About the GI Bill Calculator
This GI Bill calculator estimates what the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) pays for a school year: tuition and fees sent to your school, the monthly housing allowance (MHA) paid to you, and the books and supplies stipend. Enter your eligibility percentage, school type, tuition, credit load and the local housing rate, and it applies the VA’s rules for August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027.
It is built for veterans and service members comparing schools, deciding between in-person and online classes, or working out whether a part-time schedule still earns a housing allowance. Dependents using transferred benefits can use it too; note that MHA is not paid while the service member is on active duty.
For 2026–27 the VA pays full in-state tuition and fees at public schools and up to $30,908.34 a year at private and foreign schools, multiplied by your eligibility percentage. In-person MHA equals the military Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents at your campus ZIP code — look it up on the DTMO site and enter it here — while online-only students get up to $1,261. Books pay $41.67 per credit up to $1,000 a year. The Yellow Ribbon Program, kickers and tutorial assistance are not included.
With the default inputs, the total gi bill value for the year is $35,698.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the gi bill calculator
- 1Select your eligibility percentage from your Certificate of Eligibility.
- 2Choose public or private school and enter yearly net tuition and fees.
- 3Enter credits per term, the full-time load and terms per year.
- 4Choose in-person or online and enter the E-5 with-dependents BAH for your campus ZIP.
- 5Read the total and the breakdown of tuition, housing and books.
Formula and method
Your eligibility tier (50% to 100%) depends on total active-duty service after September 10, 2001. VA pays that share of net in-state tuition and fees at public schools, and of tuition up to $30,908.34 a year at private and foreign schools for 2026–27.
The rate of pursuit is credits taken ÷ credits your school treats as full time, rounded to the nearest tenth; it must be more than 50% to get any housing allowance. In-person MHA starts from the 2026 E-5 with-dependents BAH for the campus ZIP code; online-only MHA is half the national average ($1,261). The books stipend is $41.67 per credit for up to 24 credits a year (a $1,000 maximum), prorated by tier.
- tier
- Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility percentage
- RoP
- Rate of pursuit (credits ÷ full-time credits, to nearest 10%)
- BAH
- Basic Allowance for Housing, E-5 with dependents, at the campus ZIP
Worked examples
Full benefit, public university, full time in person
At 100% the VA pays all $12,000 of in-state tuition. A full-time student at the national-average rate gets $2,522 a month for 9 months ($22,698), plus $1,000 for books (24 credits), totalling $35,698.
70% tier at a private school, 9 credits
Private tuition is capped at $30,908.34, and 70% of that is $21,635.84. Nine of 12 credits rounds to an 80% rate of pursuit, so MHA is $3,000 × 70% × 80% = $1,680. Books are 18 credits × $41.67 × 70% = $525.04.
Online only, full time
Online-only students get half the national average, $1,261 a month — $11,349 over 9 months. With $9,000 tuition and $1,000 for books the year is worth $21,349.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the GI Bill pay for tuition in 2026–27?+
At 100% eligibility it pays full in-state tuition and mandatory fees at public schools, and up to $30,908.34 a year at private or foreign schools (August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027). Lower tiers receive that percentage.
How is the GI Bill housing allowance calculated?+
In-person MHA equals the military BAH for an E-5 with dependents at your school’s ZIP code, multiplied by your eligibility tier and your rate of pursuit. Online-only students receive up to $1,261 a month for 2026–27.
Do I get MHA if I go part time?+
Only if your rate of pursuit is more than 50%. For a school where 12 credits is full time, 7 credits (58%, rounded to 60%) qualifies for a prorated allowance, but 6 credits does not.
What eligibility percentage do I have?+
It depends on active-duty time since September 10, 2001: 36+ months is 100%, 30–35 months 90%, 24–29 months 80%, 18–23 months 70%, 6–17 months 60% and 90 days–5 months 50%. A Purple Heart or a service-connected discharge after 30 days also gives 100%.
How much is the GI Bill book stipend?+
College students get $41.67 per credit hour, for up to 24 credits a year — a $1,000 maximum — multiplied by their eligibility percentage. Non-college programs get up to $83 a month.
What if my private school costs more than the cap?+
If your school takes part in the Yellow Ribbon Program, it can waive part of the remaining tuition and the VA matches that amount. Only students at the 100% benefit level qualify — veterans, transfer-of-entitlement dependents and Fry Scholars, and, since August 2022, active-duty service members.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Rates, fees and terms vary — confirm with your lender or a licensed advisor before making decisions.