The Montgomery GI Bill is one of the most valuable benefits available to military members and veterans. In many cases, it is worth tens of thousands of dollars in education benefits. If you want to know how much you can earn in MGIB benefits, then check out these GI Bill Rates tables to find the corresponding monthly payments based on your GI Bill program and the educational program you are attending.
About these GI Bill rates: Each year the VA reassesses the cost of tuition and updates the benefits paid to GI Bill recipients. In most cases the value of the Montgomery GI Bill increases each year based on the Consumer Price Index. We update this information each year to reflect the new GI Bill rates and present the most accurate information we can.
That said, each situation is unique and this chart should only be used as a reference. You should contact the VA and your educational institution to determine your eligibility and the status of your benefits. Remember – Montgomery GI Bill benefits expire 10 years after your last separation from active duty, so be sure to use them before they do!
Related information:
- GI Bill Refunds: It is possible to get a GI Bill refund under limited circumstances.
- Transfer GI Bill Benefits: It is also possible to transfer the GI Bill to family members. You must be enrolled in the Post-9/11 GI Bill and agree to extend your service in the military. This option is not available once you separate or retire from the military.
Know your GI Bill benefits: The Montgomery GI Bill for Active Duty military members (MGIB-AD/Chapter 30) is probably the most common GI Bill plan, and those are the rates covered in this article. The MGIB is the GI Bill plan military members were given the opportunity to buy into for $1,200 during basic training. There is another GI Bill plan, the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which is available to military members who served after September 11, 2001. The Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits are paid directly to the school or educational institution (more info below).
Montgomery GI Bill Monthly Rates – 2016-2017
The Montgomery GI Bill offers eligible recipients a monthly stipend while they are attending classes at a qualified training institution. The checks are sent on a monthly basis and are made payable to the student. Payments to trainees on active duty status are limited to the reimbursement of tuition and fees. If the trainee uses military tuition assistance, the payments are limited to the difference between the tuition assistance and the remaining tuition and fees.
The following payment rates for the Montgomery GI Bill are good for Fiscal Year 2017, or from October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017:
| Institutional Training Time | Monthly GI Bill Rate |
|---|---|
| Full Time | $1,857.00 |
| ¾ Time | $1,392.75 |
| ½ Time | $928.50 |
| Less than ½ time more than ¼ time | $928.50** |
| ¼ Time or less | $464.25** |
Using the MGIB for Apprenticeships and On-Job Training
The MGIB can also be used for apprenticeships and On-Job Training. The following rates cover these types of training:
| Apprenticeship and On-Job Training | Monthly GI Bill Rate |
|---|---|
| First six months of training | $1,392.75 |
| Second six months of training | $1,021.35 |
| Remaining pursuit of training | $649.95 |
MGIB Rates, Less Than 3 Years Service
Rates are given for servicemembers who served 3 years or more on Active Duty. If you served fewer than 3 years:
| Institutional Training Time | Monthly GI Bill Rate |
|---|---|
| Full Time | $1,509.00 |
| ¾ Time | $1,131.75 |
| ½ Time | $754.50 |
| Less than ½ time more than ¼ time | $754.50** |
| ¼ Time or less | $377.25** |
MGIB Rates for Apprenticeships & OJT, Less Than 3 Years Service
| Apprenticeship and On-Job Training (Less than 3 Years) |
Monthly GI Bill Rate |
|---|---|
| First six months of training | $1,131.75 |
| Second six months of training | $829.95 |
| Remaining pursuit of training | $528.15 |
Additional notes about these MGIB Rates:
- Flight Training — Students pursuing courses which consist solely of flight training will be paid at 60% of the approved rates.
- ** Tuition and Fees only. Payment cannot exceed listed amount.
$600 Top up program. The Montgomery GI Bill and Reserve Educational Assistance Program both have a program which allows members to “top up” their GI Bill by buying additional benefits. Also called the GI Bill Kicker, this plan allows members to buy additional benefits in $20 increments, up to a total of $600. MGIB and REAP recipients will then receive an additional stipend on their monthly GI Bill payment, valued at 1/4 the amount they paid into the buy up program for full-time attendance (rates vary based on full-time or partial-time attendance). You can find the full $600 Buy Up Chart at the VA website.
Montgomery GI Bill for Reserves
The above listed rates are for members of the Active Duty Montgomery GI Bill program (Chapter 30). There are other MGIB programs available to military members, including the Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR/Chapter 1606) and the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP/Chapter 1607). You can find the current rates for these programs at the VA website:
Post 9/11 GI Bill Rates
The Post 9/11 GI Bill makes tuition payments directly to the educational institution. Benefits can be used at a variety of higher learning institutions, but rates are capped at the rates of the most expensive state Institution of Higher Learning (IHL). Click to see current rates. Recipients may be eligible to receive BAH benefits based on the rates of an E-5 with dependents, a book stipend, and more. BAH rates are based on the zip code of the school the recipient is attending.
Use your GI Bill Benefits! GI Bill benefits don’t last forever. Your MGIB benefits expire 10 years after your last separation from Active Duty status. Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits are good for 15 years after you separate. Contact the VA, or search GI Bill Schools to start using your GI Bill benefits before they expire!
I am a vet that would like to go back to school. I was in the Marine Corp from 1976-1984. Can I still get military benefits to go back to school and could I take online class?
Jerry C Smith
Jerry,
Thank you for contacting us. In most cases, Montgomery GI Bill benefits expire 10 years after you last leave military service. It is probable that you are no longer eligible for the MGIB, however, you should contact the VA for a final decision on this matter.
Additionally, there may be other veterans education or training programs available to you at either a state, local, or national level. I recommend speaking with the VA and someone at your state or local veterans office.
There is also a new training and education program available to unemployed military veterans aged 35-60. You can read more about it here: VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 – GI Bill for Unemployed Veterans.
Best of luck, and thanks for your service.
My husband has been out of the military for sometime, he has a good job, but does not get paid what other’s in his field because he does not have an education. So I am wondering is there any programs that could help him to go to college. Like this one: There is also a new training and education program available to unemployed military veterans aged 35-60. You can read more about it here: VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 – GI Bill for Unemployed Veterans. Also, I was in the military, but I was not in for over the 180 days, so would I be able to get the benefits list above?
Thank you,
Mrs. McCary
Mrs. McCary, The Montgomery GI Bill is typically good for up to 10 years after leaving the military, after which the benefits expire. There is the Post-9/11 GI Bil which is available to many veterans who served after Sept. 11, 2001. The Post-9/11 GI Bill is good for 15 years after leaving the service.
As for the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, this program is only available to veterans who are unemployed, so your husband wouldn’t qualify. Regarding your eligibility, I am unsure of the minimum service requirements. I recommend contacting the VA ASAP to see if you are eligible.
Here is more info on the program:
Thanks for your service, and best of luck!
I just recently started school and was wondering if I qualified for the Stipend. My husband is active duty but I am not for sure if I do qualify and if so how do I go about getting the money.
Kayla, Are you in the military, or were you in the military? If you served, then it is possible you are eligible for education benefits. If you never served, then you may be eligible for some spousal education benefits, but it will depend on your situation. If you served, I recommend contacting the VA, if you did not serve, I recommend reading this resource, or contacting your base education office for more information. Best of luck.
I retired honorably September 2009 after 20yrs. After I retired, I found out that I could only transfer my Post 9/11 GI benifits while on active duty. Since then I have read several articles of others that are in the same situation as I am. Every response is the same regarding whether or not if there is anything that can be done to correct this injust. I have always intended to transfer my benifits to my stepson. At no point during my separation was I ever informed that I needed to transfer my benifits before I officially retired. So, I missed out on this valuable benifit by sixty days of this enactment. Ryan, is there anything that I can do to correct my service record so that I can transfer this benifit?
Thank you,
Scott
Not that I am aware of – from what I understand the benefits must be transferred while you are still on active duty. Your best bet will be to contact the VA to determine what your options are.
Best of luck, and thanks for your service.
I graduate in May of 2013, I wanted to know could I still use the post 9/11 G.I. bill to get my Masters degree?
Anthony, You may have some of the Ppost-9/11 benefits available if you are qualified for it, but you wouldn’t get the entire thing. I believe you would be eligible for 1 year of Post9-/11 benefits after exhausting the MGIB. You may find that the Post-9/11 GI Bill offers more benefits now, so you might want to consider switching now to get the better benefits. Another benefit is that you may be eligible for a partial MGIB refund if you still have MGIB benefits remaining when you use all of your Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. I recommend contacting a GI Bill counselor at the VA to help you run through your benefits to see which works out the best for you.
You should get the full 1473 if your full time correct? Regardless if I start school on a monthly basis from the 5th to the 30th , i am full time and received a prorated amount of 1080 only because it wasn’t a full 30 days. Even though I am full time. Is that right?
Jorge, I believe the VA only pays based on how many days you go to school during a month. For example, if school starts on the 15th, you might only receive half the payment for that month. But you also only use half of a month’s benefit, so you don’t get charged for benefits you don’t receive. During the next month, you should receive the full benefit.
I am a recently separated veteran. In our ACAP classes I was told I would get around 1470 monthly for full time student rate on the M.GIBILL;
I received a statement from the VA that I’ll be getting $849.06, – Training time: Full.
I’m confused; Why is there such a drastic difference? — After reading a little bit, it seems rates can be affected by online courses.
I’m a full time online student. Is the rate of $849.06 correct? If not, what do I do? If so, what can I do to make it a full time rate, full amount MHA of $1470?
Kyle, When did you start school? Was it at the beginning of the month, or the middle of the month? It’s possible the VA sent you a prorated amount, based on the start date of your classes. The best thing to do is contact them and ask them for a full explanation. They should be able to tell you exactly what’s up with your situation.
Best of luck with school, and thanks for your service!
I started school August 20th, no payment yet of any sort from the VA. My award letter from the VA states: 849.06 montly rate, training time full, beginning 08-20-12 ending 10-12-12, and monthly rate 849.06 training time full, beginning 10-22-12 ending 12-14-12.
I’ve tried to call the VA for about a month now, every time, about 50 minutes in the call is simply dropped.
Do I have alternate means of communication with them, that does not rely on the phone call system?
I served active duty from 2 June 1983 to 1 August 2008.,
I would like to transfer my educational benefits to my daughter.
I payed in on Montgomtry GI program. I retired before Post 9/11 bill became offical.
How can I transfer MGI to my daughter?
Kevin, I’m not sure if it is possible. The GI Bill transfer was designed as an incentive to get current military members to re-up for a longer time period. The servicemember usually incurs a 4 year commitment when they transfer their GI Bill. If this doesn’t answer all your questions, then I recommend contacting the VA to see if there are any other options.
Im almost done with my master’s degree and I have been using TA for that.I ETS by the end of this month. I have 4 more classes left and my intention is to finish them by using GI Bill. I have MGIBill in my contract. When I finish my masters can I use the remaining of GI Bill for another master degree or a Ph D ?
Also If I switch from M-GiBIll to Post 9/11, is the $1200 that I paid for MgiBill going to be reimbursed?
Congrats on your progress, Andrew. You can definitely use your Montgomery GI Bill or Post-9/11 GI Bill for another advanced degree. There really aren’t any limits, as long as the degree is accredited. You can get a MGIB refund, provided you switch to the Post-9/11 GI Bill and use all of it. You will then be refunded a proportional amount of the MGIB that you didn’t use. For example, if you use half your MGIB, you will receive a $600 refund. So far as I know, there are no refunds for the MGIB kicker. Here is more information on MGIB refunds.
I am a veteran and have been a member of the NC National Guard for 12 yrs. My ETS is January 2013 i was wondering if I would still be eligible for Montgomery GI benefits after I get out.
Yes, you should still have access to the GI Bill for 10 years after the last time you served in uniform. You should double-check, however, because there may be some differences based on your service in the National Guard. You may also be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, depending on your National Guard service. If you are eligible for it, you may consider transferring your benefits to the Post-9/11 GI Bill because they last longer (15 years after you separate), and they provide more overall benefits. (Keep in mind, not all Guard members are eligible for he Post-9/11 GI Bill; it depends on your service). My recommendation is to speak to the education office at your unit, or contact the VA for more specific information.
I’m a current student finishing up my bachelors, I was wondering would my post 911 Gi bill cover the process through my Masters as well.
Larry, it will all depend on how much of your benefit remains. The best way to find out is to contact the VA. Be sure to explain that you are using the MGIB so they don’t assume you are already using the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Then ask how much Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit you may have after you use all of your MGIB benefits. You may have some eligibility, depending on your service dates, how much of your GI Bill you have used, etc. It’s often case by case, so I can’t give you a more specific answer.
Can I use the MGIB for a graduate program with an online school. Full time is 1 class? Thanks
I am taking distance learning classes worth 12 credits total and I am only getting a little over $1000. Is this correct?
Rashon, Do you have the full Montgomery GI Bill rate based on the amount of time you served? If so, then you should receive the full GI Bill rate. If not, then you should only be eligible to receive the partial MGIB rate. If there is a problem, then the only thing you can do is contact the VA to get the problem corrected. Best of luck, and thanks for your service!
Yes, I have been in for 6 years. I will contact them. Thank you.
what will chapter 30 monthly payments go up to for 2015 fiscal year?
Chris, The FY16 rates haven’t been released yet. I will update this article once I receive word of the new rates. Thanks, and best of luck with your studies!
When I transfer my benefits to my spouse will he will have two years left of school. He has a lot of student loans so will the GI Bill cover a certain amount of his student loans or will it only cover the year and a half of school he has left?
Samantha, The GI Bill can’t be used for school loans, it can only be used for tuition while attending school. I hope this helps!
I used my post 9/11 GI bill to get a BS from a state school. I am now in a private school getting my Masters in Public Health. I have 7 months left of eligibility but the IHL cap will run out in two months. Am I still able to receive housing benefits for the remaining 5 months of my eligibility after the IHL cap has been met?
So when i read the pay chart for MGIB CH 30 I do not see online school payout it it because its the same payout if I went into a normal college
Hi I’m using my gi bill the Montgomery bill do they give me allowance every month ? I start school aug. 22 and they only give me 456 for my allowance since then they haven’t give me allowance upto now
Hello Brendan, Thank you for contacting me. The MGIB provides a monthly check while you are attending classes. The rates are listed on the page, and are based on the course load you are taking. The rate you see is the entirety of the benefit. The Post-9/11 GI Bill has different payouts. The payment is made to the school in the amount of the tuition (or up to the highest state college in-state tuition rate where you are attending college). Members also receive a housing allowance at the E-5 with dependents rate, and an annual book stipend. In most cases, the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit is more valuable than the MGIB benefit. you would need to verify this, then contact the VA if you are eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and wish to transfer to that from the MGIB.
I hope this helps. Best of luck, and thank you for your service!
The GI Bill was one of the best ideas to come out of the Federal Government and this is a very good breakdown of information useful to vets. Keep an eye out for degrees that are high quality and low cost. For example, another finance blog broke down the value for an online Master’s Degree program in Computer Science from Georgia Tech and found out it was only $7,000 for the whole school. Use the money you get from the government wisely and you can make very smart financial decisions without paying a high cost.
If I gave all of my Post 9/11 GI Bill to my daughter, and she has not used it yet, but I’ve already transferred it to her and was out of the military and unemployed. Could I get the VRAP/VOW to HIRE heroes act MGIB? I’m over 35 and trying to go to school on financial aid and staying with my parents.
Hello Rob, Thank you for contacting me. I’m not certain. I would contact the VA to verify. They will be able to tell you. Worst case, you should be able to transfer the Post-9/11 GI Bill back to yourself so you can use the benefit now.
I understand the desire to pass that benefit along – it’s very valuable, and we want our children to have opportunities. But it’s also important to take care of yourself. There are many opportunities for your daughter to pay for her college in the future, including scholarships, grants, tuition assistance, or possibly even through military service. Best of luck, and thank you for your service!
My wife has post 911Gi Benefits and is wanting to return to school. Her benefits are due to expire in 2017. Will they extend her benefits to cover her education if she is enrolled full time? She is about to start just started the process and discovered that she was eligible,,,, until July of this year.
Hello Mike, Thank you for contacting me. The Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits are good for 15 years. So be sure to verify the expiration date with the VA. SO far as I am aware, the VA will provide the benefit through the end of the expiration month. I hope that points you in the right direction.
Well done informative site Ryan. Can you provide good link for high school students (and this parent) who want to look at potential military educational benefits?
Been along time since my VEAP days…
If you use the MGIB and go full time is states as of 2017 you will get $1875 per month paid to you. Is this a check to pay for the classes you will be taking? Also, would you still get the BAH pay if you were to use the MGIB or is that just for the Post 9/11.
I am currently active duty. I am attending online school for my BSA part-time. Can I use my Tuitiin Assistance and the Montgomery GI at the same time to pay for my classes? The Tuition Assistance only pays tuition and not school materials. Can the GI cover the difference?
Hello Gabriel, Thank you for contacting me. You can use both at the same time, however, the GI Bill will only pay for the difference in your tuition. I don’t believe you will be able to receive the full MGIB check. I don’t believe the MGIB can be used for books, fees, materials, or related expenses when you are also using your Tuition Assistance benefits.
You should verify this with your education office to make sure policies haven’t changed.
I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!