Education Benefits

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® became effective August 1, 2009, and is commonly known as Chapter 33. If you have at least 90 days of aggregate active duty service after Sept. 10, 2001, and are still on active duty, or if you are an honorably discharged Veteran or were discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days, you may be eligible for this VA-administered program. The program provides financial support for education tuition with academic fees, a book stipend with a housing allowance. This benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits, generally benefits are payable for 15 years following your release from active duty.  For more information see the Post-9/11 GI Bill Program pamphlet.

Post 9/11-GI Bill Chapter 33, Transfer of Entitlement (TOE)

Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill® Transfer of Entitlement is an education benefit program for individuals who served on active duty on or after September 11, 2001.  Service members enrolled in the Post-9/11 GI Bill® program can apply to transfer unused educational benefits to their spouses or children. For more information see Transfer of Entitlement Option.

Dependents' Educational Assistance provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents or spouses, of certain veterans. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. This program is also commonly known as Chapter 35.

This program pays a monthly benefit based on enrollment status. These benefits are available to dependents of:

• a veteran who died or was permanently and totally disabled while serving on active duty, or who died from any cause while so disabled;
• a service member missing in action or captured in line of duty; or forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power;
• a service member hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service-connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged from service for that disability.

For more information see the DEA pamphlet and information on the Marine GYSGT John David Fry Scholarship.

This educational benefit is for certain Reservists who were activated after September 11, 2001. Eligible recipients receive a monthly stipend based on enrollment status and period of service. To be eligible, you must be a member of a reserve component and have performed active service for a minimum of 90 consecutive days. Additional benefits may be available under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. 

*The National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 ended REAP on November 25, 2015. Some individuals will remain eligible for REAP benefits until November 25, 2019, while others are no longer eligible for REAP benefits.  The Post-9/11 GI Bill in many ways has replaced REAP because it also provides educational assistance benefits for Reserve and National Guard members called to active duty on or after September 11, 2001, and in many cases provides a greater benefit than REAP.

For more information see REAP.

Once you have been certified by the school VA official and your certification has been processed by the VA, you need to do a monthly verification to the VA at the end of each month of enrollment.

Verification may be completed in one of two ways:

1. At the end of each month of enrollment, call 1-877-823-2378 on a touch-tone phone
2. Follow this link to verify your enrollment through the VA Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) program.

Both options are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You do not have to use the same method each month, but you must verify enrollment each month. Students can verify their enrollment as early as the last day of each month, and if there has been no change in your enrollment status, payment should be received in about 5-7 working days after verification.