How Much Does The GI Bill Pay For Housing?

People who served on active duty or in the Selected Reserve for 90 days or more after September 11 can get school benefits through the Post-9/11 GI Bill. 10, 2001. The payment rate depends on how much active-duty time or federal service a member has.

Veterans who are eligible and are going to college or training programs can get help with their housing costs through the GI Bill. This benefit is meant to help pay for some of the costs of housing, like rent and utilities. Determining your exact housing stipend depends on several factors.

GI Bill Programs With Housing Allowances

Two GI Bill programs offer monthly housing allowances – the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill,

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is the most widely used education program. It provides comprehensive benefits including tuition assistance, a housing allowance, and stipends for books and supplies

The Montgomery GI Bill also offers a monthly housing payment but has less generous benefits overall. This older program requires service members to contribute $100 per month to qualify. Only veterans who opted into the Montgomery GI Bill before the Post-9/11 program exist can use it.

Calculating Your Post-9/11 Housing Allowance

The Post-9/11 GI Bill’s housing allowance is meant to help pay for some of the high-cost housing in the area where you go to school. The actual amount depends on:

Your housing stipend is based on the zip code of the campus where you go to school. DoD’s Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for that area are used by VA.
Signing up: Full-time students get a bigger stipend than part-time students Please note that your pursuit rate must be higher than 50% to be eligible.
Online Status – Online students get half the national average BAH rate. Onsite students get payments based on their school’s zip code.

Let’s break these factors down further:

Location-Based Allowance Rates

The Post-9/11 housing allowance uses BAH rates set by the Department of Defense. BAH aims to cover 95% of average rental and utilities costs for each military paygrade (E-1 to O-10) in a given zip code.

For GI Bill housing stipends, the VA bases your payment on BAH rates for an E-5 with dependents.

If you take in-person classes, your housing allowance depends on your school’s zip code. An E-5 BAH rate in San Francisco, for example, exceeds $4,000 monthly. In small towns or rural areas, it may be under $1,000.
For online learners, housing allowances are set at half the national average BAH for an E-5 with dependents. In 2023, the online rate is $988 monthly.

The VA updates BAH rates annually on January 1. Your housing stipend for a semester depends on the rates in effect during that term.

Enrollment Status

The VA also adjusts your Post-9/11 housing stipend based on enrollment level:

Full-time – 100% of your BAH rate
3/4 time – 75% of your BAH
1/2 time – 50% of your BAH
Less than 1/2 time – No housing allowance

At most public schools, 12 credits per term is full-time. Taking 9 credits would be 3/4 time and 6 credits is 1/2 time.

Putting It All Together

Let’s look at two examples to see how these factors determine your Post-9/11 GI Bill housing payment:

Sam is taking 12 credits on campus at State College. State College’s zip code has a $1,200 monthly BAH rate. As a full-time student, Sam gets the full $1,200 BAH rate for his housing allowance.
Robin is taking 9 online credits at Tech University. As an online student at 3/4 time enrollment, Robin gets 75% of the current national average BAH rate. This equals $741 monthly (0.75 x $988).

In addition to location and enrollment, the length of your service also impacts GI Bill benefits. Veterans with at least 36 months of active duty qualify for the full housing allowance. Those with shorter service receive prorated payments.

Housing Allowances Under The Montgomery GI Bill

The Montgomery GI Bill program also provides a tax-free stipend to cover housing expenses. Here are some key points:

Full-time students receive a flat rate of $1,752 monthly in 2023. Less than full-time gets a partial stipend.
Allowances are the same nationwide – not based on location.
Online vs. on-campus makes no difference.
Payments come directly from the VA rather than through your school.

Overall, the Montgomery GI Bill provides less generous housing benefits compared to the Post-9/11 program. Make sure to understand both before choosing the best option for your goals.

When Housing Allowances Are Not Paid

Some situations prevent you from collecting a housing allowance even if you qualify for GI Bill benefits:

Active duty service members do not receive the stipend.
Spouses using GI Bill transfers can’t get the allowance while their military spouse is serving.
Students on active duty or using transferred benefits get tuition coverage but no housing payments.
Breaks between terms, including summer breaks, also pause housing stipends.
Those enrolled half-time or less miss out on the allowance.
Students in certain programs like correspondence training, flight training, and apprenticeships don’t qualify either.
Going to school overseas at a foreign college means no location-based allowance. You may get partial stipends based on enrollment though.

Estimating Your Housing Allowance

Wondering how much you can expect to receive for housing costs under the GI Bill? Here are some useful resources:

The VA’s MHA Comparison Tool lets you estimate benefits for a particular school.
This GI Bill calculator by Student Veterans of America also forecasts housing stipends.
Looking up BAH rates in your desired school’s zip code gives you an idea of potential allowances for on-campus programs.
Remember national average BAH rates set online stipends. For 2023, it is $988 monthly.
Review the full rates chart on the VA’s website for the latest stipend amounts and program details.

Determining your exact Post-9/11 housing payment requires some research. But the resources above can give you an estimate to factor into your education planning and budget.

Applying For GI Bill Housing Allowances

To start receiving your monthly housing allowance, you need to apply and enroll in an approved education program:

Submit an application for VA education benefits if you haven’t already.
Get accepted to and register for classes at a VA-approved school.
Provide your school’s VA certifying official with information to process your enrollment certification.
Monitor eBenefits or speak with your school to ensure your enrollment is verified.
If eligible, housing payments will begin dispersing after the VA processes your paperwork and enrollment.
Your monthly stipends will be sent directly to you, not your institution.
Remember to promptly report any changes in enrollment, address, or program to avoid issues with your payments.

Stay in touch with your certifying official and the VA about your application status. This helps ensure you receive all benefits you’ve earned, including the housing allowance, once classes start.

Use Housing Stipends Wisely

GI Bill housing stipends provide significant assistance with living costs while furthering your education and training. Be sure to budget this money wisely:

Find affordable housing and utilities within the housing allowance amount. Track all expenses carefully.
Weigh costs of commuting versus living on campus or closer to your school.
Divide stipends to cover the full academic year including periods when classes aren’t in session.
Account for fluctuating allowances between school years and differences in on-campus vs. online terms.
Have a plan to cover any gaps between housing payments and actual costs.
Consider getting a roommate, student housing, subsidized rentals, or other cost-saving options.
Research all financial resources available through your school and community assistance programs.

With some planning, GI Bill housing allowances can cover a reasonable portion of your housing expenses. Combining stipends with other income sources and a frugal budget may help you limit student loans and debt.

Housing Support for Your Education Goals

Monthly housing assistance gives veterans using the GI Bill some relief from the costs of living while attending school. Determine your potential stipend amount and factor that into your education plans and budget. With strategic planning, the housing allowance can make higher education and career training more financially viable.

How Much Does The Gi Bill Pay For Housing

Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefit Tiers

Your Post-9/11 GI Bill payments for school and housing are based on how long you served in the military after September 11, 2001. 10, 2001. If you are discharged for disability after at least 30 days of active duty, you automatically receive the 100% benefit tier. Members of the Guard and Reserves can also do some Title 32 duty and Title 10 mobilizations during their active-duty time under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The following table shows the benefit tiers and corresponding active-duty time:

Post-9/11 Service	Percentage of Maximum Amount Payable
At least 36 months	100%
At least 30 continuous days on active duty and must be discharged due to service-connected disability or received a Purple Heart	100%
At least 30 months, but less than 36 months	90%
At least 24 months, but less than 30 month	80%
At least 18 months, but less than 24 months	70%
At least 6 months, but less than 18 months	60%
At least 90 days, but less than 6 months	50%

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will pay your tuition and fee payments directly to the school. Tuition payments are based on the amount of creditable active-duty service after Sep. 10, 2001.

For example, if you served 24 months on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, your GI Bill benefit tier percentage is 80%. The Post-9/11 GI Bill would pay 80% of your tuition and fees, or $8,000. If you go to a public school with $10,000 monthly tuition, the bill would cover 80% of your costs.

The GI Bill can pay up to the full resident tuition at any public school if you are qualified to receive benefits at the 100% rate based on your active service shown above.

Public schools must offer resident tuition to all veterans who have been out of the military for less than three years, their dependents using transferred benefits, and the dependents using transferred benefits of active-duty members.

If you are attending a private or foreign school, the VA will pay you an annual maximum of $27,120.05 for the 2023-24 academic year.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill also pays a monthly housing allowance based on the ZIP code of the location of the school or campus where you attend the majority of your classes. This stipend averages $1,934.80 a month but can exceed $2,700 depending on where you go to school. Students taking 100% of their courses online are eligible for a monthly stipend equal to half of the national average stipend, which is currently $967.40.

Housing allowance payments are based on your active-duty service after Sept. 10, 2001.

For example, if you served 24 months on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, your GI Bill benefit tier percentage is 80%. If you are attending a school that has a monthly housing allowance of $1,000 a month, you would receive 80% of your housing allowance or $800 a month.

This stipend is based on the DoDs Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents living in the schools ZIP code. This stipend does not require students to live on campus.

NOTE: Service members currently on active duty, their spouses using transferred benefits, and those taking courses on a half-time basis or less do not qualify for the monthly housing allowance.

Your housing allowance is also based on your training or instructional time, and you must be training at greater than 1/2 time training to receive the monthly housing allowance.

If you are taking undergraduate classes, your training time is determined as follows:

If 12 credits is considered full-time, a course load of six credits yields a training time of 50% (6 ÷ 12 = .50), whereas a course load of seven credits yields a training time of 58% (7 ÷ 12 = .58). In this scenario, a veteran would need to enroll for at least seven credits (such as two three-credit classes and a one-credit lab) in order to receive the housing allowance benefits.

For graduate training, the VA will pay your benefits based on what the school reports your training time to be. So, if you are taking three graduate hours and the school tells the VA that you are considered a full-time student, that is what the VA will pay you.

Once the training time is determined, the monthly housing allowance is paid at the nearest 10% level. For instance, if your training time is determined to be 58% as calculated above, you will be paid 60% of the applicable housing allowance. If your training time is calculated to be 84%, you will be paid 80% of the applicable housing allowance.

Read More: GI Bill Top Questions Answered

What Can You Use It For?

You can use your Post-911 GI Bill for many things, including:

The Post-9/11 GI Bill can pay your full tuition and fees at school, provide you with a monthly housing allowance while you are going to school, and give you up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies.

If you live in a remote location, the Post-9/11 GI Bill will even provide you with a one-time relocation allowance to move closer to your school.

Another provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill allows eligible service members to transfer their unused benefits to family members.

Post-9/11 benefit payments are tiered based on the amount of creditable active-duty or federal service you have since Sep. 10, 2001. See the table below to determine your benefit tier.

Read More: How to Use the GI Bill to Pay for College

How Much Money I Made Using The Post 9/11 GI Bill

FAQ

How much is GI Bill housing allowance?

2024-2025 Post-9/11 GI Bill BAH Rates (Monthly Housing Allowance)

State	City	BAH Rate
CA	Sacramento	$2,760
CA	Stockton	$2,175
CA	Vallejo/Travis AFB	$3,237
CA	Los Angeles	$3,636

Does the GI Bill pay for a house?

The GI Bill offers veterans, military members, and their loved ones many benefits. But one thing it doesn’t cover? That’d be buying a house.

Does the GI Bill cover housing and food?

The program may cover tuition and fees, give a monthly housing allowance, a books and supplies stipend, Yellow Ribbon payments, college fund payments, rural benefit payments, and allow eligible immediate family members (spouse and children) to receive the money. It depends on the person’s situation.

How much is the Chapter 35 stipend per month?

We’ll pay you up to the monthly rate listed here based on your scheduled clock hours: Full-time enrollment: $1,536. 00 for each full month. 3/4-time enrollment: $1,214. 00 for each full month. 1/2-time enrollment: $890. 00 for each full month.

How much does the GI Bill pay a month?

How do I Find my GI Bill MHA rate?

Look up your GI Bill MHA rate by entering the college or university you wish to attend. This is for Post-9/11 GI Bill users who are eligible for housing benefits. This reflects the 2024-2025 school year and will be updated on August 1st, 2025. Number of dependent children?.

What is the GI Bill monthly housing allowance (MHA)?

The GI Bill Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) is a stipend provided to eligible veterans, service members, and their dependents using the Post-9/11 GI Bill to pursue education or training. The MHA helps cover living expenses while students are enrolled in an educational program.

How much is GI Bill monthly housing allowance?

The online GI Bill Monthly Housing Allowance is $1,177. 50 for the 2024-2025 school year. This amount is equal to half the national average for active duty BAH for an E-5 with dependents. VA. The government reminds people that they may be eligible for more BAH if they take at least one class in person while also taking other classes online.

How much does GI Bill increase a year?

Effective Aug. 1, those using the Post-9/11 GI Bill at a private or foreign school will see their maximum yearly GI Bill rate increase from $27,120. 05 to $28,937. 09. Those who are enrolled in flight schools will see their annual maximum GI Bill benefit increase from $15,497. 15 to $16,535. 46.

When will GI Bill housing information be updated?

This is for Post-9/11 GI Bill users who are eligible for housing benefits. This reflects the 2024-2025 school year and will be updated on August 1st, 2025. Number of children who depend on you? Remember this information for the next time, stay up to date on changes, and figure out and save for more than one place before your next move.