Chapter 33: Post 9/11 GI Bill

The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 provides benefits to individuals who served on active duty on or after September 10, 2001. These individuals must have served at least 90 aggregate days or have been discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days.

Under this bill, veterans may receive benefits for training they pursue on or after August 1, 2009. Benefits are not available for training pursued prior to that date. Any soldier released from active duty before January 1, 2013, has a 15-year time limitation to use their benefits.  For those released on or after January 1, 2013, the time limitation has been eliminated as a result of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017.  Eligible training includes undergraduate, graduate degree, and certificate programs pursued at a university or college that is authorized to grant an associate’s degree or higher. For more information about the various types of training and assistance approved for Post 9/11 GI Bill recipients click here.

If you have been approved for this benefit and have been issued a Certificate of Eligibility, to get this benefit processed and an enrollment submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs it is mandatory to complete the MILITARY FUNDING REQUEST FORM for each term that you wish to utilize this benefit. 

Eligibility

This bill provides up to 36 months of education benefits, which can be increased to 48 eligible months determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs on a case-by-case basis.

• If you have served at least 90 days on active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service) on or after September 11, 2001, or
• Served for at least 30 continuous days (all at once, without a break in service) on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability, or
• Received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service*, or
• Are a dependent child using benefits transferred by a qualifying Veteran or service member or
• Reservists eligible for REAP benefits during sunset in November of 2015, may also be eligible for restored benefits under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits

Students eligible for this benefit at the 100% rate could also have an opportunity to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which may make additional funding options available to a non-resident or out-of-state student, as long as the institution of higher learning attended is a participating university. 

If you are eligible for benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you may receive a(n):

• Payment for tuition and fees sent directly to your university or college
• Monthly housing allowance**
• Annual books and supplies stipend**
• One-time rural benefit payment

NOTE: Maximum benefits are earned if you served an aggregate of 36 months or more on active duty service or after 30 days of continuous service if you were discharged for a service-connected disability after September 10, 2001. If you served between 90 days and 36 months of aggregate active duty service, you will be eligible for a percentage of the maximum benefits.

*Note: All purple heart recipients are qualified for Post 9/11 benefits at the 100% rate regardless of their length of service time

**Note: The housing allowance and books and supplies stipend are not payable if you are on active duty, enrolled as a half-time student or less, and enrolled in distance learning. (See current housing rates)

***Note: If you are awaiting your Post-9/11 payment, visit the GI Bill Web site Advanced Payment Q&A for detailed information about requesting an advance payment from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Click Here to apply for this benefit.