United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Education Benefits

This page contains in-depth information about the various education benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Please click on the program names below for more information. If you need additional assistance, please contact us via email by clicking on the “Questions & Answers” link on the left hand side of this page or call our toll-free number 1-888-GI-BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) to speak with a Veterans Benefits Counselor.

Free education and vocational counseling services are available to servicemembers and veterans, for more information click here.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is for individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Post-9/11 GI Bill will become effective for training on or after August 1, 2009. This program will pay eligible individuals:

This benefit is payable only for training at an Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) (See comparison chart for more information). If you are enrolled exclusively in online training you will not receive the housing allowance. If you are on active duty you will not receive the housing allowance or books & supplies stipend. This benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits, generally benefits are payable for 15 years following your release from active duty.

For information on transfer of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to dependents click here.

Information Resources for the Post-9/11 GI Bill

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We have developed several Frequently Asked Questions to provide information about the major changes contained in the Post-9/11 GI Bill. You can click here to view them.

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Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (MGIB-AD)

General Information
Pamphlet Adobe PDF
Factsheet MS-Word

The MGIB program provides up to 36 months of education benefits. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following your release from active duty. This program is also commonly known as Chapter 30.

See Payment Rates for current rates of payment.

$600 Buy-up Program

Some servicemembers may contribute up to an additional $600 to the GI Bill to receive increased monthly benefits. For an additional $600 contribution, you may receive up to $5400 in additional GI Bill benefits. The additional contribution must be made while on active duty. For more information contact your personnel or payroll office. For a listing of the increased monthly rates click HERE.

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Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)

General Information
Pamphlet Adobe PDF
Factsheet MS-Word

The MGIB-SR program may be available to you if you are a member of the Selected Reserve. The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

See Payment Rates for current rates of payment.

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Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)

Frequently Asked Questions
Pamphlet Adobe PDF
Factsheet MS Word

REAP was established as a part of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005. It is a new Department of Defense education benefit program designed to provide educational assistance to members of the Reserve components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency (contingency operation) as declared by the President or Congress.  This new program makes certain reservists who were activated for at least 90 days after September 11, 2001 either eligible for education benefits or eligible for increased benefits.

$600 Buy-up Program

Some reservists may contribute up to an additional $600 to the GI Bill to receive increased monthly benefits. For an additional $600 contribution, you may receive up to $5400 in additional GI Bill benefits. You must be a member of a Ready Reserve component (Selected Reserve, Individual Ready Reserve, or Inactive National Guard) to pay into the “buy-up” program. For more information contact your personnel or payroll office. For a listing of the increased monthly rates click HERE.

See Payment Rates for current rates of payment.

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Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

General Information
Pamphlet Adobe PDF
Factsheet MS-Word
VEAP is available if you first entered active duty between January 1, 1977 and June 30, 1985 and you elected to make contributions from your military pay to participate in this education benefit program. Your contributions are matched on a $2 for $1 basis by the Government. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

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Summary of Benefits Under the Educational Assistance Test Program (Section 901 of Public Law 96-342)

Pamphlet Adobe PDF
Section 901 is an Educational Assistance Test Program created by the Department of Defense Authorization Act of 1981 (Public Law 96-342) to encourage enlistment and reenlistment in the Armed Forces. Benefits are available to individuals who entered on active duty after September 30, 1980, and before October 1, 1981 (or before October 1, 1982, if entry was under a delayed enlistment contract signed between September 30, 1980, and October 1, 1981).

NOTE: Although Public Law 96-342 established a beginning date for the test program as October 1, 1980, the military service departments did not start offering the test program to new enlistees until December 1, 1980.

Air Force Eligibility Requirements for Section 901.   All three of the following criteria must have been met to establish eligibility for this benefit.
  • Must have enlisted between  December 1, 1980 and September 30, 1981.
  • Enlistment must have been in one of the following Air Force Specialties: 20723, 20731, 20830, 46130, 46230A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, or Z, 46430, 81130
  • Enlistment must have taken place at one of the following locations:  Beckley, WV; Buffalo, NY; Dallas, TX; Fargo, ND; Houston, TX; Jackson, MS;  Louisville, KY; Memphis, TN; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; Seattle, WA; Sioux Falls, SD; Syracuse, NY

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Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA)

General Information
Pamphlet Adobe PDF
Factsheet MS-Word

NEW

Section 301 of Public Law 109-461 adds a new category to the definition of “eligible person” for DEA benefits .  The new category includes the spouse or child of a person who:

  • VA determines has a service-connected permanent and total disability; and
  • at the time of VA's determination is a member of the Armed Forces who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical care, services, or treatment; and
  • is likely to be discharged or released from service for this service-connected disability.

Persons eligible under this new provision may be eligible for DEA benefits effective December 23, 2006, the effective date of the law.

For more information contact your local VA office. See HERE.

DEA provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, or who died while on active duty or as a result of a service related condition. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

Special Restorative Training is available to persons eligible for DEA benefits. The Department of Veterans Affairs may prescribe special restorative training where needed to overcome or lessen the effects of a physical or mental disability for the purpose of enabling an eligible person to pursue a program of education, special vocational program or other appropriate goal. Medical care and treatment or psychiatric treatment are not included.  Contact your local VA office for more information.

Special Vocational Training is also available to persons eligible for DEA benefits. This type of program may be approved for an eligible person who is not in need of Special Restorative Training, but who requires such a program because of a mental or physical handicap. Contact your local VA office for more information.

See Payment Rates for current rates of payment.

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National Call to Service Program

Information
This National Call to Service Incentive program requires a participant to perform a period of national service to be eligible for benefits.  It is a Department of Defense program that is administered by VA.

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