VASCO Standalone Tool #16 - Compare VA education benefits side-by-side
| Feature | Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill |
Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill-AD |
Chapter 1606 Montgomery GI Bill-SR |
Chapter 35 DEA |
Chapter 31 VR&E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | 90+ days active duty after 9/10/2001 | Active duty, must opt-in and pay $1,200 | Selected Reserve members | Dependents of disabled/deceased veterans | Service-connected disability, need vocational rehab |
| Total Months of Benefit | 36 months (up to 48 with eligibility for other programs) | 36 months | 36 months | 45 months | 48 months (case-by-case) |
| Tuition Coverage | Up to max public in-state rate OR private/foreign max ($28,937.16 for 2024-25) | Fixed monthly amount (~$2,210/mo for 2024) | Fixed monthly amount (~$443/mo for 2024) | Fixed monthly amount (~$1,488/mo for 2024) | Full tuition and fees paid directly |
| Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) | YES - Based on BAH E-5 w/dependents at school ZIP | NO | NO | NO | YES - Subsistence allowance |
| Book Stipend | YES - Up to $1,000/year | NO | NO | NO | YES - Covers actual cost |
| Yellow Ribbon Eligible | YES (100% eligibility only) | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Transferable to Dependents | YES (with DOD approval) | NO | NO | N/A (already for dependents) | NO |
| Break Pay (MHA during breaks) | Paid if break <28 days | N/A | N/A | N/A | Varies by case |
| Payment to School vs Student | Tuition to school, MHA to student | All payments to student | All payments to student | All payments to student | Tuition to school, subsistence to student |
| Requires SAP (Satisfactory Progress) | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Delimiting Date (Deadline to Use) | 15 years from last separation (can be extended) | 10 years from separation | 14 years from eligibility date | Until age 26 (exceptions available) | 12 years from notification (can be extended) |
| Online-Only Rate | MHA = $989.50/mo (national average, 2024) | Same as in-person | Same as in-person | Same as in-person | Varies |
| Tutorial Assistance | YES - Up to $100/mo, max $1,200 | YES - Up to $100/mo, max $1,200 | YES - Up to $100/mo, max $1,200 | NO | YES - Full coverage |
| Licensing/Certification Tests | YES - Reimbursement available | YES | YES | NO | YES |
| Best For... | Recent veterans, maximum benefits, high cost schools | Active duty who opted in, lower tuition schools | Guard/Reserve members, part-time students | Dependents of severely disabled veterans | Veterans with service-connected disabilities needing training |
This matrix compares the five main VA education benefit programs side by side: Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill), Chapter 30 (MGIB-AD), Chapter 1606 (MGIB-SR), Chapter 35 (DEA), and Chapter 31 (VR&E). Rows cover eligibility, months of benefit, tuition coverage, monthly housing allowance, book stipends, Yellow Ribbon eligibility, transferability, payment routing, SAP requirements, delimiting dates, and more, with a quick decision guide underneath.
School Certifying Officials use it during benefit counseling, when a student is choosing which benefit to elect or asking why a classmate receives different payments. Students can generally use only one benefit at a time, and an election can be irrevocable, so laying out the differences before the student files is one of the most valuable conversations an SCO can have.
Tips: treat the dollar figures as a snapshot and verify current rates on VA.gov each academic year; print the matrix as a counseling handout and note the date on it; and document in the student file that comparison counseling occurred before any benefit election.
More VASCO tools: GI Bill Eligibility Calculator, Chapter 33 Guide, and Getting Started Guide.