GI Bill, 36 Months? Please. You deserve More!

When the GI Bill Entitlement Exhausts During a Term

August 15th, 2011

In a McDonald’s up in State College, PA soaking up some free WiFi and decided to post the following information about the GI Bill. Hope it makes sense, and I hope this barbeque sauce is easy to get out from between the keys of my keyboard.

With a new college semester starting at the end of this month, it was time to follow-up with the VA to ensure they received all the paperwork required to ensure the book stipend, BAH and tuition gets paid on time. Before I made the call, I realized that my oldest son, who also is in college, was doing the same thing to ensure everything is in order. He informed me that although this is his last year of school, this coming semester was the last one he would receive his GI Bill benefit. As a matter of fact, he only has 16 days of benefit left, but after reading statements like, “If an individual’s entitlement exhausts during a term, benefits may be extended until the end of the term.” he thought this upcoming semester was taken care of… he was wrong.

When my oldest completed his time in the Navy, the 911GIBill had not yet been approved. As a matter of fact, he had already completed two years of college using the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) before the 911GIBill had become available.

Because Servicemembers like my son who qualified for the 911GIBill benefit before it became available had already used some or all of their MGIB benefit, members could finish their 36 month of MGIB entitlement and then get an additional 12 months of 911GIBill for a maximum college benefit of 48 months.

48 months is the key.

The most benefit one can receive by law is 48 months, not 36. Now, that doesn’t mean that everyone gets 48 months of benefit; really, the only people that will max out are those who use two programs like my son, but everyone else could potentially end up with as much as 40 months of full GI Bill tuition and other payments.

The rule is if you exhaust your benefit during a semester, you will get full benefit for the remainder of the semester EVEN IF you only have ONE DAY of benefit remaining when the semester starts, UNLESS you hit the maximum of 48 months.

Again, you will NOT receive greater than a total of 48 months of GI Bill benefit!

If you exhaust your benefit mid way through a semester while hitting the maximum 48 months entitlement, your tuition, book stipend and BAH payment will be prorated, day for day.

Transferred Benefit

If the GI-Bill benefit was transferred to you, transferred benefits are day for day – just like those who hit the 48 month maximum. If the transferred benefit ends in the middle of the semester, all the tuition and fees will be prorated to a daily rate for tuition, as well as for the BAH; however, the book stipend will be paid in full (not prorated).

If I left you with more questions than answers, ask!

Related posts:

  1. 16 Weeks to 24 Days
  2. Break Pay, No Longer an Issue
  3. What To Do With My Post 911 GI-Bill
  4. 911GIBill Break Pay

Read Comments (74)

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74 Responses to “When the GI Bill Entitlement Exhausts During a Term”


  1. asm says:
    December 18, 2011 at 11:13 am

    I used just under 36 months of entitlement with the old GI Bill. This allowed me to continue to use the old GI Bill during my last semester in college, which I only attended half-time.

    Since I can have up to 48 months of entitlement when I switch to Post 9/11 GI Bill, if I continue my education, will months be prorated?

    i.e. I went to school at half time for 4 months so really that’s 2 months–do I get 10 months of Post 9/11 GI BILL?

  2. NCCM(ret) says:
    December 18, 2011 at 12:01 pm

    Asm,

    If you otherwise qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, meaning you served the 36 months active duty after 9/11 to receive the full benefit, and you fully exhausted the MGIB benefit, then you will get the remaining months of the maximum 48 months as Post 9/11 GI Bill. If you have not exhausted the MGIB and try to use the Post 9/11, then you will only get the remaining months of MGIB as Post 9/11, ie., if you have 2 months remaining of MGIB and switch, you only get two months, so make sure the MGIB is truly done – Call the VA to make sure where you stand!!

  3. babs says:
    December 28, 2011 at 9:48 am

    Good day NCCM….i scored 66 on my asvab..i want to know whether the navy will pay for my college if i am currently on a student financial aid at a local community college…i ship in june as a (MM surface) ..thanks….

  4. cihlli82 says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:36 pm

    I used under a semester of MGIB back in 2009 then switched to the Post 9/11 right after it became available. I have used it since and i only now have 19 days remaining by the end of this semester with a semester left. will i still be eligible for atleast one more semester with those 19days left? Please help.

  5. NCCM(ret) says:
    January 23, 2012 at 3:55 pm

    Cihlli82,

    As long as you will not hit the maximum 48 months during the semester, and have at least one day of benefit remaining when the semester starts – you will receive the benefit throughout the entire semester.

  6. Claudia says:
    February 23, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    I have used my MGIB and have switched to Post 9/11. I have one more semester to go but I only have 7days left. Will they pay for the entire semester when I start in the fall? and will I continue to receive the BAH for that semester as well? Please help.

  7. NCCM(ret) says:
    February 23, 2012 at 3:18 pm

    Claudia,

    It depends. If you used 36 months of MGIB, and that 7 days you have left puts you to 12 months under the 911GIBill, then once you hit 7 days into the next semester, your benefits will stop – they will only pay for 7 days of prorated tuition and you will only get 7 days prorated BAH – the key is, will you hit the 48 month threshold. If you do not come up against the 48 months, then as long as you have one day of benefit left when you start the semester, you will receive full benefits for the entire semester.

    I always recommend that you contact the 911GIBill folks at the VA for a specific answer based on your individual circumstance.

  8. Andre says:
    May 28, 2012 at 11:52 am

    If I never used my gi bill can I be repaid my 1200 dollars.

  9. NCCM(Ret) says:
    May 28, 2012 at 11:54 am

    Andre,

    No.

  10. Jennifer says:
    June 20, 2012 at 7:45 pm

    Hi,
    Maybe you can help me. My husband transferred 12 months of his post 9/11 gi bill to me. My question is…my 12th month exhausts 2 weeks after my last term begins, can I have them extend the GI until the end of the term or am I ineligible because they are transferred to me as a dependent? Thank you for your help!

  11. NCCM(Ret) says:
    June 20, 2012 at 7:49 pm

    Jennifer,

    That is a great question that I do not have an answer to; however, it makes sense to me that if he still has benefit remaining, then you would only get the 12 months, day for day – I could be wrong.

    I shall make the call to the VA tomorrow and ask the question – you have me curious! (I’ll post back here when I know)

  12. Jennifer says:
    June 20, 2012 at 8:08 pm

    Please do! I was told (by the school’s financial advisor) when I started school that I would be eligible for the GI to pay my last term. But now that the schools have switched to clock hours instead of credit hours, I was told today (again by the school’s financial advisor) that NONE of my last term will be covered. Not even the last two weeks of the GI. I have made an appointment for VA to call me back but its not until Monday, our registration ends on friday. My financial advisor is trying to get me to pull out student loans but I was hoping I could be grandfathered in somewhere because of the credit hour-clock hour switch and I would not have to deal with the student loan hassles. Thanks again for your help…and quick response.

  13. NCCM(Ret) says:
    June 21, 2012 at 6:58 am

    Jennifer,

    When you called the VA, did you call the 1-800-827-1000 number or the number specific to the GI Bill, 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551)?

    I call the GI Bill number for GI Bill questions, and if the wait time is too long, they either let you hold or will do a call back to the number you call from when you wait time would end, unlike the 1000 number that sets an appointment time.

    I am currently waiting on a call back – it will be 30 minutes according to the recordings estimation of my place in line.

  14. NCCM(Ret) says:
    June 21, 2012 at 7:23 am

    Jennifer,

    Sadly, I was correct in my thinking. Transferred benefit is day for day. If the transferred 12 months ends in the middle of the semester, all the tuition and fees will be prorated to a daily rate for tuition, as well as for the BAH; however, the book stipend will be paid in full (not prorated).

    To the other questions about the current school that you are attending, you will need to contact them – I have no way of knowing the school and its association with the VA.

  15. Donna says:
    July 30, 2012 at 6:47 pm

    Does this extension to 48 months apply to dependents who are using benefits transferred from a parent? My 36 months will end March, 2013. Will I receive my stipend until the end of the term? Do I have to apply for the extension? Thanks so much for your help.

  16. NCCM(Ret) says:
    July 30, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    Donna,

    I actually called the VA recently about this very question. I was told it does not apply to transferred benefits. Transferred benefits are strictly day for day, and there is no opportunity for extension.

  17. NCCM(Ret) says:
    July 30, 2012 at 7:02 pm

    Donna,

    As a matter of fact, I had answered it specifically in the comment just above yours (more detailed).

  18. Ronney says:
    August 20, 2012 at 12:24 pm

    Hi NCCM,

    I wanted to know if there was an official/semi-official instruction or reference you could refer me to that says if you have time remaining on your Post 9/11 GI Bill that is less than the time of the semester that it is used for, that the VA will still cover that whole semester (if less than 48 months, as stated above).
    School starts Aug. 29, and my school has yet to notify the VA of my fall classes. I fear that the delay maybe blamed on my 3 months worth of GI Bill not covering my 5 month semester, as it was mentioned by my school before. I have spoken to several VA reps that have assured me that they would cover me, but I have nothing I can show my school.

    Thank you for your time.

  19. NCCM(Ret) says:
    August 20, 2012 at 1:34 pm

    Ronney,

    I don’t believe it is in an instruction per se, it is actually law – US Code Title 38 §3031 “Time limitation for use of eligibility and entitlement”, (f)(1) “If an individual eligible for educational assistance under this chapter is enrolled under this chapter in an educational institution regularly operated on the quarter or semester system and the period of such individual’s entitlement under this chapter would, under section 3013, expire during a quarter or semester, such period shall be extended to the end of such quarter or semester.”

  20. Ronney says:
    August 25, 2012 at 4:21 pm

    Thank you so much for the info, NCCM!!

  21. Aaron says:
    October 24, 2012 at 9:58 pm

    Hey there, I am using the post 9/11 gi bill which was transfered to me from my dad. My benefits will run out about two weeks into the fall semester next year (I will be done spring semester next year). Will my benefits just stop? Will my tuition be paid? I am also in the Air Force Reserves. Please answer, thank you.

  22. NCCM(Ret) says:
    October 25, 2012 at 6:11 am

    Aaron,

    As it states in the post: If the GI-Bill benefit was transferred to you, transferred benefits are day for day – just like those who hit the 48 month maximum. If the transferred benefit ends in the middle of the semester, all the tuition and fees will be prorated to a daily rate for tuition, as well as for the BAH; however, the book stipend will be paid in full (not prorated).

    You will have to use another means to pay for everything beyond the book stipend for that semester — your should have some benefit via the Reserve that should cover all or a portion — contact your education services office.

  23. Nicole says:
    November 26, 2012 at 7:35 pm

    Hi,

    I am in a really confusing situation and although I have called the VA twice, I still have not received a clear answer. I am hoping you can help.

    After an unfortunate miscalculation by myself and my advisor…I have 1 (yes, one) day left of my Chapter 30 GI Bill. I am eligible for the Post 911 which I hope to start using. The problem is, I cannot apply for the Post 911 now, or they will just transfer the 1 day of my MGIB. I must exhaust that one day.

    But if I go ahead and enroll in just one class this coming term to exhaust the one day, then that ENTIRE term counts against my Post 911 due to the “you will still get benefits so long as you have 1 day left.” So I will be left with 9 months of Post 911 because “no one shall exceed 48 months of entitlement”

    What I don’t understand is that with Chapter 30 MGIB…the amount of benefits used is prorated depending on how many credit hours you are taking. My school is 10 week terms but I only take 9 credits (3/4 time). So if I just take one class…I wouldn’t be getting much in the way of benefits. I was just going to pay for it (since MGIB is a month in arrears) to exhaust the one day and then start my Post 911 next term. But the VA is telling me that would be a bad idea because of the “rules and restrictions” that come into play when you take less than 1/2 time. Which I don’t understand.

    So…would it be better to take a full term (based on my 1 day of MGIB)? Will they pay me for that….even though I just have the one day? I don’t get paid in advance with MGIB so I don’t want to pay out of pocket for a full term and then only get 1 days worth of payment.

    Can you help me? Surely, I cannot be the first person in this situation…yet both people I have talked to at the VA act like I am and basically don’t know what I should do :-(

    Thanks!

  24. NCCM(Ret) says:
    November 26, 2012 at 11:01 pm

    Nicole,

    Based on what I know, you would have to do what you are attempting to avoid — you would have to do a semester to totally exhaust your MGIB before you can use the Post 9/11 — if that only leaves you 9 months of benefit, then that is all you will be able to use under it. If you convert your one day of benefit to the Post 9/11, then you would only get the one semester and you would lose the remaining 9 months, so DO NOT do that.

  25. Shay says:
    November 30, 2012 at 1:26 am

    Hello NCCM,

    I am wondering if I am missing something after reading your blog. I am currently using my Post 9/11 GI Bill for my undergraduate degree. I graduate this spring, and will have used up the 36 months (or just under a few days). I am going forward to pursue a two year graduate degree, but I am really worried about how I am going to financially manage it. This extra 4-12 months that you mention in your blog post is what has me here asking you this question. Would you think that there might be some chance that I may be able to obtain more benefits? Anything would help, and even another 4 months would be amazingly beneficial! Either way, thank you for you time.

  26. NCCM(Ret) says:
    November 30, 2012 at 6:57 am

    Shay,

    If you are using your own benefit — not a benefit that has been transferred to you — and you have at least ONE DAY of benefit remaining, then you will be able to complete one more semester with full benefit as long as the semester does not bring you past the 48 month maximum.

    I hope that makes sense.

  27. Shay says:
    November 30, 2012 at 7:23 am

    Good Morning. Yes, I make sense of that, thank you. I am using my own benefits, so I am most definitely going to look into this. I appreciate the timely response, and thank you again.

  28. Jon says:
    December 21, 2012 at 10:49 pm

    I will have 1 day of mgib left at the end of June 2013 when my current academic year ends. I am in a graduate medical education program that runs a year at a time. Would I be able to get another 12 months of mgib if I enrolled based on having 1 day remaining? Or would I have to switch to 9/11?

  29. NCCM(Ret) says:
    December 21, 2012 at 11:16 pm

    Jon,

    You really need to contact the VA, but if you have one day of MGIB remaining, you must use that last day before you start your Post 9/11 because if you request it before the one day is used, you will only get the one day (which would be good for an entire semester as described in the post, but your one year of school — I haven’t heard of before — pls call the VA!)

  30. Chad says:
    December 25, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    Hi NCCM,
    I am going to take 16 credit hours this semester and the college consider 12 credit hours as full time. how many month will the VA take from my 9/11 GI Bill? Thank you.

  31. NCCM(Ret) says:
    December 25, 2012 at 9:38 pm

    Chad,

    You get charged day for day. You have to go at least 12 hours to receive full benefit — going more than 12 has no effect beyond the amount you will get for books. Your maximum for books is $1000 a year ($41.67 per semester hour), so if you take 16 hours during the first semester, you will get about $666 for books, but that will only leave about $344 for books for the rest of the year.

  32. Adam says:
    January 4, 2013 at 5:32 pm

    NCCN,

    I am in a similar predicament as Ronney, (see above) I have been getting conflicting information about my next semester. I currently only have seven days remaining of Post 9-11 GI Bill benefits. (I used about a year of the MGIB before switching, but should still only be hitting my 36 month mark.) The Veterans Affairs Office at Boise State (who have given me bum scoop before) said the Chapter 33 GI Bill will only prorate those seven days toward tuition. I looked up the law information you cited and it is refering to chapter 30 not 33, so once I’m left a little confused as to what will happen. long story short;I was just curious if you knew Ronney had received the full semesters benefits or if he had to pay by other means..
    Thanks for putting the site together, it’s a lot easier getting answers here than trying to get a hold of anyone at the VA. haha

  33. NCCM(Ret) says:
    January 4, 2013 at 6:05 pm

    Adam,

    I highly recommend that you call the VA education number (1-888-442-4551 — call early!), they will put your mind at ease. Before I wrote this post, and then again when I added the “Transferred Benefit” addition to the end, I called and verified the information with the VA.

    If they somehow provide you conflicting information, please let me know and I shall call them a third time! :)

  34. Adam says:
    January 4, 2013 at 8:38 pm

    Thanks NCCM,
    I’ll give them a call. Thanks for the swift response!

  35. Josh says:
    January 11, 2013 at 10:30 am

    NCCM,

    You seem to be a very informed and considerate person, and I (as I’m sure all others here do) genuinely appreciate the time and effort you put into assisting us with your responses here. Thank you!

    Hopefully you will be able to make sense of this, as it thoroughly confused me while I was working it out. I entered service in Jan. 2002 and was discharged in Aug. 2004 after serving 2 years 8 months and was separated for a condition, not a disability, under honorable conditions. I am eligible for benefits under Ch. 30 and have used 14 months of my entitlement, however, for a multitude of excuses and reasons, I didn’t decide to finish school until now and plan on starting again in Fall 2013. With 22 months of MGIB benefits remaining, my 10-year delimiting period will be up before I would be able to exhaust my remaining benefits.

    Since I served between 30-36 months after Sep. 10, 2001, I am also eligible for 90% Ch. 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

    I’ve spoken with a few people about my options going forward, and have been led to believe I will be able to continue using MGIB benefits for the 2013-14 school year (approx. 8-10 months), leaving approximately 12-14 months of unused MGIB benefits when my delimitation period expires (Aug 2014). Then, or so I’ve been told, I will be able to apply for a conversion to Ch. 33, granting me an additional 12 months of benefits (to which I can add the remaining 12-14 months of MGIB benefits), and extend the time in which to use them by 5 years.

    So, as I understand it, I’ll use 8-10 of my remaining 22 months of MGIB benefits until Aug. 2014, convert to Ch. 33 in Aug. 2014, leaving 24-26 (remaining MGIB + 12 added) months to use by 2019.

    Does it seem to you that I have been ill-advised as to how this will play out?

    Any interpretation would be greatly appreciated.

    Sincere thanks,

    Josh

  36. NCCM(Ret) says:
    January 11, 2013 at 10:46 am

    Josh,

    Actually, no. To get the additional year, you MUST completely exhaust your MGIB. So the only Post 9/11 you will get will be the remaining time of the MGIB — based on what I know and the fact that you cannot exhaust your MGIB because of time, I would suggest you change over now. BUT before you do anything, call the VA to confirm my understanding!!

  37. Reed says:
    January 19, 2013 at 12:18 pm

    Hi,

    I had a question about the post 9/11 GI, primarily referring to the months/semesters. In other words logically to me 36 months would be going to school full time for 3 years which is 9 semesters. But I cannot find a direct answer on this, and even seen one blog stating a semester is 4.5 months. Misleading indeed as the VA only pays the actual days in enrollment. So if I have a break between summer A and summer B of 11 days the VA won’t pay that. I guess they expect me to be employed those 11 days, or my landlord just forgive the time….. Ridiculous. So I find it hard to believe an organization as stingy as the VA would pay 9 semesters. I’ve used 4 semesters ( 1/2011-8/2011 and 5/2012-12-2012). So I’ve used 16 months and the VA has cut 4 tuition checks. I hope to have 20 months and therefore 5 semesters remaining, but I’m in fear they will home how not honor this and somehow only pay 4 semesters for a total of 8. Forget the 36 months… The house always wins don’t they?

    [last name redacted for privacy]

  38. NCCM(Ret) says:
    January 19, 2013 at 12:44 pm

    Reed,

    You get day for day. If the semester is 120 days long, then 120 days is taken off the 36 months (~1095 days), leaving you with 975 days of benefit after that semester is over. You should be getting a letter from the VA before each semester starts that tells you how much benefit you have left — it will specifically say something like, “You have 8 months and 22 days remaining.”

  39. Reed says:
    January 20, 2013 at 12:33 pm

    Thank you very much for the fast response. Ok this document I have seen. If you wouldn’t mind expounding a bit more about the other side of my question, how does this affect semesters/tuition? In other words If I go for 8 semesters and they have cut 8 tuition checks, but I still have 77 days remaining, can I attend another semester or technical school and not worry the VA will say I’ve used too many credits or maxed out the payments for semesters? Thanks

  40. maria says:
    January 20, 2013 at 2:22 pm

    Hi I wanted to know how do you apply for this extension?

  41. NCCM(Ret) says:
    January 20, 2013 at 2:45 pm

    Maria,

    Not sure what you mean — it is automatic if you start a semester with one day of benefit and you will not exceed a total of 48 months during the semester, then it will be covered by the VA. Again, call the VA for your specific answer because you didn’t give me anything to go on (ie. what program are you using/have used, etc.)

  42. NCCM(Ret) says:
    January 20, 2013 at 2:48 pm

    Reed,

    As long as you have one day of benefit remaining and you have not reached the 48 month total of combined benefit (MGIB + Post 9/11, etc.), then the semester you start will be covered and not prorated.

  43. maria says:
    January 20, 2013 at 7:32 pm

    Im using the post 9/11 now but for 2 semesters I used the mongomery gi bill and then switched to post 9/11. I recieved a letter notifying me that my benefits would end March 26 2013 so I’m not sure if they will continue to pay for it and extend my bah automatically or will i have to appeal for it. Im a bit lost sorry. Thank you

  44. NCCM(Ret) says:
    January 20, 2013 at 8:00 pm

    Maria,

    If you are at the end of the “use it before the end of x years or lose it” time frame, then there is nothing you can do. Secondly, if you started with the MGIB, you MUST have exhausted all of that benefit before you can get the additional year. How long ago did you get out? Has it been 10 years?

  45. Cesar says:
    January 22, 2013 at 9:12 am

    Good Morning,
    I recently registered for school and my semester started this month and goes through the month of May. I only Have 1 month and one day left on my Chapter 30 GI Bill and have only recieved 35 months worth of benefits. I do qualify for the Post 911 GI BILL and was under the impression that Chapter 30 would cover the remainder of the semester and then I could apply for Post 911. I called the VA and they said that I would only recieve one month and 1 day of GI BILL and that I would have to apply for post 911. Is this true? Please Advise.

  46. NCCM(Ret) says:
    January 22, 2013 at 10:08 am

    Cesar,

    You will finish this semester using your MGIB. Once this semester is over, apply to the VA for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, and you should receive about 9 months of that benefit (until you reach the total of 48 months of combined MGIB and Post 9/11). DO NOT apply for the Post 9/11 GI Bill until you have COMPLETELY exhausted your MGIB benefit because if you do, you will ONLY get what is remaining of your MGIB as Post 9/11 and you will not get the added months as I described. I highly recommend that you contact the VA and ensure the information as I relay it to you is correct, but as I sit, this is how I understand it.

  47. JTR says:
    January 31, 2013 at 1:57 pm

    I have completely exhausted the Chapter 30 MGIB and was awarded 9 months of Post 9/11. At the end of this Spring semester I will have 1 month and 11 days remaining of my benefits.

    Do you know how the VA calculates the prorated benefits that I will receive for my housing, book stipend, and tuition for the final month and 11 days that I will have remaining?

    Regards
    JTR

  48. NCCM(Ret) says:
    January 31, 2013 at 3:05 pm

    JTR,

    As it states in the post, “If you exhaust your benefit mid way through a semester while hitting the maximum 48 months entitlement, your tuition, book stipend and BAH payment will be prorated, day for day.”

  49. JTR says:
    January 31, 2013 at 3:24 pm

    That makes sense, my question is with regards to how they calculate the prorated benefits that I will receive when I exhaust my benefits mid way through the semester while I hit the max 48 months.

    I now that I will unfortunately have this happen to me, but am a bit confused about what kind of payments I will receive and how much of my tuition will get covered.

    Any help is much appreciated.

    Regards
    JTR

  50. NCCM(Ret) says:
    January 31, 2013 at 4:15 pm

    JTR,

    For example, if your tuition is $1000 and there are 100 days in the semester, then that is $10 per day — if you have 35 days of benefit left, then you would get $350 of your tuition paid. Same would hold true for BAH and books.

  51. Brian says:
    February 5, 2013 at 1:58 pm

    NCCM, I know you have answered this prior but the VA gives me a different answer (but it seems like she wasn’t too sure either.) I never had the MGIB and started the Post 911 in 2009. I entered this semester with 1 month 13 days left until I hit my 36 months for 911 bennies. Again, not close to the 48 month mark since I did not have the MGIB. The VA rep told me that I would be getting my tuition 100% paid for BUT my BAH/housing would only be for the 1 month 13 days, prorated. Is this correct or was she incorrect? (She didn’t seem to be 100% positive)

  52. NCCM(Ret) says:
    February 5, 2013 at 2:22 pm

    Brian,

    I can only relay what I have been told now on three separate occasions by different people at the VA GI Bill phone number, and that is what I have written above. The last time I talked to one was just a week or so ago. when I clarified how much more benefit I actually had remaining. Each person I talked to seemed 100% positive.

  53. katherine says:
    February 7, 2013 at 10:29 pm

    I also have a dilemma, urgh. So I need to take one online class in the summer and haven’t activated my gi bill yet, for the post 9/11, but heres the deal, I can’t take any more classes online with that school for the certain program I want to get into, as I plan on going full time in the fall on campus. If I activate my gi bill, will this one class take from my 36 months? Any advice?

  54. NCCM(Ret) says:
    February 8, 2013 at 6:15 am

    Katherine,

    Yes, any time that you claim the benefit you are using the benefit. Now, just because you activate it, it doesn’t mean that you are using it — what I mean is, you can tell the VA you will be using the GI Bill in the Fall, now — you get all the paperwork started, and you can attend class in the Summer (your online class) but you just pay for it yourself — don’t use the benefit for that class. Again, if you tell the VA rep in your school that you will use the benefit for the single on-line class and the paperwork is forwarded to the VA to pay for the class, you will use the benefit and you will lose the months/days that the course runs.

    Separately, if you haven’t received your letter yet telling you that your benefit is ready to go, you need to contact the VA pretty soon to get that ball rolling — your 36 months doesn’t start then, it starts once you start attending classes that you have the benefit pay for — you have 15 years from the date you get out of the service to use the benefit — no matter what date you may start using it.

  55. Thomas says:
    February 14, 2013 at 4:20 pm

    Quick question, I am 100% Post 9/11 GI Bill eligible, I have 13 months and 2 days left I have 4 more semesters that are roughly 4 months long before I graduate. I have never used the MGIB. With all that said should I still be able to finish my degree wile receiving Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits? It looks like my last month will be exhausted in my last semester. Also I know this may sound like a repeated question but I am asking this because I did not use the MGIB at all.

    Thanks
    Tommy
    1-75 RGR

  56. Eric says:
    February 14, 2013 at 5:34 pm

    I just transferred to the Post 9/11 Gi bill after exhausting all of my ch. 33 benefits, with a smooth transition. When I got my letter detailing my benefits, they said that my remaining benefits are 5 months and 8 days. I’m currently a junior in engineering school, and my wife is a full time nursing student; we both have about a year left of school, are making mortgage payments, etc; I really need those full 12 months to just get by, but instead they approved me for less than half. Should I appeal their decision with a written letter explaining my personal situation?

  57. JTR says:
    February 14, 2013 at 6:28 pm

    Eric,

    The maximum number of months that you can receive educational benefits from the VA is 48. For folks like us who exhaust the MGIB Chapter 30 benefits and are eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, well we are entitled to no more than 12 months. The reason why we can’t get more than 12 months is because it would mean we get more than the 48 month maximum of educational benefits.

    I have a sneaky suspicion that your 5 months and 8 days of benefits remaining for the Post 9/11 bill means that once you hit that number you will be at the 48 month maximum.

    I recommend that you either speak with the Veteran’s Center at your school or call up the GI Bill phone number and talk with an educational specialist. If they confirm that your 5 months and 8 days all you have until you hit the 48 month maximum you probably won’t be able to get anymore GI Bill assistance.

    Here’s some questions I have for you:

    Do you have any service connected disabilities?

    If the answer is yes then you might be eligible for VocRehab. There is no clear cut outline regarding a Vet’s eligibility for VocRehab as that is a case by case basis. If you do have a service connected disability I would recommend that you contact someone with the VA and inquire about VocRehab. In some cases Veteran’s who are receiving VocRehab benefits will get educational assistance regardless if they hit their 48 month educational benefit max. Please keep in mind that VocRehab does not guarantee educational assistance to all eligible vets. Benefits and entitlement in VocRehab is at a case-by-case basis.

    Hope this helps

  58. NCCM(Ret) says:
    February 14, 2013 at 8:03 pm

    Thomas,

    As long as you have not used a total of 48 months of educational benefit from the VA, and as long as you have at least ONE day of benefit remaining when you final semester starts, you will be able to complete your final semester with full benefit. Lastly, if you paid your $1200 for the MGIB, once you exhaust your Post 9/11 Benefit fully, you can apply to get the entire $1200 reimbursed.

  59. NCCM(Ret) says:
    February 14, 2013 at 8:05 pm

    Eric,

    I agree with everything JTR stated. There is no appeal for additional benefits if it will bring you beyond the 48 month period. That is the maximum mandated by law.

  60. Daniel says:
    February 21, 2013 at 12:43 pm

    Thanks for answering all of the questions previously. Many of my questions were answered going through the comments. There is one thing that I cannot seem to get clarification on, and since you seem well versed in the topic I thought I would run it by you. Here is my situation: I am about to exhaust my chapter 30 benefits and am eligible for the 36 months of Post 9/11. Now I know that if I switch over after using all MGIB, I can only use 12 months of post 9/11 because of the 48 month law. If I were to transfer my post 9/11 benefit to my spouse, would she receive the full 36 months of the benefit since that is what I am eligible for? Or would she be limited to the 12 months I can use, even though it would no longer be my benefit?I have heard conflicting information on this, and wondered what you thought about it. Thanks in advance.

  61. NCCM(Ret) says:
    February 21, 2013 at 1:04 pm

    Daniel,

    The transferred benefit is still you benefit that is just transferred, so all the rules apply. She would be limited to the just 12 months; however, if you are no longer in service and if you didn’t notify the VA that you would be transferring benefit before you were discharged, or you didn’t meet the requirements for transferring, then you cannot transfer the benefit. http://www.navycs.com/blogs/2009/06/24/911gibill-transfer-questions-answered

  62. Daniel says:
    February 21, 2013 at 1:10 pm

    Thanks!

  63. Adrian says:
    March 2, 2013 at 12:55 am

    Thank you so much for putting minds at rest with the answering of all questions. My question is, if I attend school and financial aid pays for my tuition, will I be charged for utilizing the BAH and stipend I am entitled to with MGIB?

  64. NCCM(Ret) says:
    March 2, 2013 at 1:36 am

    Adrian,

    The MGIB doesn’t pay you BAH, the Post 9/11 GI Bill pays BAH; either way, any scholarships/financial aide that you receive would be above and beyond that of the benefit you earned (the GI Bill), so when the GI Bill pays your tuition, and financial aide money is also put into your college account, the college will send you the money that is left over once the tuition is paid for that semester. See the financial aide office on your campus to find out how and how soon the reimburse you for any overages in your account.

  65. pam says:
    March 2, 2013 at 9:23 pm

    does the 9/11 bill have a maximum annual cap to use per year? if so, how much? how many graduate courses can you take in one year? will the 9/11 bill allow you to take as many courses as you would like if you had 1 year of eligibility? or is is it capped at 18K like the MGIB? Thanks

  66. NCCM(Ret) says:
    March 3, 2013 at 12:23 am

    Pam,

    If you go to an in-state public school, there isn’t a cap, and the Yellow Ribbon Program still exists for out-of-state fees and costs above the cap of $17,500 — it is up to the school to participate in Yellow Ribbon. The $17,500 cap is also for private and foreign schools.

    You can keep taking classes until your benefit is exhausted. Your book stipend will max out at the $41.67 per credit hour up to a maximum of $1000/yr ($500 per semester).

  67. Lexie says:
    April 30, 2013 at 9:18 am

    I know you have answered this, but I am not sure what you mean day-by-day prorated. I was transferred benefits and I received a letter before this semester saying I had 2 months and 3 days left. The person I spoke with at the VA said that would be what I have remaining AFTER this semester, but that didn’t make much sense to me. My tuition was already paid in full by the VA this semester, but I am unsure what would happen to my BAH. Could you explain what you mean by day to day, or if my tuition was already paid in full does this not affect me?

  68. NCCM(Ret) says:
    April 30, 2013 at 12:44 pm

    Lexie,

    Because you are using transferred benefit, it is exactly as the VA said, once this semester is over, you will have 2 months and 3 days of benefit remaining. So next semester, (estimating) if the semester is 4 months long (120 days) and tuition is $4000 ($33.33 per day) — they will pay $2066.67 of that tuition bill (62 days times $33.33) — you would owe the school the balance. Your BAH will be done the same way — day for day.

  69. Lexie says:
    April 30, 2013 at 1:02 pm

    Thanks! I was worried that I wouldn’t get my BAH tomorrow. This is my final semester and I have had all 8 semesters paid for and a summer semester paid for so I didn’t know how I still had two months remaining after this one. I have read multiple things saying they count days (36x30days) and others that partial months count as whole months meaning this would be the last one. Sorry to make you explain all of that. I thought that was what you meant, but I thought that this was my last month so I was confused why they would have paid my entire tuition.

  70. NCCM(Ret) says:
    April 30, 2013 at 1:08 pm

    Lexie,

    The benefit is billed as 36 months, but they actually break it down to day-for-day when distributing the benefit.

  71. Donna G says:
    April 30, 2013 at 1:38 pm

    At the beginnig of my next school year, I will have approximately 7 months of my transferred benefits remaining. My private school submits to the VA, my tuition of $30000 for the full year. Will the GI bill pay 7/12 of $18000 (the max for private school), or 7/12 of $30000? I realize it will be based on the exact number of benefit days remaining. I’m just using 7/12 for simplicity.
    Thanks!

  72. NCCM(Ret) says:
    April 30, 2013 at 1:43 pm

    Donna,

    If the max they will pay is the $18000 (100% of days considered), then it would be 7/12 of the $18000. You need to, as should everyone, verify with the VA.

  73. Amy says:
    May 9, 2013 at 10:56 am

    Hello,

    I have 12 months remaining on my 911 GI Bill. I am thinking about enrolling for my Masters which requires 12 classes. However, I did not want to overwhelm myself of classes and was thinking about taking one class per quarter. I was told years ago from a Base VA rep that VA is entitled to provide me a certain amount a year and if I do not use it all that my length gets extended to accomadate the amount I did not use. For example, on paper it is saying that I have 12 months which is true if I took two classes per quarter. However since I am taking only 1 class per quarter my remaining benefits at this pace could potentially extend over 12 months. Does this make sense? Is this true and where can I find this information. I have called VA and she had no clue what I was talking about and I have search the internet.

  74. NCCM(Ret) says:
    May 9, 2013 at 11:00 am

    Amy,

    Whether you take 1 credit hour or 18 credit hours, each day you are using the GI Bill to pay for it is a day that comes off your earned benefit.

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