Factors for Veterans and Servicemembers to Consider When Choosing Which GI Bill Benefit to Use
Many veterans and servicemembers are eligible for more than one education benefit program, including:
Before selecting the VA education benefit best suited for a specific individual, these questions should be considered:
- Which benefit pays the individual more?
- Is s/he receiving other aid?
- Will entitlement to that aid change?
- What Post-9/11 GI Bill tier is the person eligible for?
- What type of training will be pursued (i.e., bachelor’s degree, flight training, on-the-job, etc.)?
- How much, if any, of the training will be online/distance learning?
- Is the preferred training covered under the Post-9/11 GI Bill?
- Where will the individual be living when pursuing training?
- Is the delimiting date (the timeframe to utilize benefits) important?
- Will the individual be a member of the Armed Forces on August 1, 2009?
- Is s/he eligible for Transfer of Entitlement? Does s/he want to transfer entitlement?
- Note: Eligibility for transfer of entitlement is determined by the military branches of service.
- Does the individual have remaining entitlement under other VA Education Programs?
- Does the individual plan to use that entitlement before using the Post-9/11 GI Bill?
For the most current and accurate information on all VA education benefits,
visit the VA GI Bill Website at http://www.gibill.va.gov,
or call toll-free 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551).