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Which GI Bill Do I Have?

A very common question for some beginning the journey toward higher education is, “What GI Bill do I have?”

If you are a veteran, eligible family, an active duty service member, a Reservist, or a National Guard member, you may qualify for one or more VA benefits under the GI Bill. The first step is knowing which program you are in and how to check your GI Bill status.

You may have access to one or more login portals you can use to check your GI Bill status:

• Login.gov
• ID.me
• DS Logon
• My HealtheVet

Once logged in, find your GI Bill Statement of Benefits, which shows the GI Bill program you are enrolled in and how much of your benefit you have left to use.

Read more: GI Bill Status: How to Check

Which GI Bill Do I Have?

Your GI Bill options may depend on when you joined the military, which version of the GI Bill was offered at the time, and when you retired or separated from military service. If you aren’t sure what you may qualify for, read the criteria below. Each version of the GI Bill has its own starting dates when the program began.

Post-9/11 GI Bill

At least 1 of these must be true for you to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill:

• You served at least 90 days on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, or;
• You received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged, or;
• You served for at least 30 continuous days on or after September 11, 2001, honorably discharged with a service-connected disability or;
• You’re a dependent child using benefits transferred by a veteran or service member.
• Reservists who lost education benefits when the Reserve Educational Assistance Program ended in 2015 may qualify for restored benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Unlike the Montgomery GI Bill (see below) military members who are still serving may have the option to transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to a spouse or dependent. If you are using transferred GI Bill benefits you are using the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty

You may qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill if you fit into one of the following categories as listed on the VA official site. As the VA advises, one of the categories below “must describe you.”

Category I

You

• • Have a high school diploma, GED, or 12 hours of college credit, and
  • Entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985, and
  • Had your military pay reduced by $100 a month for the first 12 months of service

Category II

You

• • Have a high school diploma, GED, or 12 hours of college;
  • Entered active duty before January 1, 1977 or before January 2, 1978, under a delayed enlistment program contracted before January 1, 1977;
  • Served at least a day between October 19, 1984, and June 30, 1985, and stayed on active duty through June 30, 1988 or through June 30, 1987, if you entered the Selected Reserve within 1 year of leaving active duty and served 4 years;
  • Had at least a day of entitlement left under the Vietnam Era GI Bill (Chapter 34) as of December 31, 1989

Category III

You

• • Have a high school diploma, GED, or 12 hours of college credit;
  • Don’t qualify for MGIB under categories I or II;
  • Had your military pay reduced by $1,200 before separation
  • Were on active duty on September 30, 1990, and involuntarily separated (not by your choice) after February 2, 1991, or;
  • Involuntarily separated on or after November 30, 1993, or;
  • Chose to voluntarily separate under either the Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI) program or the Special Separation Benefit (SSB) program

Category IV

You

• • Have a high school diploma, GED, or 12 hours of college credit, and
  • Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for 12 months or made a $1,200 lump-sum contribution (meaning you paid it all at once)
  • Were on active duty on October 9, 1996, had money left in a VEAP account on that date, and chose MGIB before October 9, 1997, or
  • Entered full-time National Guard duty under title 32, USC, between July 1, 1985, and November 28, 1989, and chose MGIB between October 9, 1996, and July 9, 1997

The Montgomery GI Bill is not transferable; spouses and dependents using the GI Bill are using the Post-9/11 GI Bill program.

Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve

You may be eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve if one of the following applies to you:

• You have a 6-year service obligation in the Selected Reserve, or
• You’re an officer in the Selected Reserve and you agreed to serve 6 years in addition to your initial service obligation
• Your obligation must have started after June 30, 1985, or for some types of training after September 30, 1990.

All of the following must apply to you:

• Completed your initial active duty for training (IADT), and
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent before finishing IADT
• Can’t use 12 hours toward a college degree to meet this requirement), and
• Must stay in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit

 

RELATED: When Does the GI Bill Expire?