Veterans who have served at least 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, and received an honorable discharge will qualify for Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). To qualify for the full benefit a veteran must have served at least three years of active duty service after September 10, 2001. Active duty veterans serving more than 90 days, but less than three years of post-9/11 active duty service, are eligible for a percentage of the full Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill):

Please see the complete benefit information here: Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill).

Service members can use Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) while on active duty, but do not qualify for the housing stipend or book stipend. However, because of a loophole in the new GI Bill active duty servicemembers do qualify for unlimited tuition/fees charges. For example, if you go to Harvard Medical School while on active duty they will pay your entire tuition/fees bill but not a living allowance or a book stipend. To see how this works at your school, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

Veterans who have served at least 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, will qualify for Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). Unlike in Chapter 1607 (REAP), benefits for active duty service are based on cumulative active duty service, not the single longest deployment. National Guardsmen and reservists with three years of active duty service post-9/11 now qualify for full benefits under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). As a general rule, only federal activations count toward total active duty service. Training, state call-ups and 32 AGR service do not qualify.

The following chart outlines the breakdown of benefits based on amount of service.

Please see the complete benefit information here: Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill).

Veterans who served at least 30 days of post-9/11 active duty service and were discharged due to a service-connected disability qualify for the full Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). Although it is not absolutely clear from the VA rules, but it appears that servicemembers whose only active duty was during BASIC or advanced skills training still qualify.

Any veteran or service member who served at least 90 days of active duty service post-9/11 will qualify for Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). Those veterans who did not opt in to the Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill) and/or participated in the Chapter 32 (VEAP) program will still be eligible for this benefit.

Officers who graduated from service academies or received ROTC scholarships do qualify for Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). However, time spent satisfying the ROTC/Service Academy active duty obligation does not count toward the active duty service necessary to qualify for the benefits. These requirements are typically 5 years for academies and 4 years for ROTC grads. If an ROTC graduate becomes a reserve officer and then is activated on federal orders it is possible that this active duty service would qualify for Post-9/11 eligibility.

Service members who enlisted under the student loan repayment plan (SLRP) qualify for Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). However, the initial three years of service do not count toward Chapter 33 eligibility. For example, a service member who took SLRP and served 5 years of active duty service would have 2 years of qualifying service toward Chapter 33 benefits (80% rate). Reenlistment student loan repayment programs do not affect GI Bill benefits.

Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) allows the Secretary of Defense to provide currently serving troops the opportunity to transfer education benefits to a spouse or to one or more of the individual's children at the Secretary of Defense’s discretion. Congress also just created a program for the children of servicemembers who die on active duty, the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship. For more information see Fry Scholarship below.

ELIGIBILITY

To qualify for transferability a servicemember must:

1. Qualify for the education benefits themselves.
2. Served at least 6 years on Active Duty or in the National Guard or Select Reserves.
3. Agree to commit to 4 more years of service starting after August 2009. EXCEPTION: If a veteran is retirement eligible, than no additional service will be required. If a veteran is less than 4 years to becoming retirement eligible than that veteran just needs to finish the years remaining to retirement eligibility (e.g, 18 years in the service, 2 more years are required).
4. Have a spouse or dependent(s) enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS) to transfer benefits to.

HOW TO APPLY

A servicemember must visit https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/TEB/ (Internet Explorer only) to fill out the application to transfer benefits. The form will require a servicemember to designate who the benefits will be transferred to, the number of months to be transferred and the period of time the dependent has to use the benefits. A servicemember may transfer part or all of their remaining education benefits as they see fit between their family members. This application must be completed while the member is still serving in the military.

Once the transferability application is completed and approved the spouse or child can simply apply to the VA for the GI Bill benefits like they were a veteran themselves. Please check our Getting Started Checklist for a complete run down on how to apply for benefits.

SPECIAL RULES

While all family members benefit from their servicemember’s enlistment kickers, there are different rules on how a spouse vs. a dependent can use this new benefit. A spouse will have up to 15 years after the servicemember discharges from the military to use their transferred benefits, while a child will have to the age of 26 to complete their education. A spouse can begin using the benefit immediately, while a dependent must wait till the servicemember has completed ten years of service and the dependent has completed high school or turned 18 years old. Lastly, a spouse using the GI Bill, while the servicemember is on active duty, they will not receive the monthly living allowance or book stipend. They will be entitled to unlimited tuition and fees thanks to a loophole in the new GI Bill. A dependent will be entitled to the full benefit.

The VA recently announced that in order for a child to qualify for transferred benefits, they must be under the age of 23 and if they are over the age of 18 they must already be enrolled in college. IAVA is currently working diligently to expand eligibility to adult children.

A veteran may revoke or modify transferred benefits at anytime. After the servicemember retires or separates from the military a servicemember may not add new transferees, but can still modify transfers to dependents who are already receiving transferred benefits. A divorce will not automatically affect transferred benefits to a spouse or dependents, a servicemember must specifically request the benefits to be revoked or modified. Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits are not considered martial property upon divorce.

Failure to complete the additional 4 year requirement will mean any education benefits used by a spouse or dependent will be considered an overpayment and be charged to the servicemember. Exceptions to this are made for servicemembers who die while finishing the their service commitment, discharge due to a pre-existing medical conditions, hardship as determined by DoD or a physical or medical condition that was not caused by the servicemember’s willful misconduct that interfered with the performance of duty.

For a complete explanation of the new GI Bill visit our Post-9/11 GI Bill overview page.

Tuition payments under Chapter 33 (the new, Post-9/11 GI Bill) are made directly to the school for the entire quarter, semester or term. The payments are capped separately for tuition costs and fees charges by state. Fees include any mandatory charge by the school, including health insurance premiums, graduation fees, lab fees, freshmen fees and many others.  Click here for the list of state caps.

For example, in Washington, D.C. the state tuition cap is $197/credit and $620/term in fees. A veteran attending Georgetown University will be charged:

                        Cost to Veteran                    VA Pays

Tuition:           $18,372/semester                $2,955/semester (15 units x $197/unit)

Fees:              $1,015/semester                  $620/semester

Total:              $19,387/semester                $3,575/semester

Our GI Bill benefits calculator will do this math for you. All you really need to know is that tuition is considered separately from fees and the calculator will do the rest.

If a veteran goes to a cheaper school than the cap, he or she will not receive a check for the difference between the actual tuition cost and the tuition cap. More expensive schools may participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program to make attendance more affordable.

Veterans who have served less than three years on active duty since September 10, 2001, qualify for a percentage of the tuition benefits under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). The VA will pay a percentage of the tuition and fees charged, regardless of whether those charges are well below the state caps. Our GI Bill benefits calculator will handle this rule as well. See details under the eligibility requirements for Active Duty or National Guard/Reserves.

Although typically the Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) provides a higher benefit than previous programs, some veterans may receive a higher benefit from Chapter 30 (MGIB) or Chapter 1607 (REAP). For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) offers a total 36 months of education benefits, the equivalent of four academic years.

Private universities and public university graduate school programs that charge tuition and fees above the state cap may participate in the Yellow Ribbon GI Bill Program by offering scholarships or tuition forgiveness to veterans. The school must enter into an agreement with the VA to participate and then the federal government will match dollar for dollar what the university provides, up to the full cost of tuition. If you are interested in getting your school to participate in the Yellow Ribbon GI Bill Program or want more information please follow us on Twitter @NewGIBill.

Veterans enrolled as full-time or three-quarter-time students will be paid a housing allowance based on the military's Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rate for an E-5 with dependents. The living allowance can range from $667/month in Bellville, OH, to $2,751/month in Manhattan, NYC.

To qualify for the living allowance a servicemember must be:

• Enrolled more than half time (7 credits or more at most colleges)
• Taking at least one class in a classroom (not exclusively online)
• Not on active duty orders

These veterans may receive a large benefit from Chapter 30 (MGIB).

Veterans who have served less than three years on active duty since September 10, 2001 qualify for a percentage of the living allowance benefits under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). See details under the eligibility requirements for Active Duty or National Guard/Reserves.

For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

The book stipend will help cover the cost of books, supplies, equipment and other educational fees. Veterans will receive a lump sum payment accompanying the living allowance for the first month of each quarter, semester or term. The payment will be $41.67 for every credit enrolled, but no more than $1,000 per academic year. (e.g., a student enrolled in 12 units will receive $500 for that academic term).

Veterans who have served less than three years on active duty since September 10, 2001 qualify for a percentage of the book stipend under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). See details under the eligibility requirements for Active Duty or National Guard/Reserves.

Service members using Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) while on active duty do not qualify for the book stipend.

The old Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) was for active duty servicemembers and was designed as a recruitment tool. With the passage of the new Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), Chapter 30 (MGIB) is still on the books, and the benefit was increased by nearly 20%. The current monthly rate for MGIB is $1368/month for a full time student. In addition, yearly increases to the MGIB are now indexed to the rising cost of education, which means that benefit will keep up with the explosive rise in education costs. All the same qualifications still apply for MGIB, including the $1,200 buy-in. 

Although on average the Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) provides a higher benefit than previous programs, some veterans may receive a higher benefit from Chapter 30 (MGIB). For more guidance on which program is right for you, please use our GI Bill benefits calculator.

Chapter 1607 (REAP) was created to help deploying reservists and is still on the books. Because the value of REAP is based on a percentage scale of Chapter 30 (MGIB), and the value of the MGIB was increased to $1368/month, the value of REAP has also increased. Here is the new sliding scale:

Chapter 1607 benefits are still calculated based on a service member's single longest deployment, and not his or her total aggregate service. Furthermore, there are still some unresolved VA regulation issues for reservists who get activated from the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) and then want to use their education benefits after they separate from the military. IAVA recommends that Reserve and National Guard service members consider using Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) benefits first.

For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

Chapter 1606 is the GI Bill for reservists and National Guard with no active duty service beyond BASIC and skills training. With the passage of Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), no changes were made to the Select Reserve GI Bill program and the monthly rate is still $333/month. For information on this program, please visit the VA website.

Choosing between GI Bill programs is made easier by visiting our GI Bill benefits calculator, which shows what each GI Bill program has to offer you.

While Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) is usually the superior benefit, the following veterans should consider using the old GI Bill:

• Distance Learners: No living allowance with new GI Bill.
• Students at vocational schools: Do not qualify for new GI Bill.
• Involved in Apprenticeship or On-The-Job training: Do not qualify for new GI Bill.
• Attending schools with low BAH rates.
• Active Duty who got out in 2002 or 2003: Qualify for a lower percentage tier.
• Active Duty who only have less than 1 year of MGIB remaining: Can get 12 additional month by burning all your remaining MGIB first.

Graduate School

Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), including the Yellow Ribbon Program, can be used for graduate school.

Distance Learning

Veterans enrolled in exclusively distance learning programs can use the tuition benefit under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), but do not qualify for the living allowance. IAVA encourages these veterans to consider taking at least one course in an actual classroom because that will qualify them for the full living allowance. If that is not possible the veteran should consider using Chapter 30 (MGIB).

For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

Vocational Schools

Purely vocational schools are not authorized under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) and therefore special rules apply. A veteran attending a school that offers only vocational certificates or licensing training and does not offer degrees will not receive the Chapter 33 type benefits (tuition, living allowance and book stipend). That veteran will receive, under the new GI Bill, what they would have received under the old GI Bill if they still qualify for the old GI Bill. This rule is very confusing. Here is example:

If SGT Snuffy wants to go to AAA School of Trucking, which only offers students Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDL) and no degrees. SGT Snuffy will get the same monthly benefit as if he went to this school on the old GI Bill ($1368/month).

However, if a veteran attends a vocational program taught at school that does offer degrees they will receive the full Chapter 33 type benefits. So if SGT Snuffy goes to a local community college which offers associates degrees and vocational programs he will receive the full benefits under the new GI Bill. Please note: SGT Snuffy does not need to be in the degree program, just at a school that also offers degrees.

Part-time Schooling (half-time or less)

Veterans attending school exactly half-time or less can use the tuition benefit under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), but they do not qualify for the living allowance. The VA’s rules define “half time” very narrowly. If your school considers 12 units full time enrollment then 6 units or below is considered halftime or less. If a veteran is enrolled in 7 units in this situation, they will receive the full living allowance because they are more than half time.
For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

On-the-Job Training / Apprenticeship / Flight School

Veterans enrolled in apprenticeship, on-the-job training and flight training programs cannot receive benefits under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). Veterans can continue to use older education benefits such as Chapter 30 (MGIB).

For more guidance on which program is right for you, please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator.

The GI Bill can be used to pay for a tutor up to $100/month (no more than $1,200 total). The tutoring must be used to correct a deficiency that is affecting the student’s ability pass a particular course. The student also must be enrolled more than half time (same requirement to get a living allowance with the new GI Bill).

The student must fill out a VA form 22-1990T and have it signed by the tutor and the school certifying official before the VA will pay the $100/month. Use of the tutoring benefit does NOT affect your remaining GI Bill eligibility.

Active duty service must be completed after September 10, 2001, to count towards Chapter 33.  In addition, for Guard members and Reservists only federal activations count toward total active duty service. National Guard and reserve training and state call-ups do not qualify. Title 32 Active Guard Reserve (AGR) duty currently does not qualify toward the new GI Bill.

Active duty served to satisfy an enlistment requirement for the following does NOT qualify toward Chapter 33.

·         ROTC students (4 years),

·         Service academy graduates (5 years) and

·         Servicemembers who took advantage of the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) (3 years)

·         National Guard on Title 32 Active Guard Reserve (AGR) status

Boot camp and other initial entry training programs only qualify toward Post 9/11 active duty service once a service member has completed 2 years of other active duty service including Boot Camp. For example, a National Guard soldier who has been activated for 18 months cannot count their basic training and advance skills training toward Post 9/11 service unless the combined service would be 24 months or more.

This benefit is not retroactive. A veteran will NOT receive a check for education benefits he or she has already used. However, veterans with the qualifying service can switch into Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). 

The new GI Bill does not repay student loans.

Veterans' education benefits are not be considered in determining eligibility for federal financial aid (they even took it off the FAFSA form). Every state/school sets its own policies for determining how veterans' education benefits affect state/local aid. We strongly encourage all veterans to apply for federal financial because many veterans qualify for additional educational funds like Pell Grants, worth over $5,000/yr.

The new GI Bill can be used by active duty servicemembers to cover costs not paid for by Federal Tuition Assistance. However, since the new GI Bill will cover the full cost of tuition and fees while a servicemember is on active duty we strongly encourage servicemembers to mix and match their GI Bill benefits and Federal Tuition Assistance to maximize your benefits. For example, use your new GI Bill benefits only to cover very expensive courses and rely on your Federal Tuition Assistance to cover all your other courses.

Any veteran who paid the $1,200 buy-in for Chapter 30 (MGIB) and elects to use Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) will be refunded the buy-in. The buy-in or a portion of the buy-in will be refunded on the last payment of the monthly living allowance. If a veteran has already used some of their Chapter 30 (MGIB) benefits they will receive prorated refund. If the veteran does not receive a living allowance check upon using their last month of new GI Bill entitlement the buy-in will not be returned.

The VA ruled that individuals will not receive an increased amount [under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill) for additional contributions ($600 buy-up) paid under Chapter 30 (MGIB) or 1607 (REAP). This $600 will not be refunded if a veteran transfers from the old GI Bill to the new GI Bill.

Enlistment and reenlistment kickers will continue to apply to veterans under Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill). Any additional monthly benefits will be simply added to the monthly living allowance. For example, if a veteran is entitled to a $200/month enlistment kicker and a $1400/month living allowance, then that veteran will receive $1,600/month.

The VA recently announced "College Fund" payments are now being paid lump sum at the beginning of each term, instead of  being added to each monthly benefit.

Unfortunately, under the VA’s final rules state that they will not pay kicker or college fund bonuses if the veteran is not receiving a living allowance (e.g., while on active duty or exclusively distance learning). IAVA is actively fighting to reverse the VA’s interpretation. 

The VA has recently issued a ruling on students studying overseas. They break these veterans into two categories.

The first category involves students studying at overseas programs which have a main campus back in the states (e.g., BYU in Israel). These students will receive the same level of benefits as student attending the school's main campus. Please check out our GI Bill benefits calculator and enter the zip of the main campus.

The second category involves students studying at foreign programs (e.g., the London School of Economics). These students will receive tuition payments up to the national average tuition for public schools, $408/credit for tuition and $10,502/term in fees. They will also receive the national average BAH rate, set at $1,333/month.

The VA keeps an updated list of approved international education programs. Schools that have not been approved for GI Bill benefits must be accredited by the VA. Domestic programs must contact their local state approving agencies and international programs must the VA site and provide the required information.

The military home of record is not used in determining GI Bill benefits. Only the zip code of the school the veteran is attending will affect benefit amounts.

To qualify for these education benefits the veteran must have received an honorable discharge or been discharged due to a service-connected disability.

A veteran who did not receive an honorable or medical discharge, may still qualify for Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits if the veteran can prove that a physical or mental condition, not already characterized as a disability and not a result of the veteran’s own misconduct, interfered with the performance of their duty. A veteran can also petition the Secretary of their military branch to approve a hardship waiver. Lastly, veterans can apply to have their discharge upgraded usually after 6 months. Veterans groups like the American Legion have been very helpful to veterans facing these types of discharges.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill pays generous benefits for part time students. For example:

Tuition and Fees: Tuition payments are based on the number of credits a veteran is enrolled per academic term. Fee payments are the same regardless of the veteran’s level of enrollment.

Living allowance: Paid to students who are enrolled more then half time. A student enrolled one unit above exactly half time will qualify for the full living allowance (e.g., if full time is considered 12 units, half time is considered exactly 6 units. A veteran needs just 7 units to qualify for a living allowance).

Book Stipend: The payment will be $41.67 for every credit enrolled, but no more than $1,000 per academic year. (e.g., a student enrolled in 12 units will receive $500 for that academic term).

Under the current VA rules for the Chapter 33 (the new, post-9/11 GI Bill), a veteran can maximize their education benefits by attending school part time, at least one unit over half time (e.g., if full time is considered 12 units, then exactly half time is 6 units).

A veteran enrolled in just over half time will be entitled to the full tuition/fee payment, full living allowance and a majority of the book stipend. Most importantly, a veteran attending in this status will only be charged a half month’s worth of entitlement. These rules will likely be modified after the first couple years of the program, but until then IAVA believes every veteran should at least know how to maximize their education benefits.

If a student drops a course(s) or withdraws from school the VA will immediately stop paying education benefits for those classes and the student may be billed for the education benefits they have already been paid for that term. Students are strongly encouraged to notify the VA immediately of a withdrawal to minimize overpayments.

The VA will bill a student in this situation unless circumstances beyond the student's control prevented the student from continuing in school or caused the student to reduce credits. These mitigating circumstances are presumed to exist the first time a student drops 6 or less credits. After the first drop a veteran must prove to the VA that mitigating circumstances were the cause of the drop/withdrawal.

Examples of mitigating circumstances include:

• Mental or physical illness or injury afflicting the student during the enrollment period.
• Illness or death in the student’s immediate family.
• Unavoidable change in the student’s conditions of employment.
• Unavoidable geographical transfer resulting from the student’s employment.
• Immediate family or financial obligations beyond the control of the claimant that require him or her to suspend pursuit of the program of education to obtain employment.
• Discontinuance of the course by the school.
• Unanticipated active military service, including active duty for training.
• Unanticipated difficulties with childcare arrangements the student has made for the period during which he or she is attending classes.

If VA rules that mitigating circumstances do not exist than the student will be charged for any education benefits they received for that academic term (e.g., tuition/fees, living allowance and book stipend). 

Boot camp and other initial entry training programs only qualify toward Post 9/11 active duty service once a service member has completed 2 years of active duty service including the boot camp. For example, a National Guard soldier who has been activated for 18 months cannot count their basic training and advance skills training toward Post 9/11 service unless they have also done 6 months of boot camp and advance skills training (totaling 24 months of combined service).

The VA will bill a spouse or dependent for any education benefits they dispersed, if a veteran does not complete their additional 4 year service requirement. The service requirement is considered waived if the servicemember dies, has a disability that prevents the servicemember from completing their service, the military service secretary (e.g., Secretary of the Army) grants a hardship waiver or if the servicemember lost their job due to a reduction in force by the military.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill covers refresher, remedial and failed courses (CFR §21.9590(a)(2)). A refresher course helps a student learn basic material in order to be prepared to succeed in a class required for a degree. A remedial course is designed to help a student to overcome a deficiency in a subject or handicap. A failed course, or deficiency course, is a required course for a degree/certificate that the student failed to pass before.

The Rural Benefit is a one-time payment of $500 (no entitlement charged) for recipients of the Post-9/11 GI Bill to pursue a program of education if they reside in a county with 6 persons or less per square mile (as determined by the most recent decennial census) and EITHER:

1. physically relocates at least 500 miles to attend an educational institution OR
2. travel by air to physically attend an educational institution if no other land-based transportation exists

Mandatory school health insurance premiums (e.g., students have to waive out) will be covered under the fees benefits with the Post 9/11 GI bill. However, individual medical costs are the responsibility of the student.

The VA keeps an updated list of approved education programs (schools and vocational) called the WEAMS list. When you visit the site broaden the Program Type to “all types” but remember only institutions of higher learning are eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill type benefits (tuition/fees, living allowance and book stipend).

Schools that have not been approved for GI Bill benefits must be accredited by the VA. Domestic programs must contact their local state approving agencies and international program must the VA site and provide the required information.

The VA does not yet have a system for verifying enrollment with the Post 9/11 GI Bill. So there is no need to worry that you missed your WAVE call with the new GI Bill.

If you change schools after starting to use the GI Bill, complete and submit a “Request for Change of Program or Place of Training,” VA Form 22-1995, through the VA’s online benefits program, called VONAPP.

The American Council on Education will create a college transcript based on your military experience that you can take to your school to possibly get free college credits. Take 5 minutes and maybe you can skip an entire quarter or semester. Visit ACE’s Military programs site and click on “Military Guide Online.”

Unfortunately, the Post-9/11 GI Bill does not currently allow retirees before August 2009 to transfer their unused education benefits. IAVA is strongly advocating for the EARNED act (HR 3577, Rep. Rodriquez), which would allow retirees from 9/11 to August 2009 to transfer unused benefits to a spouse or child. Please keep checking newgibill.org and the GI Bill Wire for the latest updates on this legislation.

The VA calls living allowance payments for summer/winter breaks “Interval Pay” and they will automatically issue “interval pay” for breaks in enrollment that meet certain criteria. While these payments are supposed to be automatic we have heard from a number of student veterans that they did not receive interval last winter break.

The criteria to qualify for interval pay are:

1. The interval does NOT last longer than 8 weeks or 30 days between consecutive summer terms.
2. The interval period is shorter than the academic terms before and after the interval.
3. The student had to be enrolled in at least more than half time for the term before the interval begins (e.g., in 7 or more units during the spring semester before the summer began).
4. The student cannot be on active duty.
5. The student has remaining GI Bill entitlement.

Congress recently passed the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship, which grants the children of servicemembers who die in the line of duty their own Chapter 33 (new GI Bill) benefits. These children are entitled to the full new GI Bill and they have until their 33rd birthday to use the benefits. The VA will start issuing payments on August 1st, 2010 but any student eligible for this program will receive retroactive payments back to August 2009.

Become an IAVA Member Veteran and receive important updates via email. Membership with IAVA is free and it only takes a minute to sign up. Click here to join. You can also follow @newgibill on Twitter for latest GI Bill news.

Join IAVA as a Member Veteran and stay up to date with all of the important issues, as well as network with other student veterans such as yourself. Membership with IAVA is free. Click here to join today. You can also follow @newgibill on twitter for latest GI Bill news.