The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced the Post-9/11 GI Bill rates for the 2025-2026 school year. New rates take effect Aug. 1 of each year
By law, the Post-9/11 GI Bill rate is tied to the average cost of undergraduate tuition in the U.S. For the 2025-20256 school year, the rate went up 3.4%.
More than 80% of those taking advantage of their GI Bill benefits do so through the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Private and Foreign School GI Bill Rates
Effective Aug. 1, those using the Post-9/11 GI Bill at a private or foreign school saw their maximum yearly GI Bill rate increase from $28,937.09 to $29,920.95.
Flight Training
Those enrolled in flight schools saw their annual maximum GI Bill benefit increase from $16,535.46 to $17,097.67.
Licensing/Certification/National Testing
GI Bill users are entitled to the reimbursement of up to $2,000 per test for licensing and certification tests. For national testing programs, there is no maximum amount of GI Bill reimbursement. The VA will charge a user's entitlement one month for every $2,496.26 spent in 2025-2026.
Correspondence Courses
For correspondence courses, recipients are entitled to reimbursement of the actual net costs, not to exceed $14,533.00 annually in 2025-2026.
Monthly Housing Allowance
The Post-9/11 GI Bill's monthly housing allowance (MHA) also changes Aug. 1.
For students who attend classroom sessions, the housing allowance rate is based on the ZIP code of the campus location where they attend the majority of their classes.
The MHA is prorated based on a recipient's length of active-duty service and course load.
Those who attend a foreign school receive an MHA of up to $2,338.00 in 2025-2026. That's the U.S. national average.
Those attending all their classes online receive a maximum housing allowance of $1,169.00 in 2025-2026.
Keep Up With Your Education Benefits
Whether you need a guide on how to use your GI Bill, want to take advantage of tuition assistance and scholarships, or get the lowdown on education benefits available for your family, Military.com can help. Subscribe to Military.com to have education tips and benefits updates delivered directly to your inbox.