This area contains general information about GI Bill benefits and programs.
- Introducing My Story
As part of our National Outreach and Awareness Campaign, Education Service is now featuring its new series, My Story, on the GI Bill Website. Through this page we are sharing the real life stories of Veterans and Servicemembers, and their personal experiences with the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Every My Story is different. Yet they all share a common thread — creating a better future using the Post-9/11 GI Bill. - 2011 Rates Now Online For Montgomery GI Bill, REAP, and DEA
Annual rate increases for Montgomery GI Bill, REAP, and DEA benefits are now online - Trying to Remember our Phone Number?
We've noticed a few schools and webpages with an incorrect phone number for questions about the GI Bill. We want to remind you that the correct toll free number for the GI Bill Hotline is 1-888-GIBILL-1, not 1-800-GIBill-1. That phone number again is 1-888-GIBILL-1. - Yellow Ribbon Agreements Are Finalized
VA has entered into over 3000 Yellow Ribbon agreements for the 2010-2011 Academic year, with more than 1100 schools.
If you are eligible at the 100% level of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you can receive additional funding for programs that exceed the maximum public, in-state tuition and fees limit.
The final list of participating schools is available here.
Some new schools have elected to participate, while some schools have changed the terms of their agreements. Make sure you know the current status of your school’s involvement.
- Mississippi and Alabama Claims Are Now Serviced by the Muskogee Office
Effective immediately, the Muskogee Regional Processing Office will now process claims for Mississippi and Alabama. The address for the Muskogee office is P.O. Box 8888, Muskogee, OK, 74402-8888. - Advance Pay Recoupment Plan Deadline
Please note that requests for payment plans or credit card payments must be received prior to 10 working days of months end to prevent deduction of the advance payment the following month. - Advance Pay Recoupment Issues
Many of you have commented on the fact that your Advance Payment recoupment was more than the amount you asked VA’s Debt Management Center (DMC) to withhold from your April benefit. We hear you loud and clear and we're looking into some glitches in the system that snagged a number of people accidentally. We should have the issue solved within a few days.
Everyone is going to get all the money to which they are entitled. We understand that a number of student Veterans did not receive their March education benefit as expected on April 1 because of an error in the process of recovering funds for the Fall 2009 advance payments. For some student Veterans, the full amount of the benefit was deducted to recover the advance payment when a lesser amount should have been deducted. VA’s actions to refund this error are underway.
Letters will be sent within the next 48 hours to everyone affected by the issue either by email or through the United States Postal Service. We apologize for the inconvenience this inadvertently caused Veterans and their families. We ask for your patience as we resolve this important issue. We will update with any changes to our progress of correcting the error.
You do not need to take any action; VA is working with the U.S Department of the Treasury to refund the over-collections. Payments will be issued to student Veterans within a week.
- Advance Pay Recoupment Plan Deadline is March 23, 2010
YOU MUST SUBMIT YOUR REQUEST FOR REDUCTION OF THE AMOUNT OFFSET BEFORE 10:00 AM, CDT, MARCH 23, 2010, TO HAVE THE REDUCED AMOUNT APPLY TO YOUR APRIL 1, 2010 EDUCATION BENEFIT PAYMENT. ALL REQUESTS FOR REDUCTIONS IN OFFSET ARE SUBJECT TO REVIEW AND APPROVAL BY DEBT MANAGEMENT CENTER. - Break pay Frequently Asked Questions updated
We have updated the Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to break (or interval) pay. Click the link to see them. - Extended hours at the Education Call Center
The Education Call Center is now open from 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM central time. - Call Center Information on Advance Pay Repayment
VA’s Debt Management Center (DMC) recently sent out letters advising veterans of their options for repaying the Advance Payment of education benefits they received for this past Fall term. If you are having trouble reaching DMC over the phone in regards to Advance Payment recoupment, you can also contact VA’s Education Call Center (ECC) toll-free at 1-888-442-4551 or visit http://www.pay.va.gov for instructions on how to submit payments. You may also go to our “Ask a Question” page to submit a question online. - Ask A Question portion of our website unavailabilty
The Ask A Question portion of our website will be unavailable from 8:00 PM, Saturday February 27 to 12:00 PM, Sunday February 28 for a software upgrade. - Education Call Center Now Open Monday Through Friday
Effective immediately, VA's Education Call Center is now open Monday through Friday from 7:00am to 5:00pm Central Time. Please contact us at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) with any inquiries. - Information About Advance Pay Availability
Effective February 19, 2010, emergency advance payment checks will no longer be available. Individuals who received advance pay for the fall semester will receive notification letters explaining the repayment process.
The MGIB program will provide up to 3 years/36 months of education benefits. This benefit may be used for a higher education degree, certificate program, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Under certain circumstances remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved as well. In most cases the benefit is payable for up to10 years following release from active duty.
There is a new program for MGIB recipients’ which offer more benefits to veterans’ with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 11, 2001. It is also available to those individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days that also meet the guidelines above. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Post-9/11 GI Bill became effective for training on or after August 1, 2009.
Chapter 30 (Active Duty)
The Montgomery GI Bill will provide you with 36 months of education benefits. It may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Certain programs such as remedial training and refresher courses are approved on a case by case basis. In most cases this benefit is payable for 10 years following release from active duty.
For more info: MGIB-AD
Chapter 33
The Post 911 GI Bill, also know as Chapter 33 is for individuals who have served a minimum of 90 days after September 11, 2001, or discharged with a connected disability after 30 days. This program became effective for training on or after the August 1, 2009. Listed below are some benefits received from Chapter 33:
- Tuition and fees, not to exceed the most expensive in-state undergraduate tuition at a public institution of higher education which is paid to the school
- Monthly housing allowance equal to the basic allowance for housing (BAH) payable to a military service-member (E-5 with dependents) in the area your school is located
- A yearly payment of up to $1000 for your books and supplies needed
- A one-time payment of $500 paid to individuals which qualify for relocating from highly rural areas
** If you are taking online classes or are still on active duty you will not receive the BAH.
For more info: Post 911 GI Bill
Chapter 1606 (Selected Reserve)
If you are a member of the Selected Reserve this chapter could be available to you. These components could be the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, the Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard. This benefit can be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Certain programs such as remedial training and refresher courses are approved on a case by case basis.
For more info: MGIB-SR
Chapter 1607
This benefit is for Reserve component individuals that have been called up for active duty in response to a war or national emergency as declared by the President or Congress. The benefit ensures that these individuals activated for a minimum of 90 days after September 11, 2001 will be eligible for education benefits or increase their existing benefits.
For more info: REAP
Chapter 35
This benefit is for the spouse or children of a veteran who is totally disabled, or dies from active duty. The death can either be direct or as a result aggravated by active duty. The benefit is also extended to dependents of those veterans’ that are currently being held as a POW, or against their will by a foreign government. The benefit allows for up to 45 months of education benefits to the spouse or child of the veteran.
For more info: Chapter 35 Dependents
Chapter 32
This chapter is commonly known as VEAP. To be eligible for this benefit you must have entered active duty between January 1, 1977 and June 30, 1985. During that period you would of have had to elect to make contributions from your military pay to participate in this program. These contributions are matched on a $2 for $1 basis by the Government. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs as well. For more information on what the benefit may be used for please visit the site below.
For more info: VEAP