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GI Bill Information: Ask the Expert BlogArchive for 2010
December 31st, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
I live in Cincinnati, Oh and I’m looking at two different schools. The first is the University of Cincinnati, the other is Northern Kentucky University. If I go to NKU, will my benefits be the same as Ohio’s or will they fall under Kentucky’s standards. Or would they transfer at all? Any answers would be great! Thank you, Brendon
Hi Brendon, You can go to school in any state you desire as long as the school and program are approved for GI Bill use. As things stand now you would receive a maximum per credit hour of $508.25 to attend school in Ohio using the Post 9/11 GI Bill and $456.30 in Kentucky. I say as it stands now because new legislation just passed that may cause the rates to change in August 2011.
If you go to school in Kentucky while you are considered a resident of Ohio, you are probably going to have to pay out of state tuition rates and there’s a good change you may have to cover some of your tuition costs out of of pocket. The amount the Post 9/11 GI Bill provides in each state rarely covers the entire amount schools charge for out of state tuition.
The good news is that both schools are Yellow Ribbon Program participating schools. If you get accepted into their program, the school and the VA will cover a portion of your excess tuition that isn’t covered by the GI Bill. Unfortunately the school in Kentucky only accepts 6 undergraduates into the program each year so the odds may not be the greatest, but you still have a chance. The University of Cincinnati accepts 25 undergraduates into their Yellow Ribbon Program each year.
December 31st, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
I talked to the University of Kassel in Germany. They have replied and said that they will accept the U.S. Military GI Bill on their end, but they were unsure if it was a school that the U.S. would pay me to attend. Is the University of Kassel a school that the GI Bill will pay me full benefits to attend? Mathew
Hi Mathew, I did not see the University of Kassel on the list of approved institutions of higher learning in Germany. You can go to this VA web page to search for approved schools. When the page comes up select “institutions of higher learning” and instead of selecting a state, click on country. A list of countries comes up and when you pick Germany, you’ll get about 2 1/2 pages of approved schools.
It’s possible the University of Kassel is on there under a different name, but I didn’t see anything that looked like it. When you click on each school the amount the Post 9/11 GI Bill will pay for the school is displayed and also the approved programs at the school. Even though the school you want isn’t approved you may be able to find an approved school with a similar program that the Post 9/11 GI Bill will provide benefits for. You can also be eligible for a Post 9/11 GI Bill housing allowance if you’re no longer on active duty and you take enough courses each semester.
December 31st, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
I have already been approved for the Post 9/11 GI Bill and have been using it for three semesters now. I will be moving and transferring schools. I spoke to the VA Office at my current school and asked them how I go about getting my benefits transferred. He said I didn’t have to do anything, just mention it to my new school. I emailed them because I have not yet moved and never got a straight answer on what I should do. Is there a simple way of getting this to go through to another school? – Jade
Yes there is Jade. Under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, if you are changing your degree plan or educational goal, or your place of training, then you need to submit VA Form 22-1995 – Request for Change of Program or Place of Training.
Go to the VONAPP website and submit the form before you transfer schools. Alternately, you could also download the form, fill it out and mail it in according to the directions on the form, however, going the online route is the preferred method and it will get action quicker.
I’m surprised your school VA Certifying Official didn’t know this as it is a common action they typically see with GI Bill students moving into and out of schools. Be sure to check-in with the VA Certifying Official when you get to your new school.
December 31st, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
My husband retired from the Army December 2008. We have been waiting years in hopes of being able to transfer part or all if needed of his GI Bill to our kids. Is he able to give it to our son now or did we hope for it in vain? Please help. — Tammy
Well, there is an option under the new Post 9/11 GI Bill that allows for some servicemembers to transfer its benefits to spouses or children. However, this is of no use to veterans and retirees, since you have to still be in the military, and promise to serve 4 years from the date the transfer is approved, in order to make the transfer. More changes may be in the works, since this is an option that a lot of veterans are asking for, but right now that is the state of things.
On the other hand, if your son is interested in getting his college paid for, perhaps a military recruiter can help him find a way. The military offers the GI Bill, and, for another route, ROTC scholarships. It’s at least worth considering.
December 31st, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
If I wanted to get my full ASE certifications there are more than 12 tests. Will the new GI Bill pay for all of those tests? — David R.
Currently, no. The current form of the new Post 9/11 GI Bill will only cover a single test of any kind. This is one of the major differences between the new GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill, which can cover multiple tests.
However, if you can hold off for a while, that may change. There is a major amendment to the new GI Bill, set to come into effect between August and October of 2011, that may remove that limitation.
December 31st, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
A CG Recruiter told my friend that his wife could use the GI Bill within two years after he enlisted in the Coast Guard. They had them both sign a piece of paper indicating they would be eligible for the GI Bill in that time frame. Now that he’s active duty, he’s being told that his wife cannot use the GI Bill until her husband has been in the service for six years. Can you help with my question, Is this true? Thank you! — Daniel
Yes it is true Daniel. The Post 9/11 GI Bill rules state the servicemember has to serve at least six years on active duty and reenlist for an additional four years before having access to the transfer option. Your Coast Guard friend himself qualifies for minimum Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits with as little as 90 days of active duty service and he reaches full benefits with three years of service – full benefits EXCEPT the transfer option.
The reason was to encourage servicemembers to reenlist and stay in after their first six year hitch so they could get the transfer-of-benefits option for a spouse or dependent child. If your CG friend bought into the Montgomery GI Bill, he could qualify for it after two years of service, but that GI Bill does not have a transfer option.
I don’t know if the recruiter intentionally or unintentionally misled your friend, or if he misunderstood what the recruiter was saying, but those are the rules of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. And it makes no sense at all why the recruiter would have your friend’s wife sign a paper – he is the one that enlisted, not her.
If he still has that paper he signed, he might have a case for a fraudulent enlistment, but I don’t know if he wants to go down that road or not, because if it was a bad enlistment, he could be discharged and then his wife would never get a chance at using the GI Bill. It might be better to leave a sleeping dog alone.
December 30th, 2010
by Ron Kness
by Ron Kness
Is it true that if I’m a full-time student in Texas, the VA will pay BAH? If so, how much and is it a set rate for everyone in Texas. I hope you can help. Thanks a lot and Semper Fi. – Juan
Hi Juan. First just so we are clear, what you get paid as a Post 9/11 GI Bill housing stipend is not like the BAH you were used to in the Marines. The Post 9/11 GI Bill pays a housing allowance based off of the BAH tables, but it is calculated based on the zip code of your school and you are paid at the pay grade of an E-5 with dependents.
Is the housing allowance the same across all of Texas? No, it actually can vary quite a bit. For example, I took four cities spread across Texas. Here are the monthly 2011 Post 9/11 GI Bill housing stipend rates:
- Dallas – $1,563;
- Houston – $1,473;
- Amarillo – $972;
- El Paso – $984.
As you can see, Dallas is significantly higher than two of the other three, but then the cost of living in Dallas may be more also .
December 30th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
I was honorably discharged from the Navy in 2007 with 11 years of service. Am I eligible to transfer my GI Bill benefits to my spouse? — Craig M.
While there is an option under the new Post 9/11 GI Bill that allows benefits provided by the bill to be transferred to a spouse or child, you won’t currently be able to use them. The transfer can only be initiated by servicemembers who are still in the military, because it requires them to sign an agreement to serve at least 4 years after the transfer is approved.
December 30th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
I would like to know if I change my GI Bill to the new GI Bill, can I pass it to my wife, and will it pay past schooling she did while I was on active duty? How much does she get to go back to school on or pay old school off if that’s the case? Thanks. — SSG Tidwell
Yes, and no.
If you are still in the military, have been in the service for at least 6 years, and are eligible for the new Post 9/11 GI Bill, you can change over to the new bill and transfer it to a spouse or child. You will have to agree to serve at least 4 years from the date that the transfer is approved.
The GI Bill can only be used for current courses, not to pay for debt incurred through prior education. And the amount that the new GI Bill pays out is highly variable. Basically, it pays out 100% of the tuition and fees, to a maximum based on the most expensive in-state tuition for an undergraduate program at a public institution in the state where you’re going to school. An amendment set to take effect in late 2011 will largely eliminate the maximum at public schools.
The new GI Bill also pays out a housing allowance and book stipend, but neither can be used by a spouse using transferred benefits while her husband is still on active duty.
December 30th, 2010
by Jeffery Anderson
by Jeffery Anderson
I earned a bachelor’s degree before enlisting. Once I get out I’d like to pursue another bachelor’s in an unrelated field. The first degree was in English and I’d like to pursue something in plant biology. Would the Post 9/11 GI Bill cover it in that situation? I currently work in a science based career field within the military. Brett
Hi Brett, You can use your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to earn a second bachelor’s degree as long as it’s at a school approved by the VA for GI Bill use. Most colleges and universities capable of awarding a bachelor’s degree are approved, but check to make sure the school you choose is.
You may be able to use some of the courses you took for your English degree to count towards the second degree and you may also be able to get credits for some of your military training so the process might not take another full four years of school.
If you haven’t decided on a school yet, I suggest you pick a school that is participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program. That way if the Post 9/11 GI Bill doesn’t cover all of your tuition, you may be able to get some additional financial assistance from the school and the VA.
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