Understanding GI Bill Benefits for Military Students

Do you want to make the most out of your college experience without taking on too much debt and expense? If you’re a veteran, the GI Bill may be a good resource for funding your college. Created to provide thanks to members of the military for their service and to aid in their transition back to civilian life, the GI Bill has helped millions of veterans pay for college.

History of the GI Bill

What is the GI Bill? The GI Bill is a series of laws that provides support for members of the military that are coming home and entering their civilian lives after serving. The first GI benefits bill was signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II. It provided veterans with money they could use for their college education, insurance, and housing. The goal of this bill was to aid in the transition from active duty to civilian life.

Over the years the original GI Bill has had extensions and amendments to make it work well for modern veterans. For instance, in 1984, the Montgomery GI Bill Program was enacted and provided an Education Assistance Program. After a three-year test run, the educational component became permanent in 1987. After two years of active duty, the Montgomery GI Bill provides up to 36 months of tuition and school cost reimbursement.

Today’s veterans often rely on the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This addition to the GI Bill allows all service members who started in the military after September 10, 2001, to get benefits after a minimum of 90 days of active duty. This program had a 15-year expiration date after that 90-day period. It also opened the door for service members to transfer their benefits to a child or spouse if desired. In 2017, the Forever GI Bill came into play. This program took away expiration dates and added more benefits to Purple Heart veterans, thus building on the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Are You Eligible for the GI Bill?

With so many changes, many veterans are left wondering if their service earned them the ability to use the GI Bill to pay for college. If you have served in the military, you need to determine eligibility. This starts with getting the GI Bill Statement of Benefits. If you have not received this, you can request a Certificate of Eligibility from your veteran's office.

This certificate is the key to taking advantage of GI Bill benefits at your chosen school. At UMass Global, we will walk you through how to apply the benefit to your education in one of our programs. Keep in mind that you may be able to use the benefit to pay for one of our certification programs if you choose not to pursue an academic degree.

Transferring Your GI Bill Benefit

If you do not need to use your GI Bill benefit, you can transfer it to your spouse or child to ensure your family benefits. Sometimes, veterans who are already in a job may not need a college education, but they can use their benefits to help their kids later. You are eligible to transfer your unused education benefits if the following conditions are true:

• You have served at least six years and will commit to serving at least four more, or you've served at least 10 years and agree to serve any additional time allowed by policy or statute.
• Your beneficiary is part of the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System.
• You request the transfer while you’re active duty.

What Is Covered by the GI Bill Benefit?

One key to understanding the GI Bill is understanding what it covers. Many veterans are surprised to know that the benefit covers more than just tuition, though tuition is one of the largest portions of the payment. The amount of the benefit varies from one person to the next, depending on the amount of time you served in the military. However, regardless of the amount, you can use your GI Bill benefit to pay for.

1. Tuition and Fees

The largest part of your college expenses will be tuition and fees. The GI Bill pays whatever the highest tuition rate and fees of a public college would be. Thus, most schools are fully covered. The affordable programs at UMass Global would fit into this category if you have full entitlement based on your service.

For tuition and fees, you can get up to 36 months of full-time education. If you choose to attend part-time, you can get up to 72 months. You can work toward a master’s or an undergraduate degree, but you will not get more than 36 or 72 months.

2. Books and Materials

You also have a benefit of up to $1,000 a year to cover your books and other materials if you are fully eligible. You get this money as a lump sum at the start of the term. If your school includes books with your tuition, you will still get the money and can use it for other supplies you might need for school. There is flexibility in this benefit area of the GI Bill. As long as you are using the money for supplies you need for school, it is yours to use as you need.

3. Housing

The GI Bill offers a Monthly Housing Allowance for you and your dependents. This will allow you to set aside money for rent or a mortgage while you focus on your education. This monthly amount gets paid to you at the start of each month, and the amount is based on the number of courses you are taking, whether you are taking them online or on-campus, and the zip code where you are going to school.

Don’t assume that studying online means you can’t get a housing benefit — GI Benefits will pay for online classes and provide a housing allowance to online students. This housing allowance is 50% of the national average for housing costs. While it may not be enough to pay your full cost of housing, it will help significantly while you’re focused on your education.

Put Your GI Bill Benefit to Use with UMass Global

UMass Global appreciates and values our military service members. We make it easy to use your GI Bill benefits as you look ahead to your future. From flexible, career-focused education programs to a robust support system for our military and veteran students, we are dedicated to making the transition to civilian life as seamless as possible for you. Reach out to the military services department of UMass Global, or learn more about using your GI Bill benefits today, and see how our flexible learning opportunities can transform your future.