The various versions of educational benefits available to veterans, including the GI BILL®, eligibility requirements, and names of the programs can be confusing. The Chart below is provided to help you understand what educational benefit you are eligible to receive.
| Item | Post-9/11 GI BILL® (Chapter 33) | Montgomery GI BILL®-Active Duty (Chapter 30) | Montgomery GI BILL®-Selective Reserve (Chapter 1606) | Reserve Education Assistance Program-REAP (Chapter 1607) | Veterans Education Assistance Program-VEAP (Chapter 32) | Dependents Educational Assistance Program-DEAP (Chapter 35) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA Brochure Link | VA Link | VA Link | VA Link | VA Link | VA Link | VA Link |
| Minimum Length of Service (Time of Service) | 90 days active aggregate service (after 9/10/01) or 30 days continuous if discharged for disability | 2 yr. continuous enlistment (minimum duty varies by service date, branch, etc.) | 6 yr. commitment (after 6/30/85) | 90 days active continuous service (after 9/10/01) | 181 continuous days active service (between 12/31/76 and 7/1/85)1 | Not applicable |
| Maximum # of Months of Benefits 2 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 45 |
| How Payments Are Made | Tuition: Paid to school Housing stipend: Paid monthly to student Books & Supplies: Paid to student at the beginning of the term | Paid to student | Paid to student | Paid to student | Paid to student | Paid to student |
| Duration of Benefits | Generally 15 years from last day of active duty | Generally 10 years from last day of active duty | Ends the day you leave Selected Reserve | Generally 10 years from the day you leave the Selected Reserve or the day you leave the IRR 4 | 10 yrs from last day of active duty | Spouse: 10 – 20 years 3 Child: Ages 18-26 |
| Degree Training | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Non College Degree Training | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-the-Job & Apprenticeship Training | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Flight Training | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Correspondence Courses | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Licensing & Certification | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| National Testing Programs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Work-Study Program | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tutorial Assistance 5 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
- The amount of time varies according to when the Veteran enlisted and entered active duty.
- You may receive a maximum of 48 months of benefits combined if you are eligible for more than one VA education program.
- Spouses are generally eligible to receive benefits for 10 years. However, spouses of individuals rated total and permanent within 3 years of discharge and spouses of individuals who die on active duty are granted a 20-year eligibility period.
- The Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) is a category of the Ready Reserve of the Reserve Component of the Armed Forces.
- VA can pay the difference between the total cost of tuition and fees and the amount of Tuition Assistance paid by the military.