Chapter 33, Post 9/11 GI Bill®

Post-9/11 GI Bill Statement of Benefits

VA Benefits

Tuition and fees are paid directly to the school. Parking, tax, meals, and housing are not billable fees to the VA. The veteran will be required to pay those fees.

Basic Eligibility Requirements

  • Must have served at least 90 days of aggregate qualifying active duty service after September 10, 2001
  • Character of discharge is “honorable”

How to Apply

  • Apply through va.gov
  • If you are requesting Transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill use Form 22-1990e through va.gov
  • If you are changing schools or majors, complete Form 22-1995 “Request for Change of Program or Place of Training” through va.gov

Benefits

  • To be eligible for 100% of the benefit, an individual must have served an aggregate of 36 months of active duty service, or have been discharged for a service-connected disability after 30 days of continuous service
  • For those who served fewer than 36 months, the percentage of benefit ranges from 50% to 90%

            o  50% - 90 days to 5 total months

            o  60% - 6 to 17 total months

            o  70% - 18 to 23 total months

            o  80% - 24 to 29 total months

            o  90% - 30 to 35 total months

Example:  An individual with 5 months of qualifying service could receive 40% of the tuition benefit, 40% of the monthly housing allowance, and a maximum of $400 books and supplies stipend per year if enrolled at full-time, 12 undergraduate credits.

  • Tuition & Fees: the school will receive a percentage, as determined by the length of active duty service, for all tuition and fees (does not cover parking, taxes, meals or housing)
  • Monthly living stipend based on where the students attends most classes: The monthly housing allowance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill program is to be calculated based on the zip code of the campus where the student physically attends the majority of classes, rather than the location of the school where the student is enrolled. Those who first use Post-9/11 GI Bill on or after January 1, 2018, will receive a monthly housing allowance based on the Department of Defense basic housing allowance (BAH) for monthly housing rates. Those using Post-9/11 GI Bill before January 1, 2018 have been grandfathered into a monthly housing allowance MHA equal to the basic allowance for housing (BAH) amount payable to an E5 with dependents, in the same zip code as majority of the classes. Here is a link to a BAH calculator, http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/bahCalc.cfm.  This allowance is paid proportionately based on your credit enrollment. Rates are adjusted on 1 August. 
  • If you are attending school at the ½ time or less rate, or if you are on active duty or the spouse of an active duty member (with transferred entitlements), you will not receive any MHA
  • If you are enrolled solely in distance learning you will receive a housing allowance equal to ½ the national average. If you take 1 course on campus, you will receive the full amount eligible for that zip code.
  • MHA is also prorated based on length of service. For current rates check http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/bahCalc.cfm
  • MHA dispersed at the end of the first month of the semester, if the semester does not start on the first day of the month you will not be paid a full month.
     
  • Books and supplies stipend: up to $1000/year payment issued directly to the student.

            o  Benefit paid proportionately at $41.67 per credit hour

            o  Not to exceed 24 credit hours per academic year

            o  Prorated based on length of service

            o  Lump sum payment paid with the first housing stipend each academic year

            o  NJIT encourages students to purchase all books and supplies prior to the start of class; we do not encourage waiting until you receive your book stipend from the VA.

  • Note: If an individual is eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill as well as other GI Bill benefits, the VA will require him/her to make an irrevocable choice of which benefit to receive
  • For those whose last discharge or release from active duty is before January 1, 2013, Post-9/11 GI Bill expires 15 years from the date of last discharge or release from active duty of at least 90 consecutive days; or 30 days but not less than 90 days if released for a service connected disability; or 15 years from date of discharge for the last period of service used to meet the minimum service requirements of 90 aggregate days of service. The 15-year time limit has been eliminated for the use of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for those whose last discharge or release from active duty is on or after January 1, 2013, children of deceased service members who became entitled to Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits on or after January 1, 2013, and all spouses using Fry Scholarship.
  • Percentage can increase if a student is called to active duty before exhausting benefits.
  • Final amount due is subject to change based on your completed Financial Aid award if you are less than 100% eligible.

How to use the benefit at NJIT

  1. Complete a VA & Military Benefit Request
  2. Provide your Certificate of Eligibility (the first semester you are using benefits)
  3. Provide a new Certificate of Eligibility if your benefit percentage has changed
  4. If you can not locate your Certificate of Eligibility, and you have already been approved for benefits, you can download a Post-9/11 GI Bill Statement of Benefits through va.gov
  5. We will inform the Bursar’s Office of the portion that will be paid by the VA
  6. Deadline to submit documents is 2 weeks prior to the start of class
     

**VA Benefits are paid based upon your attendance. Dropping a course or unsatisfactory attendance in class (you stop going) could result in a debt to the VA for unpaid tuition, fees, and/or BAH.

**Any balance not paid by the VA is the responsibility of the student.

**Only degree pursuing courses will be certified to the VA. If it is not required, the VA will not cover the course.