Past rates: 2021-22 Post-9/11 GI Bill

How much of the full benefit rate you can get

We base your award of benefits on how long you served on active duty and certain other factors.

Eligibility for 100% of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits

You’re eligible for 100% of the full benefit if you meet at least 1 of these requirements:

• You served on active duty for a total of at least 1,095 days (at least 36 months), or
• You served on active duty and received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, or
• You served on active duty for at least 30 continuous days (without a break), and we discharged you because of a service-connected disability

Eligibility for a percentage of benefits if you served less than 36 months

If you served on active duty for less than 1,095 days (36 months), you’re eligible for only part of the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit. We base the percentage you’re eligible for on the total amount of time you served on active duty (with or without breaks in service). We call this your “eligibility tier.”

Find the percentage of the full benefit you’re eligible for:

• 910 to 1,094 days (30 to 35 months): 90% of the full benefit
• 730 to 909 days (24 to 29 months): 80% of the full benefit
• 545 to 729 days (18 to 23 months): 70% of the full benefit
• 180 to 544 days (6 to 17 months): 60% of the full benefit
• 90 to 179 days (90 days to 5 months): 50% of the full benefit

The rates listed on this page are for 100% percent of the full benefit. If you’re eligible for a percentage of the full benefit, multiply the rates on this page by your percentage. This will give you the amount of your yearly payment.

Full rates for school and training programs

Effective August 1, 2021, to July 31, 2022

Tuition and fees

We’ll send your tuition and fees directly to your school or training program.

The amounts listed here are the maximum amounts we’ll pay this academic year for each type of school or training program. If you’re eligible for a percentage of the full benefit, multiply the amount by your percentage. This will give you the maximum amount we’ll pay this academic year.

Find out the full rate based on what type of school you’re attending:

• Public institution of higher learning (like a state university or community college): We’ll pay the net tuition and mandatory fees. You may be able to get in-state tuition rates at a public school even if you haven’t lived in the state where the school is located. 
  Learn more about in-state tuition rates
• Private institution of higher learning: We’ll pay the net tuition and mandatory fees up to $26,042.81.
• Foreign institution of higher learning (a college or university, whether public or private, in a country outside the U.S.): We’ll pay the net tuition and mandatory fees up to $26,042.81 in U.S. dollars.
• Non-college degree programs (specific training programs like HVAC repair, truck driving, EMT, or beautician school): We’ll pay the net tuition and mandatory fees up to $26,042.81. 
• Flight training (a non-degree certificate or rating program): We’ll pay the net tuition and mandatory fees up to $14,881.59. 
• Correspondence school (usually courses provided by mail that you complete at your own pace): We’ll pay the net tuition and mandatory fees up to $12,649.34. 

Monthly housing allowance 

You may be eligible for money to help pay for your housing while you’re studying. If you’re eligible for monthly housing allowance (MHA), we’ll pay you this allowance at the end of each month. 

We’ll pay you a percentage of the full monthly housing allowance (called a “prorated payment”) based on these 2 factors:

• The percentage of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits you’re eligible for, and
• How many credits you’re taking or how many clock hours you’re scheduled to attend per week

Note: If you’re taking correspondence training or flight training, you’re not eligible for MHA.

If you’re taking in-person courses in the U.S. 

We base your MHA on the monthly military Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for an E-5 with dependents. This is called the resident MHA. We use the 2021 rates to calculate the MHA you get between August 1, 2021, and July 31, 2022.

You can use the Defense Department (DOD) lookup tool on the Defense Travel Management Office website to find out how much money you may be eligible to receive for housing. You’ll need the zip code for your school to get started. 

Go to the Defense Travel Management Office website

Find out how we determine your MHA

If you’re taking online-only courses or you’re at a foreign school

Money for books and supplies

You may be eligible for up to $1,000 each academic year for books and supplies. We base your payment on how many courses you’re enrolled in for the year and the percentage of benefits you’re eligible for.

We’ll pay this money to you at the beginning of each term or enrollment period.

Money to help you move from a highly rural area

If you need to relocate from a highly rural area so you can attend school, we may give you a one-time payment of $500 to help with your moving expenses. 

You may be eligible for this Post-9/11 GI Bill rural grant if the description listed here is true for you.

This must be true: 
You live in a county with no more than 6 people per square mile, as determined by the most recent U.S. census.

And one of these must be true:

• You need to physically relocate at least 500 miles away from your home to attend school, or
• You need to travel by air to physically attend school because you don’t have the option to travel by car, train, bus, or other ground transportation

Added payments

If your college or university tuition costs more than the maximum payment, you may be eligible for added payments through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Learn about the Yellow Ribbon Program

If you’re struggling with your coursework, you may be eligible for up to $100 per month, up to $1,200 total, for tutorial assistance.

Learn more about tutorial assistance

If you’re enrolled in a school or professional training program, you may be eligible to earn extra money through a part-time job related to VA work. 

Learn more about work study

Benefit payments for on-the-job training and apprenticeships

Effective August 1, 2021, to July 31, 2022

Monthly housing allowance 

You may be eligible for money to help pay for your housing while you’re studying. If you’re eligible for monthly housing allowance (MHA), we’ll pay you this allowance at the end of each month. 

We’ll pay you a percentage of the full monthly housing allowance (called a “prorated payment”) based on these 2 factors:

• The percentage of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits you’re eligible for, and
• How many hours you work each month

We base your MHA on the monthly military Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for an E-5 with dependents. We use the 2021 rates to calculate the MHA you get between August 1, 2021, and July 31, 2022.

You can use the Defense Department (DOD) lookup tool on the Defense Travel Management Office website to find out how much money you may be eligible to receive for housing. You’ll need the zip code for your school to get started. 

Go to the Defense Travel Management Office website

Find out how we determine your MHA

Money for books and supplies

We’ll pay you up to $1,000 each academic year for books and supplies. We pay this money to you at the start of your benefit award period, and at the start of each academic year while you’re in your training program.

Full rates for testing fees

Effective August 1, 2021, to July 31, 2022

Check to make sure we cover any tests before you take them. We cover only tests we approve for the GI Bill.

Learn what tests we approve for the GI Bill

Licensing and certification test fees

We’ll pay up to $2,000 for qualifying licensing and certification test fees.

We’ll charge your entitlement at the rate of 1 month for every $2,172.71 in fees we pay for licensing and certification tests.

National tests

There’s no limit on how much we’ll reimburse you for national test fees. 

We’ll charge your entitlement at the rate of 1 month for every $2,172.71 in fees we pay for national tests.

How to contact us if you have questions

You can ask us a question online through Ask VA.

Contact us through Ask VA

Or call us at 888-442-4551 (TTY: 711). We’re here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET.