Will the GI Bill Pay for My School Expenses?

The Veterans Affairs and other organizations involved with the GI Bill are very concerned about quality control in education. To that end, they've published a list of approved Institutions of Higher Learning. You can use your GI Bill for tuition at any of the schools on the list.

Which GI Bill Is Best for Me?

The specific version of the GI Bill that you are planning to use may make a difference in your choice of an educational institution as well. The old Montgomery GI Bill pays out a specific amount (adjusted each year for cost of living) to you each month that you are enrolled in school. This isn't limited by your tuition, so if your tuition is lower than what the GI Bill pays, you keep the rest. The new Post-9/11 GI Bill pays the tuition directly to the school. If the tuition is higher than what the old GI Bill would pay, the Post-9/11 GI Bill might be the better choice. It's a good idea to confer with an education advisor to determine which GI Bill better suits your circumstances.

Yellow Ribbon Schools

If the tuition at an institution is higher than the maximum amount payable by the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you may still be able to get the full amount of the tuition paid if the school participates in the Yellow Ribbon program. Such schools select a set number of veterans each term or year and pay the portion of tuition that the new GI Bill doesn't cover.