How Much Does The GI Bill Pay For Tuition? A Comprehensive Guide

The GI Bill is one of the most valuable benefits offered to veterans and service members of the US military. This education benefit helps cover the costs of tuition and fees, housing, books and supplies for those pursuing an approved program of education or training. But how much does the GI Bill actually pay for tuition? Let’s take a deep dive into the details.

An Overview of the GI Bill

First, it’s important to understand that there are a few different GI Bill programs available, with the main ones being

• Post-9/11 GI Bill – For those who served on active duty after September 10, 2001
• Montgomery GI Bill – For those who enlisted before August 1, 2009
• VET TEC – For tech training programs

The Post-9/11 GI Bill tends to be the most popular and generous program. But benefit amounts can vary quite a lot depending on your GI Bill program length of service, enrollment status and the type of school you attend.

How the Post-9/11 GI Bill Covers Tuition

For the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the way your tuition and fees are covered depends on if you’re attending a public or private school.

Public Schools

If you’re attending a public college or university, the Post-9/11 GI Bill will cover all of your in-state tuition and fees. This is true regardless of whether you’re considered an in-state or out-of-state resident by the school.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay up to the 100% full amount of in-state tuition and fees charged by the public school. There is no yearly or semester cap on this.

Private Schools

For private schools, the Post-9/11 GI Bill will cover up to a specific maximum amount per academic year.

For 2022-2023, the maximum payment for private school tuition and fees is $26,381.11 per academic year.

If your tuition and fees cost more than the GI Bill’s maximum amount for private schools, you may have to pay the difference out-of-pocket unless your school offers a special scholarship program (more on that later).

Yellow Ribbon Program

If you’re attending a private school where tuition costs exceed the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s yearly cap, you may be able to get additional funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Here’s how it works:

• Your school voluntarily enters into a Yellow Ribbon agreement with the VA
• Your school agrees to contribute a specified dollar amount toward tuition costs that exceed the GI Bill cap
• VA matches that amount and issues payments directly to the school

This can help significantly reduce or even eliminate any out-of-pocket costs beyond the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s private school cap.

Amount of Tuition Covered Based on Service Length

The above tuition amounts are based on qualifying for 100% of the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit. This requires having at least 36 months of active duty service, or being discharged due to a service-connected disability after at least 30 days of service.

If you have less than 36 months of active duty service, you may be eligible for only a percentage of the full benefit based on your total length of service:

• 90-100% – Served at least 36 months
• 80% – Served at least 30 months (including service academy time)
• 70% – Served at least 24 months
• 60% – Served at least 18 months
• 50% – Served at least 12 months
• 40% – Served at least 6 months

To calculate your tuition coverage, you would multiply the 100% tuition amount by your eligibility percentage.

For example, if you have 70% eligibility, the Post-9/11 GI Bill would cover 70% of in-state public school tuition costs, or up to 70% of the $26,381.11 yearly cap at private schools.

Montgomery GI Bill Tuition Coverage

The Montgomery GI Bill provides up to 36 months of education benefits for those who enrolled and paid into the program.

Unlike the Post-9/11 GI Bill, MGIB does not directly cover tuition and fees. Instead, it provides a monthly stipend that you can use to pay education costs.

For 2022, the full-time monthly MGIB rate is $2,150 for those with 3+ years of service. You receive a proportional percentage if enrolled less than full-time.

The MGIB stipend can be used to cover tuition, fees, books, or other expenses related to your education. But you won’t have unlimited tuition coverage like the Post-9/11 GI Bill provides at public universities.

VET TEC Tuition Coverage

VET TEC provides training for high-tech skills at non-degree technology bootcamps and programs. It covers up to $25,167 per year in tuition costs.

Other Considerations

A few other things to keep in mind when estimating your GI Bill tuition coverage:

• Benefit rates usually increase a bit each year due to cost-of-living adjustments
• You can receive 36 months of benefits per GI Bill program
• Tuition costs vary widely depending on degree program and school
• Carefully research total tuition costs when applying to schools

Overall, the GI Bill provides tremendous tuition assistance for eligible veterans, service members and dependents. Those using the Post-9/11 GI Bill enjoy unlimited public school tuition coverage plus generous private school support through yearly caps and the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Be sure to calculate your exact tuition benefit based on your specific GI Bill program, service history and school choice. This will give you the most accurate estimate of how much tuition costs the GI Bill will cover.