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GI Bill calculator
Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition, monthly housing allowance and book stipend for the 2026–27 school year.
Post-9/11 GI Bill, academic year 2026–27
$47,775
a year at 100% eligibility
- Tuition and fees (paid to the school)
- $11,000.00
- Housing allowance (rate of pursuit 100%)
- $3,975.00 /mo
- Housing for 9 months
- $35,775.00
- Books and supplies
- $1,000.08
- Total for the year
- $47,775.08
Housing is based on $3,975 a month (100% rate). VA pays tuition to the school and housing to you at the end of each month you attend.
Independent estimate tool. Not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Your LES, finance office or VA decision letter is the official amount.
How the GI Bill calculator works
The Post-9/11 GI Bill pays three things, each multiplied by your benefit level (100% after 36 months of active duty)[gibill]:
- Tuition and fees, paid to the school: all net in-state tuition at a public school, or up to $30,908.34 a year at a private or foreign school (it was $29,920.95 in 2025–26).
- Monthly housing allowance (MHA), paid to you at the end of each month of school: the BAH for an E-5 with dependents at the ZIP where you attend most classes, times your benefit level and your rate of pursuit. Online-only students get half the national average, $1,198.00.
- Books and supplies: $41.67 per credit, up to 24 credits ($1,000) a year.
Rate of pursuit is your credits divided by full-time credits, rounded to the nearest tenth: 9 of 12 credits is 75%, rounded to 80%. You need more than 50% to get any housing allowance, and there is none while you are on active duty.
Post 9/11 GI Bill BAH by campus
The housing allowance uses the 2026 BAH for an E-5 with dependents at the campus ZIP for the whole 2026–27 school year[gibill][bah]. Some examples at the 100% level and full-time enrollment:
| Campus | ZIP | Housing area | MHA per month | For 9 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego State University | 92182 | San Diego, CA | $3,975 | $35,775 |
| University of Texas at Austin | 78712 | Austin, TX | $2,241 | $20,169 |
| Arizona State University (Tempe) | 85281 | Phoenix, AZ | $2,289 | $20,601 |
| Ohio State University | 43210 | Columbus, OH | $1,875 | $16,875 |
| University of Washington | 98195 | Seattle, WA | $3,135 | $28,215 |
| Columbia University (New York) | 10027 | New York City, NY | $5,070 | $45,630 |
| Boston University | 02215 | Boston, MA | $4,791 | $43,119 |
| University of Florida | 32611 | Gainesville, FL | $2,040 | $18,360 |
| Old Dominion University (Norfolk) | 23529 | Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA | $2,430 | $21,870 |
| UC Colorado Springs | 80918 | Colorado Springs, CO | $2,358 | $21,222 |
| University of Central Florida | 32816 | Orlando, FL | $2,658 | $23,922 |
| Texas A&M University–San Antonio | 78224 | San Antonio, TX | $1,869 | $16,821 |
Check any other campus in the calculator or the BAH calculator (choose E-5, with dependents).
GI Bill eligibility tiers
| Benefit level | Active-duty service |
|---|---|
| 100% | 36+ months, Purple Heart, or 30+ days with service-connected discharge |
| 90% | 30–35 months |
| 80% | 24–29 months |
| 70% | 18–23 months |
| 60% | 6–17 months |
| 50% | 90 days – 5 months |
At 60%, an online-only student taking 12 credits a term receives $718.80 a month for housing and $600.05 a year for books, plus 60% of tuition.
Example: the default calculation
The calculator opens with a veteran at 100% taking 12 credits a term at a public university in San Diego with $11,000 of in-state tuition. VA pays the $11,000 tuition to the school, $3,975.00 a month in housing ($35,775 for 9 months) and $1,000.08 for books: $47,775 for the year.
Common GI Bill mistakes
- Taking exactly half time. 6 of 12 credits is a 50% rate of pursuit, which pays no housing allowance. One more credit changes that.
- All-online schedules. One in-person class can switch you from the online rate ($1,198) to the full local rate.
- Breaks. MHA is paid only for days you are enrolled; summer and winter breaks are unpaid.
- Private tuition above the cap. The Yellow Ribbon Program can cover some of the gap at participating schools.
Still serving and weighing school against staying in? Compare with the military pay estimator and the military retirement calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the GI Bill housing allowance in 2026?
For August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027 it equals the 2026 BAH for an E-5 with dependents at your campus ZIP (times your benefit level and rate of pursuit), $1,198 a month for online-only study, and $2,396 at foreign schools.
Is Post 9/11 GI Bill BAH the same as military BAH?
It uses the military E-5 with-dependents BAH table, whatever your own rank was, and is paid only for months you are enrolled more than half time.
What is the GI Bill tuition cap for 2026–27?
$30,908.34 a year for private and foreign schools; public schools are covered at the full in-state rate.
Does the GI Bill pay while on active duty?
It pays tuition and books but not the monthly housing allowance while you are on active duty.