Post-9/11 GI Bill

Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits help you pay for school or job training for up to 36 months if you are enrolled at an approved college, university, or trade school and remain in good academic standing.

Who Can Get Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits?

To get Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits (also called Chapter 33), you must have received an honorable discharge, have started your military service on or after September 11, 2001, and one of these must be true:

• You served for at least 90 days total on active duty
• You served for at least 30 days on active duty, without a break, and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability
• You received a Purple Heart, or
• You are a dependent child using benefits transferred by a qualified veteran or service member.

If your service ended before January 1, 2013, then your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits will expire 15 years after your last separation date from active service. You must use all your benefits by that time or you'll lose whatever is left. If your service ended on or after January 1, 2013, your benefits don't expire.

Note: As an eligible veteran, you may be able to transfer your Post-9/11 benefits to your spouse or child. Learn more about VA Education Benefits for Dependents.

What You Get

Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits can include:

• Tuition and fees
• Money for housing if you're in school more than half-time
• Money for books and supplies
• A one-time payment to help you move from a rural area to go back to school if you:
  • Live in a county with six or fewer people per square mile, and
  • You're either moving at least 500 miles to go to school or have no other option but to fly by plane to get to your school.

Tuition payments are sent directly to your school. The housing allowance, living expenses, book stipend, or the one-time relocation allowance are sent to you directly.

Note: You can use your GI Bill benefits at some but not all schools. The VA lists tips and tools for Choosing a GI Bill Approved School.

How to Apply for Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits

To apply, you can:

• Apply online
• Go to the VA's Phoenix Regional Office and have a VA employee help you
• Work with your school’s certifying official (usually the school’s registrar or financial aid office), or
• Call 1-888-442-4551 (1-888-GI-BILL-1) and ask to have an application mailed to you. Fill it out and mail it to the VA Regional Processing Office nearest to the school you want to attend.

It typically takes the VA about 30 days to make a decision. If your application is approved, you will get a decision letter in the mail; you must bring the letter to the VA certifying official at your school or training program.