How to apply for the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) — eligibility tiers, what it pays, and VA Form 22-1990
The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) pays up to 36 months of tuition and fees, a monthly housing allowance and a books stipend for veterans, service members and some family members. You qualify with at least 90 days of active duty after September 10, 2001, with 30 continuous days and a discharge for a service-connected disability, or with a Purple Heart earned after September 10, 2001. How much of the full benefit you get depends on your total active-duty time (36 months or more = 100%). For the 2026–27 school year VA pays all in-state tuition and fees at public schools and up to $30,908.34 at private or foreign schools, plus a housing allowance based on the E-5-with-dependents BAH rate for the school's ZIP code and up to $1,000 a year for books. Apply online at VA.gov or on VA Form 22-1990.
What you'll need
- A VA.gov sign-in (Login.gov or ID.me), or VA Form 22-1990 on paper
- Social Security number and bank account information for direct deposit
- Your education and military history (DD-214 if separated)
- Basic information about the school or training program you plan to attend
Step-by-step
Step 1: Check eligibility and your benefit tier
You may be eligible if you served at least 90 days on active duty after September 10, 2001 (continuous or not), served at least 30 continuous days after that date and were discharged for a service-connected disability, or received a Purple Heart after September 10, 2001. Your tier: 36 months (1,095 days) or more of active duty, a Purple Heart, or the 30-day service-connected discharge = 100%; 30–35 months = 90%; 24–29 months = 80%; 18–23 months = 70%; 6–17 months = 60%; 90 days to 5 months = 50%. The tier multiplies every payment. If your only period of service began on or after August 1, 2011 and you also qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill, you must choose one program and cannot switch later.
Step 2: Know what it pays (August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027)
Tuition and fees go straight to the school: all net in-state tuition and mandatory fees at a public school (you may qualify for in-state rates even if you just moved), and up to $30,908.34 a year at a private or foreign school or a non-college program ($17,661.89 for flight training, $15,012.59 for correspondence courses). Monthly housing allowance: based on the military BAH rate for an E-5 with dependents at your school's ZIP code, prorated by your tier and your rate of pursuit; none if you are on active duty, attending half time or less, or on break. Books and supplies: up to $1,000 a school year. Schools in the Yellow Ribbon Program can cover costs above the private-school cap for 100%-tier students.
Reference: https://www.va.gov/education/benefit-rates/post-9-11-gi-bill-rates/
Step 3: Choose an approved school or program
Use VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool to confirm the school and program are approved and to see Yellow Ribbon participation and estimated housing allowance. Benefits also cover non-college programs, apprenticeships and on-the-job training, licensing and certification tests, and national exams. If you are eligible for more than one VA education benefit, the combined maximum is generally 48 months.
Reference: https://www.va.gov/education/gi-bill-comparison-tool/
Step 4: Apply online or on VA Form 22-1990
Apply online at VA.gov (the application asks for your Social Security number, direct deposit information, education and military history, and school information), or mail VA Form 22-1990 to the regional processing office listed for your school's state. An accredited VSO representative can help for free. After you apply, tell your school's VA certifying official so they can submit your enrollment.
Step 5: After you apply — the decision letter and your school
VA mails a decision letter; if approved it is your Certificate of Eligibility, and if you applied online you may be able to download it from VA.gov. Give it to your school's certifying official. VA then pays tuition to the school and the housing allowance and book stipend to you at the end of each month of enrollment. VA publishes its current average decision time on VA.gov rather than a fixed timeline. If you disagree with a decision you can request a decision review.
Critical tips
- No expiration if you left active duty on or after January 1, 2013. If you separated before that date, your benefits expire 15 years after your last discharge.
- Transfers to a spouse or child are a Defense Department decision made while you are still serving: at least 6 years served, 4 more years agreed, dependent in DEERS, requested through milConnect.
- Veterans with a service-connected disability can compare Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31), which pays approved training costs and a subsistence allowance separately from the GI Bill.
- The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship adds up to 9 months or $30,000 after Post-9/11 benefits run out, for approved STEM programs.
- Education Call Center: 888-442-4551, Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. ET.
- In crisis: dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255.