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GI Bill Information: Ask the Expert BlogCan I get paid my housing stipend between semesters?
December 7th, 2009
by GIBillExpert
by GIBillExpert
Question:
Hello SGM, What period does the housing stipend cover? Is it when you’re enrolled in classes or is it only when you’re physically attending? My situation: my classes this semester ends on December 13th and my next semester classes don’t start until January 13th, but I’m already enrolled in next semester’s courses. Do I not get paid BAH between December 13th and January 13th? Thanks a lot, SGT Carter –Aaron C.
Hello SGM, What period does the housing stipend cover? Is it when you’re enrolled in classes or is it only when you’re physically attending? My situation: my classes this semester ends on December 13th and my next semester classes don’t start until January 13th, but I’m already enrolled in next semester’s courses. Do I not get paid BAH between December 13th and January 13th? Thanks a lot, SGT Carter –Aaron C.
Answer:
Thanks for asking this question Aaron. It is good to hear from you. I’m glad you are doing the smart thing by using your New GI Bill education benefits to work on getting a degree.
I do have one concern though–at the end of your question, you signed as SGT Carter. If you are still serving on active duty, then you are not authorized the housing stipend as part of your GI Bill payments under the New GI Bill. I wanted to make that clear first.
If you are still serving, you may want to look into using Tuition Assistance while you are in and save your New GI Bill education benefits for after you get out. You could then use those benefits for an advanced degree or transfer them to your dependents. Work the numbers and see which program works best for you.
However, if you are out, you are authorized a housing allowance as long as you are:
- enrolled in a school
- considered more than a half-time student
- not taking just online classes
From what I can find, as long as you keep enrolled from one semester to the next, with no break in enrollment, your housing stipend should continue until either:
- you decide not to continue your schooling or
- you exhaust your new GI Bill education benefits
To clarify the housing allowance pay, you get paid at the E-5 with dependents rate for the zip code where your school is located, not where you reside. Many veteran students don’t understand the policy.
To find out how much you should get, use the BAH Calculator on the Defense Travel website. Once the calculator loads, ensure the year is correct. If not, choose the correct year from the drop-down menu. In the Duty Zip-Code field, type in your school’s 5-digit zip code. For the Grade, select E-5 from the drop-down menu. Then, click on Execute. Use the calculator to try out different GI Bill schools’ zip codes.
23 Responses to “Can I get paid my housing stipend between semesters?”
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Just logged onto my NavyFed account and I received LESS THAN HALF of my normal 9/11 Housing Allowance. I usually receive $1534 (Colorado) but my check at the end of December is only $663. I am enrolled for next semester and submitted my enrollment verification at the beginning of December.
So much for getting to keep the housing check rolling, I’m not in a huge financial bind, but I’m sure today (the 31st) there will be an UPROAR, good thing the VA turns their phones off on Thurs and Fri. now. I all ready sent them en e-mail, interested to hear what they have to say and how many angry veterans they will have beating on their offices and e-mail boxes.
I just received my payment for December and it was only a partial payment. I have already enrolled for next semester. Is this correct???
I only got half also. But I read the policy that is spelled out in hard to understand leagal terms and is like 500 pages long and it says very clearly that you are supposed to get paid between semesters. Now the phone lines are backed up because there are a lot of pissed people.
According to the VA (I had a slew of e-mails flying back and forth between them and me) the only way you get to continue to receive payments is if your VA certifying official “certifies” you during the break – that includes the summer break.
This is what they sent me: What is your college’s policy on certifying their veterans students over the entire year? Some schools do and some will not. If your VA certifying official certifies you for the entire academic year and states in the remarks section that you want to be paid over the break period between semester, the VA will pay you over the break time between semester. (The problem with receiving VA benefits over the break time is that you might exhaust your VA benefits before the end of the second semester of your senior year). In general though, you must report to your VA certifying official at the start of each semester (unless their VA certifying official will certify you for the entire academic year in the Fall) and request that the college’s VA certifying official certify you with the VA for VA educational benefits for the coming academic semester.
As that is clear as mud hope it helps someone…A word of warning though…you have to stay on top of your VA certifying officials at your school too – I ended up calling and e-mailing mine almost daily until they certified me for the Spring semester (and I registered at the beginning of November) – now I get to enjoy the “wait” for my book stipend.
Good luck
Thanks E. Erin. This is great information. The information on the VA website is contradictory in that in one place they say they pay over the breaks and in another place they say you have to request the pay over the break. However, they don’t say who has to request it. Your response clarifies that with the school basically requesting it by certifying the student over the breaks. Thanks again.
Hi Tristan – no doubt. On the VA website, it says you >may get paid. One of my readers, as a result of much time and many emails found out you can get paid between term breaks if your school’s VA Certifying Official “certifies” you between terms. Some will do this and some will not. If yours will not, or didn’t, then you will only get paid for the actual number of days in the semester. for example, if your semester ended on 19 December, then you will get paid of 19 days in December. This policy is not clear in any of the VA’s information. A big thanks to E. Erin for this information.
Hi Bryan. It seems as though that is correct. The secret seems to lie whether your school’s VA Certifying Official “certifies” you between terms or not. If not, then you only get paid for the number of days of your semester in the month. For example, if your semester ended on 19 December, then you will only get paid for 19 days. If you were certified through the break, then you would get paid for the whole month. This is not clear in any of the VA’s information and I’m sure we will hear more about this in the future.
As I have replied to several comments about those shorted housing allowance, it seems to lai as to whether your school’s VA Certifying Official “certifies” you or not. If they did, you get paid the full amount; if they did not, then you only get paid for the days of the semester in that month. Ask your Certifying Official about it. One of my readers, E. Erin said she had to keep in constant contact with her Certifying Official to make it happen once she found out the process from the VA. I know it sucks that this information is not clear on the VA’s website and I’m trying to get a better clarification directly from the VA.
I called and asked them because i had the same problem. i only got payed half of my bah. i called the VA office and they told me that as long as we enroll in the following semester that we should get a retro payment from the previous month on top of the one that you have. i dont know if she knew what she was talking about or what but it surely brought my hopes up., but then again, i doubt on the representatives knowledge about this issue
That is interesting. Let me know how this works out.
This is the best blog I have ever read thank you!
He everyone. I just recently enrolled in school and started my first class. I recieved my first payment which was pro rated but I was wondering when exactly do we get paid? Ive heard from other classmates that i will recieve payments on the 1st and the 15th but I wasnt sure if that is true or if it just once a month. So if anyone knows please let me know. Im so new to this whole thing and school and the va and whatnot so any information would be great. Thank you so very much
Andrea
Hi Andrea. You should get paid once a month.
Would that be at the end of the month? I read somewhere the beginning of the following month (1-5)
Yes, you usually get paid for the previous month during the following month, so in essence the VA is a month behind.
so for march..youll get paid in april? (1st-5th) or so?
The initial question was concerning the time in-between Fall and Spring semesters, and I did receive a partial payment in December and then the rest of the payment with the January payment. But what I want to know is will this apply in-between spring and fall (meaning the time period over the summer)? Will I get my BAH during that time under the post 9/11 GI Bill?
No Elaine you will not. You only get BAH for the days you attend classes. So your BAH will stop at the end of the spring quarter and won’t start again until you start classes in the fall. Your BAH may be short in the month your spring quarter ends and again short in the month your fall quarter starts if your semesters stop and start mid-month.
Ron
So I am using the GI bill and have been all year. Classes are almost over and I was wondering if I will receive my last payment this month. Would I get Aprils payment may 1st? Or do they pay you for April on april 1st?
You should get April’s payment in May. You are always a month behind in getting paid.
Ron
Hi Ron..!! my question is if i only got 11 units this semester, i still get paid as full time student i’ll get the complete amount for my BHS? thanks..!!
Yes, as long as your are considered a greater-than-half-time student, you will get the full housing allowance. Most schools consider 12 credits full-time, so greater-than-half-time would be 7 or more credits.
Ron
thank you..! for reply.