The GI Bill is one of the most valuable benefits available to military service members and veterans pursuing higher education. A major component of the GI Bill is the monthly housing allowance, which helps cover housing costs while attending school. But how much does the GI Bill actually provide for housing? Let’s take a closer look.
GI Bill Housing Allowance Basics
The main GI Bill programs that offer a monthly housing allowance are the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty. The housing allowance is calculated based on the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) set by the Department of Defense.
The BAH rate varies widely across the country, depending on the cost of living in different areas. It’s based on median rental housing prices in each county. Generally, housing allowance rates are highest in major metropolitan areas.
For Post-9/11 GI Bill users, the housing allowance is equal to the BAH for an E-5 with dependents (the military pay grade and status used to calculate BAH).
Post-9/11 GI Bill Housing Allowance
Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, housing allowances are prorated based on your length of service and enrollment status:
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Service requirements: To get 100% of the maximum housing allowance, you need at least 36 months of active duty service after September 10, 2001. With less service, you qualify for a percentage of the full housing allowance.
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Enrollment status: Your housing payment depends on your training time based on course load. Full-time students get the full housing allowance. Part-time students receive a partial housing allowance.
The Post-9/11 housing allowance also varies by training modality:
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In-person classes Payment is based on the BAH for the zip code of your school. Full BAH can be over $2500 per month in high cost areas.
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Online classes: Payment is 50% of the national average BAH, regardless of where you live. The national average BAH rate for 2023 is $1,947. That makes the online rate about $974 per month at 50%.
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Overseas programs Payment is the full national average BAH, regardless of location That makes the current overseas rate $1,947 per month
Montgomery GI Bill Housing Allowance
The Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty also offers a housing allowance, but it works differently from the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Rather than being based on the BAH, the MGIB housing allowance is a flat rate for full-time students. For 2023, it is $1,240 per month.
The MGIB housing allowance is prorated for less than full-time attendance just like the Post-9/11 allowance. But it does not vary by location or training modality. Online students receive the same flat rate.
The key advantage of the MGIB housing allowance is that active duty service members can receive it while serving. Post-9/11 housing allowances are limited to veterans and transfer-of-entitlement dependents.
Comparing Housing Allowances
Here’s a quick comparison of maximum GI Bill housing allowances:
- Post-9/11 (in-person): Over $2,500 per month possible based on BAH
- Post-9/11 (online): Around $1,000 per month based on 50% national average BAH
- Post-9/11 (overseas): Around $2,000 per month based on national average BAH
- MGIB: Flat $1,240 per month full-time rate
The Post-9/11 allowance based on in-person BAH rates clearly provides the most generous housing assistance. Online rates are more comparable to the MGIB flat-rate allowance.
But the MGIB allows active duty service members to begin using the benefit – and receiving the housing allowance – while still serving. The Post-9/11 housing allowance is generally limited to veterans no longer on active duty.
Estimating Your Housing Allowance
The best way to estimate your GI Bill housing allowance is to use the official GI Bill Comparison Tool. You enter your school and zip code. It provides an estimated housing payment based on current BAH rates.
For quick estimates, these resources can help:
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For Post-9/11 in-person rates, look up BAH for E-5 with dependents in your school’s zip code.
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For Post-9/11 online rates, use 50% of the national average BAH ($1,947 for 2023).
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For MGIB rates, use the current flat full-time rate of $1,240 per month.
Remember to prorate the estimates based on your length of service and enrollment level.
Weighing Housing Allowance Value
The GI Bill housing allowance can make a huge difference in affordability of education programs. It’s important to factor the housing payments into your cost comparison of schools.
In expensive areas, the Post-9/11 housing allowance may cover your entire housing expense. In other areas, it may only offset a portion of costs. Compare BAH rates in areas you are considering.
Also consider your service qualifications. With 4+ years of service, you can maximize the Post-9/11 housing allowance value. With less service, you receive a prorated portion.
For some, the guaranteed flat rate of the MGIB housing allowance may provide better financial planning and value. And it allows using the benefit while on active duty.
Thinking through housing allowance differences and your individual situation will help you make the most of your GI Bill benefits. The housing payment is a key advantage, so be sure to optimize and maximize the value you receive.
Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefit Tiers
Your Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition and housing allowance payments are based on your length of creditable active-duty service after Sept. 10, 2001. If you are discharged for disability after at least 30 days of active duty, you automatically receive the 100% benefit tier. Active-duty time for the Post-9/11 GI Bill can also include Title 10 mobilizations and some Title 32 duty for reservists and Guard members. The following table shows the benefit tiers and corresponding active-duty time:
| Post-9/11 Service | Percentage of Maximum Amount Payable |
| At least 36 months | 100% |
| At least 30 continuous days on active duty and must be discharged due to service-connected disability or received a Purple Heart | 100% |
| At least 30 months, but less than 36 months | 90% |
| At least 24 months, but less than 30 month | 80% |
| At least 18 months, but less than 24 months | 70% |
| At least 6 months, but less than 18 months | 60% |
| At least 90 days, but less than 6 months | 50% |
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will pay your tuition and fee payments directly to the school. Tuition payments are based on the amount of creditable active-duty service after Sep. 10, 2001.
For example, if you served 24 months on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, your GI Bill benefit tier percentage is 80%. If you are attending a public school with tuition of $10,000 per semester, 80% of your tuition and fees, or $8,000, would be paid by the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
The GI Bill can pay up to the full resident tuition at any public school if you are qualified to receive benefits at the 100% rate based on your active service shown above.
Public schools must offer resident tuition to all veterans who have been out of the military for less than three years, their dependents using transferred benefits, and the dependents using transferred benefits of active-duty members.
If you are attending a private or foreign school, the VA will pay you an annual maximum of $27,120.05 for the 2023-24 academic year.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill also pays a monthly housing allowance based on the ZIP code of the location of the school or campus where you attend the majority of your classes. This stipend averages $1,934.80 a month but can exceed $2,700 depending on where you go to school. Students taking 100% of their courses online are eligible for a monthly stipend equal to half of the national average stipend, which is currently $967.40.
Housing allowance payments are based on your active-duty service after Sept. 10, 2001.
For example, if you served 24 months on active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, your GI Bill benefit tier percentage is 80%. If you are attending a school that has a monthly housing allowance of $1,000 a month, you would receive 80% of your housing allowance or $800 a month.
This stipend is based on the DoDs Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents living in the schools ZIP code. This stipend does not require students to live on campus.
NOTE: Service members currently on active duty, their spouses using transferred benefits, and those taking courses on a half-time basis or less do not qualify for the monthly housing allowance.
Your housing allowance is also based on your training or instructional time, and you must be training at greater than 1/2 time training to receive the monthly housing allowance.
If you are taking undergraduate classes, your training time is determined as follows:
If 12 credits is considered full-time, a course load of six credits yields a training time of 50% (6 ÷ 12 = .50), whereas a course load of seven credits yields a training time of 58% (7 ÷ 12 = .58). In this scenario, a veteran would need to enroll for at least seven credits (such as two three-credit classes and a one-credit lab) in order to receive the housing allowance benefits.
For graduate training, the VA will pay your benefits based on what the school reports your training time to be. So, if you are taking three graduate hours and the school tells the VA that you are considered a full-time student, that is what the VA will pay you.
Once the training time is determined, the monthly housing allowance is paid at the nearest 10% level. For instance, if your training time is determined to be 58% as calculated above, you will be paid 60% of the applicable housing allowance. If your training time is calculated to be 84%, you will be paid 80% of the applicable housing allowance.
Read More: GI Bill Top Questions Answered
What Can You Use It For?
You can use your Post-911 GI Bill for many things, including:
The Post-9/11 GI Bill can pay your full tuition and fees at school, provide you with a monthly housing allowance while you are going to school, and give you up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies.
If you live in a remote location, the Post-9/11 GI Bill will even provide you with a one-time relocation allowance to move closer to your school.
Another provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill allows eligible service members to transfer their unused benefits to family members.
Post-9/11 benefit payments are tiered based on the amount of creditable active-duty or federal service you have since Sep. 10, 2001. See the table below to determine your benefit tier.
Read More: How to Use the GI Bill to Pay for College
How Much Money I Made Using The Post 9/11 GI Bill
FAQ
How much is GI Bill housing allowance?
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State
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City
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BAH Rate
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CA
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Sacramento
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$2,760
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CA
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Stockton
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$2,175
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CA
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Vallejo/Travis AFB
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$3,237
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CA
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Los Angeles
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$3,636
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Does the GI Bill pay for a house?
Does the GI Bill cover housing and food?
How much is the Chapter 35 stipend per month?
How much does the GI Bill pay a month?
The Post-9/11 GI Bill also pays a monthly housing allowance based on the ZIP code of the location of the school or campus where you attend the majority of your classes. This stipend averages $1,934.80 a month but can exceed $2,700 depending on where you go to school.
How do I Find my GI Bill MHA rate?
Look up your GI Bill MHA rate by entering the college or university you wish to attend. This is for Post-9/11 GI Bill users who are eligible for housing benefits. This reflects the 2024-2025 school year and will be updated on August 1st, 2025. Number of dependent children?
What is the GI Bill monthly housing allowance (MHA)?
The GI Bill Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) is a stipend provided to eligible veterans, service members, and their dependents using the Post-9/11 GI Bill to pursue education or training. The MHA helps cover living expenses while students are enrolled in an educational program.
How much is GI Bill monthly housing allowance?
The online GI Bill Monthly Housing Allowance is $1,177.50 for the 2024-2025 school year. This amount is equal to half the national average for active duty BAH for an E-5 with dependents. VA.gov reminds, “If you take at least one class in person while taking other online learning classes” you may qualify for additional BAH.
How much does GI Bill increase a year?
Effective Aug. 1, those using the Post-9/11 GI Bill at a private or foreign school will see their maximum yearly GI Bill rate increase from $27,120.05 to $28,937.09. Those who are enrolled in flight schools will see their annual maximum GI Bill benefit increase from $15,497.15 to $16,535.46.
When will GI Bill housing information be updated?
This is for Post-9/11 GI Bill users who are eligible for housing benefits. This reflects the 2024-2025 school year and will be updated on August 1st, 2025. Number of dependent children? Save this info for next time, stay up-to-date when changes are made, and calculate and save for multiple locations before your next move.