Can I use the GI Bill at an online school?

Yes. The GI Bill works at thousands of VA-approved online programs. Tuition coverage and the books stipend work the same way as on campus. The part that changes is the Post-9/11 housing allowance, which is paid at a lower national online rate when your classes are all online.

Check approval for your program

Approval is program by program, not just school by school. Before you enroll, look up the school and the specific program in the GI Bill Comparison Tool. Most fully online programs at foreign schools are not approved.

Know your housing number

• A fully online schedule receives the online rate, the same everywhere in the country.
• You must be above half-time to get any housing allowance. A 6-credit online load at a school where 12 is full-time pays none.
• One in-person class that counts toward your degree moves you to the campus ZIP code rate. Confirm your schedule with your certifying official before you register.
• Active-duty service members using Chapter 33 do not receive a housing allowance, online or in person.

If you have a service-connected disability rating, also look at VR&E. Its subsistence allowance does not drop for online-only study the way Chapter 33 housing does.

Online programs vary in quality. Look at completion data in the VA's comparison tool and ask what support the school offers veterans, including who their certifying official is and how to reach them.