Dear Bureaupat,
I earned a Masters in Aerospace Administration in 2004 and retired from active duty as a USAF Master Sergent in
2005. Would the new post-9/11 GI Bill allow me to apply for a second graduate
degree or a doctorate in education?
Dear Graduate,
The new Post-9/11 GI Bill is complex (what
isn't these days!), so I'm half-expecting to earn a minor in GI Bill Advising
with all the questions I'll be answering.
You'll be happy to read that approved training under the Post-9/11
GI Bill includes graduate school, but reimbursement is based on undergraduate tuition rates.
The maximum basic benefit
provides the following:
- Cost of tuition and fees,
not to exceed the most expensive in-state undergraduate tuition at a public
institution of higher learning in the state you are attending school
- Monthly housing allowance
equal to the basic allowance for housing payable to an E-5 with dependents, in
the same zip code as the school
- Yearly books and supplies
stipend of up to $1,000 per year
You'll earn the maximum
basic benefit after serving an aggregate of 36 months of active duty service,
or after 30 days of continuous service if you were discharged for a
service-connected disability. If you've served between 90 days and 36 months of
aggregate active duty service, you will be eligible for a percentage of the
maximum benefit.
For those who don't meet the
requirements for 100% benefits, the percentage level starts at 40% of the basic
benefit for those whose service is between 90 days and 6 months, and rises in
increments up to 90% for those who served between 30 and 36 months.
The following chart
represents the maximum percentage payable based on the length of an
individual's aggregate active duty service:
All training programs must be offered by a degree-granting
institution of higher learning and approved for GI Bill benefits.
Additionally, tutorial assistance and reimbursement for one licensing or
certification test reimbursement are available under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
NOTE: Individuals who are eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill as
well as other GI Bill benefits will be required to make an irrevocable choice of which benefit to receive. Individuals previously
eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (MGIB-AD, Chapter 30),
Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR, Chapter 1606), or the Reserve
Educational Assistance Program (REAP, Chapter 1607) may continue to receive
benefits for approved programs not offered by degree-granting institutions.
These programs include flight, correspondence, apprenticeship/on-the-job training,
preparatory courses, and national tests. Individuals in these programs will be
paid as if they are still receiving benefits under Chapters 30, 1606, and 1607.
Yours in Gov,
Bureaupat
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