The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) helps pay for school or training. VA runs it. It can cover tuition and fees, a monthly housing allowance when you're in school more than half time, a books and supplies stipend, and some tests and certifications. Whether you qualify, and how much, is VA's call.
Who qualifies
VA says you may qualify if at least one of these is true: you served at least 90 days on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, you received a Purple Heart on or after that date and were honorably discharged, you served at least 30 continuous days on or after that date and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability, or you are a dependent child using benefits a qualifying member transferred. Some periods of service are non-qualifying. [va.gov, last updated July 23, 2026]
The timing that matters
- If your service ended on or after January 1, 2013, benefits don't expire. If it ended before that date, they expire 15 years after your last separation. [va.gov]
- Transferring benefits to a spouse or child is a DoD decision. You request it through milConnect while you're still on active duty. You can't request it from VA. The member needs at least 6 years of service when the request is approved and agrees to 4 more years. [va.gov, Transfer your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, last updated Oct 23, 2026]
- VA does not pay housing allowance during school breaks, and you verify enrollment every month to keep getting it. [va.gov]
What it can pay for
VA's list
Tuition and fees (public in-state at the maximum rate, capped for private and foreign schools), housing allowance, books and supplies, tutoring, national exams, licensing and certification tests and prep courses, work-study, and a one-time rural relocation payment for eligible students.
Questions worth asking before you sign up
- Does my school and program count for the GI Bill, and how many months of entitlement will it use?
- Do I meet the service requirement to transfer benefits to family, and what is the date I need to request it by?
- How will I cover housing between terms, since there is no allowance during breaks?
Official sources
- VA, Post-9/11 GI Bill
- VA, Transfer your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits
- VA, current payment rates (check there, Loona does not quote rates)
Where Loona One fits
Loona One keeps your service dates and goals in your Career Record and points you to VA for eligibility and claims questions. It doesn't decide eligibility and it doesn't quote benefit amounts.
Last checked Oct 30, 2026. Rules change. Confirm on the official page before you act.
Keep your transition organized in one place.
Loona One works alongside TAP, your transition office and veteran nonprofits so you can plan between appointments and on your own time.
Loona One is an independent product from Loona LLC, a Florida business. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the DoD, the VA or any military branch. This page is general information. The program decides who qualifies.