Types of Education Covered by the GI Bill
The Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB AD) provides up to 36 months of education benefits for the following applications:
- College, business, technical or vocational courses
- Distance Learning including Correspondence Courses
- Certification Tests
- Apprenticeship/Job Training (Veterans, Guard, and Reserve only)
- Flight Training
Current Rates
If you're a full-time student enrolled in a regionally or nationally accredited college or university, you can get up to $1,321 a month (2008-2009 Payment Rates effective Aug. 1, 2008) to cover your education, including high-tech or vocational-technical programs. The total of this benefit adds up to over $47,500 -- and these benefits increase every year. But don't wait to use the Montgomery GI Bill -- these benefits are usually good only up to 10 years after you separate from the military.
GI Bill (MGIB) Eligibility
You qualify for the GI Bill if you meet the following requirements:
- You contribute $100 a month for the first 12 months you are in active duty, or qualify under VEAP conversion, and
- You are Honorably Discharged. Discharges "under honorable conditions" and "general" discharges don't qualify for the GI Bill or VEAP, and
- You have completed High School or have an equivalency certificate before you apply for benefits, and
- You have served at least two years on active duty.
However, you don't qualify if:
- You declined the GI Bill AD in writing upon entry to active duty.
- You were commissioned through a Service Academy (West Point, Air Force Academy, Naval Academy, Coast Guard Academy, etc.). Exception: If you qualified for the GI Bill because of a previous term of enlistment, you don't lose it by graduating from a service academy.
- You were commissioned through an ROTC Scholarship and received more than $2,000 in ROTC scholarship funds in any one academic year. Note: This changed to $3,400 per year effective December 27, 2001. As with service academy commissions, if you fully qualify for the GI Bill before being commissioned through an ROTC Scholarship, through a previous enlistment period, this doesn't apply.
There are four categories to determine which GI Bill benefits you are eligible for; read the Eligibility Details page for more information.
Application Process
You can apply for the GI Bill by filling out and following the instructions on VA Form 22-1990, Application for Education Benefits. For more details, see the Active Duty GI Bill User's Guide and get started using your benefits.
More Information
Also good to know is Additional Features and Details of the GI Bill, including the Transferability, Top-Up, and the $600 Buy-up programs.
