Montgomery GI Bill
If you’re a veteran looking for a way to pay for your college education, the Montgomery GI Bill could be an option for you. The Montgomery GI Bill, also known as MGIB, provides up to 36 months of financial support for education for military members, payable for 10 years following your date of discharge.
Did You Serve as Active Duty or Selected Reserve?
The Montgomery GI Bill includes the MGIB-Active Duty, Chapter 30, and the MGIB-Selected Reserve, Chapter 1606. Under Chapter 30, active duty military members pay $100 per month for 12 months, and are then entitled to receive a monthly education benefit once they have completed a minimum amount of service. Under Chapter 1606, a reservist must be actively serving and have a six-year obligation in the selected reserve.
Are You Eligible for Montgomery GI Bill Education Benefits?
For the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty and MGIB-Selected Reserve, you may be eligible if you have an Honorable Discharge and a high school diploma or equivalency certificate. You can also meet the education requirement by completing 12 hours toward a college degree before you apply for benefits. The MGIB-Active Duty includes several other eligibility requirements which you should examine to determine if it is right for you. You might find the Post 9/11 GI Bill is what you’re looking for if you served after Sept. 11, 2001.
For MGIB-Selected Reserve, you must have a six-year obligation to serve in the selected reserve signed after June 30, 1985. If you are an officer, you must have agreed to serve six years in addition to your original obligation. For some types of training, it’s necessary to have a six-year commitment that begins after Sept. 30, 1990.
What Funding Do You Receive?
The amount of funding depends on the current full- time monthly entitlement amount. However, the amount will be the same no matter what state you live in. After two years of honorable service, you can receive a pro-rated portion of the MGIB funds. After three years, you can receive 100 percent of the funds.
As of Aug. 1, 2011, MGIB-Active Duty, Chapter 30, and MGIB-Selected Reserve, Chapter 1606, kickers or college fund payments can be paid by the VA on a monthly basis instead of a lump sum at the beginning of the term.
Use Your MGIB While Serving
If you’re an active duty military member and use Tuition Assistance, you can use Top-up to cover any remaining tuition costs.
As part of the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty program, the VA pays a Tuition Assistance Top-up benefit. The amount of the benefit can be equal to the difference between the total cost of a college course and the amount of Tuition Assistance paid by the military for the course. The amount of the benefit is limited to the amount you would receive for the same course if regular MGIB benefits were being paid. If you receive the Top-up benefit, your regular MGIB benefits will be reduced.
How to Apply for MGIB
Start by collecting your paperwork (VA Form 22-1990, Application for Education Benefits, if you have never used the GI Bill before or VA 22-1995 if you have). Then, compare the programs of the schools you might be interested in and make sure the program you pick is approved for VA funding. Work with the school’s VA office to confirm your enrollment and make sure your paperwork is correct.