Puerto Rico GI Bill Tuition and Residency Requirements

Puerto Rico GI Bill Tuition Rates

As a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico offers many of the same GI Bill benefits to students as the 50 states. Among these benefits are money for tuition and fees, a housing stipend for eligible students, and money for books.

The latest wave of changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, known as GI Bill 2.0, affected the way benefits are determined in Puerto Rico. Under the changes, at public schools on the island, tuition benefits are limited to the resident student rate, making island residency an important factor in using your benefits.

Establishing Residency in Puerto Rico

As of 2011, Puerto Rico had 72 GI Bill-approved schools. The largest is the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) with 11 campuses. Students attending private schools in Puerto Rico can receive up to $17,500 to cover tuition and fees, while those attending public schools receive full coverage at the resident rate.

Since non-resident tuition is higher at public schools in Puerto Rico, veterans and military personnel attending as non-residents may face out-of-pocket costs. To be considered a Puerto Rico resident, you must have established residency on the island for at least the 12-month period prior to the beginning of the term. However, any active-duty military personnel and their family stationed in Puerto Rico are also eligible to receive resident tuition.

Additionally, Puerto Rico considers all students to be residents once they have completed their first year of school on the island.

Post 9/11 GI Bill Housing Allowance

Currently, Puerto Rico full-time students using the Post-9/11 GI Bill, qualify for the foreign housing allowance rate of $1,347 per month. However, an anticipated change in August 2012, would increase that amount to $1,500 to $1,889 per month, depending on the location of your school on the island.

If the Department of Veterans Affairs approves the change, the new rate would more accurately reflect the BAH (basic housing allowance) rate of an active duty E-5 with dependents stationed on Puerto Rico. If you are not enrolled full time, the amount you receive would be prorated to a lesser amount. Online full-time students would still receive $673.50 per month, as they do in the U.S.

Eligible students can also receive up to $41.67 per credit with a maximum $1,000 per year annual cap to buy books.

Puerto Rico Territory Military Benefit

National Guard members on an active drill status or in the Active Guard Reserve program can take up to 18 credits per year tuition free, up to $900 per year limit for an undergraduate program or $1,350 per year for a graduate degree program. To participate, state militia members must pay $5.00 per month. Spouses or dependent can receive the same benefits. For further eligibility conditions, contact the Puerto Rico National Guard.

GIBill.com has done its best to ensure that the above information is accurate. However, GIBill.com cannot guarantee its accuracy and encourages you to check with your school for its residency requirements to qualify for in-state tuition.