Education Programs and VA

Detailed federal program descriptions are available at the Department of Veterans Administration Education Benefits & Services home page at www.gibill.va.gov.

Federal Programs

Chapter 30: Montgomery G.I. Bill- Active Duty

• Veterans who began active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985.
• Military retirees who entered the service (or agreed to delayed entry) before 01/01/1977 and who were eligible to receive chapter 34 benefits (Vietnam era education program on 12/31/1989)
• Veterans that were voluntarily or involuntarily separated from the service because of a reduction in personnel.
• Veterans who converted their education benefits from chapter 32 to chapter 30.

Chapter 32: Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

Individuals must have initially entered active duty from 01/01/1977 to 06/30/1985 and must have enrolled and contributed to VEAP before 04/01/1987. VEAP is a voluntary contribution and matching program. The veteran's contributions were matched on a $2.00 for $1.00 basis by the Government.

Chapter 33:The Post-9/11 GI Bill

Individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service on or after September 10, 2001 are eligible.

• To be eligible for 100% of the benefit, an individual must have served an aggregate of 36 months of active duty service, or have been discharged for a service-connected disability after 30 days of continuous service.
  NOTE: Active-duty service time required by graduates of a service Academy or ROTC does not count toward the three years necessary to qualify for full benefits.
• For those who served fewer than 36 months, the percentage of benefits ranges from 40%-90%
  ( For more detailed information regarding benefit percentages visit the VA GI Bill website)
• Veterans must have a honorable discharge or other qualifying discharge.
• The period of eligiblity for the Post-9/11 GI Bill ends 15 years from the date of the last discharge or release from active duty.
• Tuition & fees directly to the school not to exceed the maximum in-state tuition & fees at a public Institution of Higher Learning.
• A monthly housing allowance based on the Basic Allowance for Housing for an E-5 with dependents at the location of the school.
• An annual books & supplies stipend of $1,000 paid proportionately based on enrollment.
• A one-time rural benefit payment for eligible individuals.
  

If you are enrolled exclusively in online training you will not receive the housing allowance.  If you are on active duty you will not receive the housing allowance or books & supplies stipend. This benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits.

Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA)

You must be the son, daughter or spouse of:

• A veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out of active service in the armed forces.
• A veteran who died from any cause while such service-connected disability was in existence.
• A service member missing in action or captured in the line of duty by a hostile force.
• A service member forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power.
• A service member who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for service connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability. This change is effective December 23, 2006.

Chapter 1606: Montgomery G.I. Bill- Selected Reserve

The Montgomery GI Bill- Selected Reserve program may be available to you if you are a member of the Selected Reserve. The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National and the Air National Guard.

To Qualify, you must meet the following requirements:

• 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 is necessary to have a six-year commitment that begins after September 30, 1990.
• Complete your initial active duty for training (IADT).
• Meet the requirement to receive a high school diploma or equivalency certificate before completing IADT. You may not use 12 hours toward a college degree to meet this requirements.
• Remain in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit.

Chapter 1607: Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)

Eligibility will be determined by the Department of Defense (DoD) of Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as appropriate. Generally, am member of a Reserve component who serves on active on or after September 11, 2001 under title 10, U.S. Code, for at least 90 consecutive days under a contingency operation, is eligible for REAP. There is no specific time frame to use REAP, however, your eligibility generally ends when you leave the Selected Reserves.

National Guard members are eligible if their active service extends for 90 consecutive days or more and their service:

• authorized under section 502(f), title 32, U.S. Code,
• authorized by the President or Secretary of Defense for a national emergency, and
• supported by federal funds.

State Programs

California department of veterans affairs

Educational assistance in the form of a College Fee Waiver is available to those who qualify. For more information Fee Waiver Policy Manual.