlier start dates.
Age limits (Forever GI Bill change): For qualifying events on/after August 1, 2023, there is NO age requirement for children to start and NO time limit for spouses. For events before Aug 1, 2023, spouses generally have 10 years from VA notification (extendable) and children use the pre-existing age rules.
Source: VA.gov — DEA Rates
Compare Schools & Apply
Use the VA's official GI Bill Comparison Tool to see estimated benefits at specific schools, including Yellow Ribbon availability.
Both academic years are published VA.gov rates (2025-2026 effective Aug 1, 2025 – Jul 31, 2026; 2026-2027 effective Aug 1, 2026 – Jul 31, 2027). The estimator uses whichever year is in force today; VA publishes official next-year rates in summer 2026. BAH rates for in-person enrollment vary by school location. Always verify your specific benefits at VA.gov or call the GI Bill Hotline at 1-888-442-4551.
About this entitlement
What you need to know — straight from the regulation
What the Post-9/11 GI Bill is
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is an education benefit administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs under Chapter 33 of Title 38, United States Code (38 U.S.C. Ch. 33). It covers tuition and fees, a monthly housing allowance, and a books and supplies stipend for eligible veterans and service members who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001.
The Forever GI Bill (Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017, Public Law 115-48) removed the 15-year "use it or lose it" time limit for veterans who were discharged on or after January 1, 2013, and made other enhancements to Chapter 33 eligibility.
38 U.S.C. Chapter 33 · Public Law 115-48 (Forever GI Bill)
Eligibility tiers
Post-9/11 benefits are paid at a percentage of the maximum based on aggregate active-duty service after September 10, 2001: 100% at 36 months or more, 90% at 30–35 months, 80% at 24–29, 70% at 18–23, 60% at 6–17 months, and 50% at 90 days to 5 months (38 U.S.C. §§ 3311(b) and 3313(c) as amended by the Forever GI Bill, effective August 1, 2020; VA rate tables for August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027). Purple Heart recipients (on or after September 11, 2001) and members discharged for a service-connected disability after at least 30 continuous days receive 100%.
38 U.S.C. §§ 3311(b), 3313(c) · VA Post-9/11 GI Bill rate tables (AY 2026–27)
Housing allowance (MHA) and Yellow Ribbon
The Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) is calculated at the rate of a typical BAH for the ZIP code of the school the student attends, at the E-5 with dependents rate, paid at the student's eligibility tier percentage. The Yellow Ribbon Program (38 U.S.C. § 3317) allows participating schools to partner with the VA to cover tuition and fees that exceed the annual public-school cap for students eligible at 100%.
38 U.S.C. §§ 3313, 3317 · VA MHA schedule
Transferability
Per 38 U.S.C. § 3319, eligible service members with at least 6 years of service who commit to an additional 4 years may transfer unused Post-9/11 benefits to a spouse or dependent children enrolled in DEERS. Transfer requests are made through milConnect while the member is still on active duty.
38 U.S.C. § 3319 · DoD Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) policy
Source & references
- Primary source
- VA.gov; 38 U.S.C. Chapter 33; 38 CFR Part 21 Subpart P; Public Law 115-48 (Forever GI Bill) — view official publication
- Regulatory reference
- 38 U.S.C. §§ 3311(b), 3313(c), 3317, 3319 · Public Law 115-48
- Effective date
- August 1, 2026 – July 31, 27 academic year
- VA.gov — Post-9/11 GI Bill
- https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/post-9-11/
Military Toolkit is not affiliated with the Department of Defense, DFAS, DTMO, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any government agency. Rates and rules on this page are pulled directly from the publications cited above. Always verify with your finance office, TMO, or the official rate page before making financial or planning decisions.