Types of Benefits

Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)

The Post-9/11 GI Bill helps you pay for school or job training. If you’ve served on active duty after September 10, 2001, you may qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). 

Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty

The Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD) can help you pay for education and training programs. If you’ve served at least 2 years on active duty, you may qualify for the MGIB-AD program.

Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve

The Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) program offers up to 36 months of education and training benefits. If you’re a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard, you may be eligible for this benefit. 

Survivors' and Dependents' Education Assistance (Chapter 35)

Learn about the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program. If you’re the child or spouse of a Veteran or service member who has died, is captured or missing, or has disabilities, you may be able to get help paying for school or job training through the DEA program—also called Chapter 35. 

Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31)

If you have a service-connected disability that limits your ability to work or prevents you from working, Veteran Readiness and Employment (formerly called Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) can help. This program—also known as Chapter 31 or VR&E—helps you explore employment options and address training needs. In some cases, your family members may also qualify for certain benefits.

Work Study

The Veterans work-study program can help you earn money while you’re enrolled in a college, a vocational school, or professional training program.

Eligibility

Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)

You may be eligible for benefits through the Post-9/11 GI Bill if you’ve served on active duty for at least 90 days, whether continuous (all at once) or interrupted (for shorter periods over time), after September 10, 2001.

Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty

You could get benefits through MGIB-AD if you served at least 2 years on active duty and you meet all of the requirements listed below.

All of these must be true. You:

• • Were honorably discharged, and
  • Have a high school diploma, GED, or 12 hours of college credit and
  • Meet other requirements

Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve

You could get benefits through MGIB-SR if you’re a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserves, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard, and you meet all of the requirements listed below.

All of these must be true. You:

• • Have either a 6-year service obligation (you agreed to serve 6 years) in the Selected Service, or
  • Are an officer in the Selected Reserve who agreed to serve 6 years in addition to your initial service obligation, and
  • Meet other requirements

Survivors' and Dependents' Education Assistance (Chapter 35)

You may be eligible for VA education benefits (Chapter 35 benefits) if you’re the child or spouse of a service member and one of the descriptions listed below is true of the service member.

One of these must be true. The service member:

• Died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001, or
• Is missing in action or was captured in the line of duty by a hostile force, or
• Was detained (held) by force while in the line of duty by a foreign government or power, or
• Is in the hospital or getting outpatient treatment for a service-connected permanent and total disability, and is likely to be discharged for that disability. A service-connected permanent and total disability is a disability resulting from your service that doesn’t go away.

You may be eligible for VA education benefits (Chapter 35 benefits) if you’re the child or spouse of a Veteran and one of the descriptions listed below is true of the Veteran.

One of these must be true. The Veteran:

• • Is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability, or
  • Died while on active duty or as a result of a service-connected disability

If you’re a dependent who doesn’t meet the above criteria, you may still qualify for VA education benefits if the Veteran or service member transferred some or all of their Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement to you while they were on active duty.

Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31)

You may be eligible for VR&E benefits and services if you’re a Veteran, and you meet all of the requirements listed below.

All of these must be true. You:

• • Didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, and
  • Have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10% from VA

Your basic period of eligibility ends 12 years from the date you received notice of your:

• • Date of separation from active military service, or
  • First VA service-connected disability rating

Work Study

You may be eligible to take part in our work-study program if you meet all of the requirements listed below.

All of these must be true. You:

• Are enrolled at least three-quarter time in a college degree, vocational, or professional program, and
• Have found an open job either at a nearby VA facility or in a VA-related role at your school, and
• Can finish the work-study contract while you still qualify for education benefits, and
• Are using an approved VA education benefits program to pay for your education or training

Applying for Benefits

You can also apply:

By mail