Do You Have to be a Full Time Student to Receive the Housing Allowance?

Hi Keven, You don’t have to be a full time student, but you do have to be more than a half time student to qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill housing stipend.  The VA considers 12 credit hours per semester to be an average course load for an undergraduate degree program.  In order to qualify for the housing allowance a student would have to carry more than 6 credit hours per semester so if you were carrying 7-9 per semester, you should be in good shape.

There is also another requirement that all of the courses being carried can’t be online classes.  At least some of the courses you are taking must be taught in a classroom.

Graduate programs work a little differently under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.  The VA recognizes that graduate programs can differ greatly from major to major and from school to school.  Because of this the VA allows the individual school determine what it feels an average course load should be for a graduate degree program in a particular major.  You are going to have to contact the VA Certifying Official at the school you are planning to attend to find out what the average course load per semester is for whatever graduate degree program you are considering.  Whatever it happens to be, as long as you are carrying more than half the credit hours for an average course load you should be in good shape for the Post 9/11 GI Bill housing stipend.

Also, remember that you can’t qualify for the housing allowance if you are still on active duty or using transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits from a spouse who is still on active duty.