As a veteran exploring education benefits, one of the first questions you probably have is “When does the GI Bill pay?” The GI Bill is an invaluable program that provides financial assistance for education and training to those who have served our country. However, GI Bill benefits don’t just automatically start paying out once you’ve applied. There are specific schedules and timelines for when you’ll start receiving payments.
In this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive overview of when you can expect to see GI Bill payments hit your bank account or arrive in the mail. We’ll cover payment timelines for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill, advance payments, and more.
When You’ll Get Your First Post-9/11 GI Bill Payment
The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides substantial assistance, covering all in-state tuition and fees at public schools and up to $26,042.81 per year at private or foreign schools in 2022. When do payments from this generous program start coming in?
If you’ve signed up for direct deposit, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will deposit your first Post-9/11 payment into your bank account 7-10 business days after you verify your enrollment. Direct deposit is the fastest way to get paid.
If you’ve asked for a waiver to receive payments by check your first Post-9/11 GI Bill check will arrive by mail approximately 14 days after you verify enrollment.
- Direct Deposit: 7-10 business days after verifying enrollment
- Check: Approximately 14 days after verifying enrollment
Once you receive that initial payment, future Post-9/11 GI Bill payments will continue to be deposited or mailed out each subsequent month you remain enrolled.
Payment Timelines for Other GI Bill Programs
If you’re using one of the other GI Bill programs besides the Post-9/11 GI Bill. here’s what to expect
- Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD): You’ll receive your first MGIB-AD payment in the same timeframe as Post-9/11 benefits – within 7-10 business days if direct deposit, 14 days if by check.
- Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR): You’ll receive your first MGIB-SR payment in the same timeframe as Post-9/11 benefits.
- Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA): You’ll receive your first DEA payment in the same timeframe as Post-9/11 benefits.
So no matter what GI Bill program you’re using, you can expect your first payment either 7-10 business days or 14 days after verifying enrollment, depending on whether you chose direct deposit or check.
Getting an Advance Payment
If you need some cash to get ready for the upcoming term, you may be able to get an advance GI Bill payment. Here are the requirements:
- You must be using a GI Bill program other than Post-9/11. The Post-9/11 GI Bill does not allow advance payments.
- You must be attending school at least half time.
- There must be a break of at least 30 days before the start of your term.
- The VA must receive your enrollment information at least 30 days prior to the start of classes.
If you meet these requirements, your school can request an advance payment on your behalf. The VA will send this payment to the school, and you’ll need to pick up the check from the financial aid or registrar’s office.
This advance payment will include the housing allowance and book stipend for the first partial and first full month of the term. For example, if classes start August 25th, the advance payment would cover August 25th through September 30th. You’d then receive your next regular payment in early November for October.
Payment Delays and Troubleshooting
Ideally the GI Bill will start paying according to the timelines mentioned. However, in reality, delayed or missing payments do happen.
Here are some potential reasons your payment could be late or smaller than expected:
- You attended less than a full month of classes. The payment amount is prorated based on the number of days enrolled.
- There was an overpayment in a previous month that is now being reconciled.
- You reduced your enrollment hours, which requires an adjustment in payment amount.
- There are issues verifying your eligibility or enrollment that must be resolved.
If you don’t receive your expected GI Bill deposit or check on time, contact the VA immediately to see if they can determine the reason for the delay. You can call 888-GI-BILL-1 to speak with an education claims representative. Be persistent if payments continue to be late – follow up regularly to get the issue resolved.
The GI Bill is an incredible program, but it does involve some logistics and paperwork to keep payments coming smoothly. Hopefully this overview has provided clarity on when you can expect to receive your first and subsequent GI Bill payments. Understanding the standard timelines helps ensure you get any late or missing payments back on track quickly.
Frequency of Entities:
GI Bill: 23
VA: 5
Post-9/11 GI Bill: 6
direct deposit: 3
payment(s): 20
GI Bill Payments: Who Gets What?
In general, all tuition and fee requirements are paid directly to the school. You will not be responsible for handling or transferring GI Bill funds in this area.
The student is paid directly for the following:
- Monthly housing allowance (MHA) or basic allowance for housing (BAH)
- Annual books and supplies payments
- VA rural benefit where applicable
The school is paid directly for the following:
- Tuition costs every semester/term/training period
Montgomery GI Bill Payment Schedule
The student is paid directly for the following:
- MHA/BAH
- Annual books and supplies payments
- VA rural benefit where applicable
The school is paid directly for the following:
- Tuition costs every semester/term/training period
MGIB users generally have their payments within two weeks of performing their monthly enrollment verification. There is no fixed payment date and weekends and federal holidays may affect the payment schedule.
Those using the Montgomery GI Bill are required to certify attendance on a monthly basis, so it’s important to know that your responsibilities don’t end once your first GI Bill benefits have been paid. This is true for both the active duty and reserve versions.
The information in this article pertains only to VA benefits issued by the federal-level Department of Veterans Affairs. Some state-level agencies have names similar to the VA such as Division of Veterans Affairs or Illinois State Department of Veterans Affairs.
These agencies have veteran education programs that vary depending on the state and payment times vary equally in such cases. You will need to contact the state-level agency issuing the veteran education benefits you seek to learn what payment times and related issues may apply.
How Much Money I Made Using The Post 9/11 GI Bill
When will I receive my GI Bill payment?
Your GI Bill payment will include the first partial month and the first full month of your enrollment. For instance, if your enrollment starts on August 25, the advance payment will cover August 25 through September 30. Since GI Bill benefits are paid at the end of the month, you’ll receive your next payment for October 1 to 31 in early November.
What are the GI Bill benefits?
The GI Bill benefits help pay for college, graduate school, and training programs for qualifying Veterans and their family members. Since 1944, the GI Bill has provided financial assistance to cover all or some of the costs for school or training. Learn more about GI Bill benefits and how to apply for them on this page.
Can I get an advance payment under the GI Bill?
If you’re using a GI Bill program other than the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you may be able to get an advance payment. You’ll need to meet all of the requirements. You must:
How is the GI Bill pay calculated?
The GI Bill pay is determined based on ½, ¾, or Full Time enrollment, plus an additional amount for each dependent. Eligible students may be able to select payment at the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill BAH rate.