1. GI Bill Basic Training
What Every Financial Aid Professional
Ought To Know

2. Introduction
• Overview of the different GI Bill programs
• More in depth discussion of the Post 9/11 GI
Bill – including changes made by the Post 9/11
GI Bill Improvement Act of 2010
• Discussion of possible institutional procedures
• Questions

3. Overview
• Only Ch 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill) and Chapter 31
(Vocational Rehabilitation) pays directly to the school.
All others pay a stipend directly to the student.
• Can only use one benefit at a time.
• Maximum of 48 months of benefits under all programs
combined.
• ONLY VA can make determination of benefit eligibility

4. Chapter 30 – Montgomery GI Bill
• Eligibility
– Served at least 2 years on
Active Duty
– Paid $1,200 Contribution
– Honorably Discharged
• Entitlement
– 36 months
• Delimiting Date
– 10 years from last date of
discharge from Active Duty

5. Chapter 30 – Montgomery GI Bill
• Payment Rates (effective 10/01/2012)
3 years or more service:
• Full Time -$1,564.00
• ¾ Time - $1,173.00
• ½ Time - $782.00**
• ¼ Time or less - $391.00**
Less than 3 years of service:
• Full Time - $1,564.00
• ¾ Time - $1,173.00
• ½ Time - $728.00
• Less than ½ time but more than ¼ time - $635.00**
• ¼ time or less - $317.50**
** Tuition and Fees ONLY. Payment cannot exceed the listed amount.

6. Chapter 1606 – Montgomery GI
Bill – Selected Reserve
• Eligibility
– Enlist in the Selected
Reserve for at least 6
years.
– Completed Initial Active
Duty Training
– Currently actively drilling
with a Reserve Unit and
in good standing.
• Entitlement
– 36 months
• Delimiting Date
– Only eligible while
actively drilling.

7. Chapter 1606 – Montgomery GI
Bill – Selected Reserve
• Payment Rates (Effective 10/01/2012)
– Full Time - $356.00
– ¾ Time - $266.00
– ½ Time - $176.00
– Less than ½ time - $89.00

8. Chapter 1607 – Reserve Education
Assistance Program (REAP)
• Eligibility
– Member of Reserves
called to active duty
after 09/11/2001 under
Title 10 and served at
least 90 consecutive
days
– Must return from active
duty and complete their
contract in the Selected
Reserves
• Entitlement
– 36 months
• Delimiting Date
– Not fixed – must return
to reserve component
from which they were
called to active duty

9. Chapter 1607 – Reserve Education
Assistance Program (REAP)
Payment Rates (Effective 10/01/2011)Training Time Consecutive service
of 90 days but less
than one year
Consecutive service
of 1 year but less
than 2 years
Consecutive service
of 2 years or more
Full Time $625.60 $938.40 $1,251.20
¾ Time $469.20 $703.80 $938.40
½ Time $312.80 $469.20 $625.60
Less than 1/2 time
More than 1/4 time
$312.80** $469.20** $625.60**
1/4 time or less $156.40** $234.60** $312.80**
** Tuition and Fees
ONLY. Payment
cannot exceed the
listed amount.

10. Chapter 35 – Dependents
Educational Assistance (DEA)
• Eligibility
– Parent or Spouse must
have a permanent &
total, service-connected
disability, have died as
the result of a service-
connected disability, or
died in the line of duty.
• Entitlement
– 45 Months
• Delimiting Date
– Children – generally 10
years from the effective
date of rating or date of
notification
– Spouses – 20 years from
effective date of rating.

11. Chapter 35 – Dependents
Education Assistance (DEA)
• Payment Rates (Effective 10/01/2012)
– Full Time - $987.00
– ¾ Time - $740.00
– ½ Time - $491.00
– Less than ½ time & more than ¼ time - $491.00**
– ¼ Time or less - $246.75**
** Tuition and Fees ONLY. Payment cannot exceed the listed
amount

12. Chapter 31 – Vocational
Rehabilitation & Employment
• Eligibility
– Must have a service-
connected disability rating of
at least 10% which causes a
demonstrable employment
handicap
– Must have approval of their
Rehab Counselor to pursue
study at an IHL
– Any discharge other than
Dishonorable
• Entitlement
– 48 months
• Delimiting Date
– Up to 12 years from last
separation or date
service connection of
disability is determined.

13. Chapter 31 – Vocational
Rehabilitation & Employment
• School must receive notification of eligibility directly
from the Voc. Rehab Counselor.
– Indicates approved courses of study and effective dates.
• VA Pays full tuition & fees directly to the school
• VA pays for books & supplies required for training
• Student also receives subsistence allowance while
enrolled.

14. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Some significant differences between Post
9/11 GI Bill and other GI Bill Programs
– For the first time since the 1st GI Bill the VA pays tuition &
fees directly to the schools
– Allows for active duty members of the military to transfer
their benefits to dependents
– Payments to/for veterans vary depending on the location
of the college they are attending
– Allows for a tiered benefit based on length of service.

15. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Eligibility
– Must have served at least cumulative 90 days of
active duty after 09/10/2001; or
– Must have served at least 30 consecutive days of
active duty after 09/10/2001 and been discharged
due to a service-connected disability
– Must have been honorably discharged.

16. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Entitlement
– 36 months
– If veteran transfers from Chapter30 they only have
the number of months remaining for their
Chapter30 benefits.
• Delimiting Date
– 15 years from the dates of last discharge or
release from active duty of at least 90 days.

17. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Benefit Tiers
Post 9/11 Service Percentage of Max
Amount Payable
At least 36 months 100%
At least 30 continuous days on active duty and discharged
due to service-connected disability
100%
At least 30 months, but less than 36 months 90%
At least 24 months, but less than 30 months 80%
At least 18 months, but less than 24 months 70%
At least 12 months, but less than 18 months 60%
At least 06 months, but less than 12 months 50%
At least 90 days, but less than 06 months 40%

18. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
Tuition & Fees – Public
Schools
• Individuals are eligible for
the applicable percentage
of:
– Net in-state tuition & fees
charge
• Must subtract all tuition-
restricted, non-Title IV
assistance
• Out-of-state tuition NOT
payable
Tuition & Fees –
Private/Foreign Schools
• Individuals are eligible for
the applicable percentage
of the lesser of:
– Net tuition & fees charged
• Must subtract all tuition-
restricted, non-Title IV
assistance
– $18,077.50

19. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Fees are defined as mandatory charges (other
than tuition, room & board) that are applied
by the institution for pursuit of an approved
degree program.
• Application Fee is NOT covered by the VA
• Special Study Abroad fees can only be paid if
the study abroad experience is required for
their degree program.

20. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Monthly Housing Stipend
– Equal to the Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-
5 with dependents for the zip code of the school.
– Cannot be active duty or enrolled half-time or
less.
– If a student is enrolled in all on-line courses they
are eligible for ½ of the national average amount.

21. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Monthly Housing Stipend (Cont’d)
– Effective 08/01/2012 housing stipend is pro-rated
based on enrollment level.
– Rate determined by rate of pursuit rounded to
nears multiple of 10.
• Books & Supplies Stipend
– Students can receive up to $1,000 per year.
– $41.67 per credit hour for up to 24 credit hours.

22. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Yellow Ribbon Program
– School may contract with the VA to pay all or part of
unmet charges (above $ 18,077.50 for private schools, out-
of-state charges for public schools.)
– VA will match school’s contributions toward the unmet
charges up to 50%
– Issued on a first-come, first-served basis to those eligible.
– Schools determine the number of slots available and may
limit contribution amounts by education level.

23. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Yellow Ribbon Program Eligibility
– Must be eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill at the
100% benefit level
– Must have unmet charges
– Must maintain satisfactory progress
– Sgt. Fry Scholarship Recipients are not eligible
– Cannot be active duty or the spouse of active duty
member

24. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• The Yellow Ribbon Program is always tied to
the Post 9/11 GI Bill. After a student is no
longer eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, they
are no longer eligible for the Yellow Ribbon
Program.

25. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Transfer of Entitlement
– Chapter 33 allows active members of the armed
forces to transfer benefits to a spouse or child.
• Spouses may use the benefits after member has served
6 years and receive the benefits according to the status
of the service member
• Children may use the benefits after member has served
10 years and receive the benefits at the veteran rate.

26. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Transfer of Entitlement
– Service Member must apply to their branch of
service to transfer benefits to dependents.
– After transfer is approved, the dependent then
must apply for benefits through the VA.
– Dependents receive the benefit at the same
benefit tier the service member would receive.

27. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship
– For children of active duty member of the Armed Forces
who has died in the line of duty on or after 09/11/2001.
– Entitled to 36 months of benefits at the 100% level.
– Have 15 years from their 18th birthday to use the benefit.
– Cannot use benefits before their 18th birthday or until they
have completed high school.
– Are NOT eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

28. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Other changes from PL 111-377, the Post 9/11
Veterans Education Assistance Improvements Act of
2011
– Break Pay is no longer payable under any GI Bill
– Allows those eligible for Chapter 33, but using VR&E to
choose the Post 9/11 GI Bill monthly housing allowance
instead of the Chapter 31 subsistence allowance.
– Allows student on active duty (or their spouses) to receive
a books & supplies stipend.

29. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Other Changes from PL 111-377, the Post 9/11
Veterans Education Assistance Improvement Act of
2010
– Active Duty & their spouses now subject to the applicable
caps prorated by their benefit tier.
– Expands eligibility to include “Active Service performed by
National Guard members under title 32 U.S.C. for the
purpose of organizing, administering, recruiting,
instructing, or training…”
• This provision not payable till 10/01/2011, but retroactive to
08/01/2009.

30. Chapter 33 – Post 9/11 GI B
• Other Changes from PL 111-377, the Post 9/11
Veterans Education Assistance Improvement Act of
2010
– Effective 10/01/2011, expands benefits to cover Non-
College degree programs, OJT/Apprenticeship, Flight
Programs and Correspondence training.
– Effective 10/02/2011, Monthly Housing Stipend now
payable to those enrolled solely in distance learning.
• The full-time rate for an individual eligible at 100% is $684.00 for
2011-12 school year. (One-half national average BAH.)

31. Institutional Procedures
• STUDENT MUST INFORM US THAT THEY ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR GI BILL BENEFITS – The VA does
not inform us of those who have applied for
benefits.
• Requirements are more strictly enforced for
Post 9/11 GI Bill than for other Chapters.
• Highly recommend School Certifying Official
(SCO) sets up online VA – “Right Now Web”
account.

32. SLU Procedures - General
• Student must provide documentation of GI Bill
Eligibility
– DD-214 / NOBE
– Application for Benefits
– Certificate of Prior Eligibility or prior Award Letter
• Students cannot be certified until they have
actually registered for classes (VA does allow
certifying for entire year)

33. SLU Procedure - General
• School Certifying Official (SCO) Verifies
Student’s Enrollment
• SCO Runs Degree Audit to verify all courses
apply to degree program
• SCO Certifies Enrollment to the VA
• SCO must notify VA of any changes in
enrollment within 30 days of the change.

34. SLU Procedures – Voc. Rehab.
• After SCO certifies enrollment to the VA, Student
Accounts & the bookstore are notified of student’s
eligibility for Voc. Rehab.
• Student Accounts invoices the VA for the tuition &
fees charged and applies Third Party Payment to the
student’s account.
• No Refunds are issued until payment is received from
the VA.

35. SLU Procedures – Post 9/11
• Enrollment is submitted to VA initially with $0 Tuition
& Fees reported.
• SCO must verify net tuition & fees charged and after
add/drop period reports these to the VA.
• SCO calculates the payments expected from the VA
and, if necessary, the Yellow Ribbon Program amount
• SCO sends notification to Student Accounts of
expected VA payments.

36. SLU Procedures – Post 9/11
• Student Accounts applies amounts as Third Party
Payments to the student’s account.
• Refunds are not made to the student until the VA
pays the funds – This may result in apparent balance
on the student’s account.
• Only tuition & fees are paid to the school. The
monthly housing stipend and the books & supplies
stipend are issued directly to the student.

39. SLU Procedures – Yellow Ribbon
• Yellow Ribbon is awarded on a first-come,
first-served basis.
– Those eligible are required to complete an online
application that is available for a set period of
time before each semester begins.
– Student must be accepted before they will be
considered
– Student must show proof of eligibility before
Yellow Ribbon will be awarded.

40. SLU Procedures – Yellow Ribbon
• SLU has contracted to fund a maximum of 50
students during any given year.
• Currently this total number is available to any
student, at any level, from any school except the
Medical School
• SLU Currently pays 50% of remaining charges up to a
maximum of $10,000.
• Contract is renewed each year so this could change
in the future.

41. Wrap - Up
• Remember payments made to students are paid in
arrears (with the exception of the Books & Supplies
Stipend.)
• Tuition Assistance & GI Bill are two very different
things and are administered very differently.
• Only the VA can tell a student if they are eligible for
the GI Bill.
• GI Bill Website: www.gibill.va.gov

42. Questions?
Jennifer Matteson
Saint Louis University
(314) 977-2259
jmattes2@slu.edu