New GI Bill preliminary payment list releasedBy Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Feb 21, 2009 15:11:00 EST
In preparation for the Aug. 1 launch of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Veterans Affairs Department is giving service members and veterans an idea of how much money they can expect to receive.
The program promises benefits that cover full tuition and fees at the most expensive four-year public college or university in the state where a student attends school, plus a $1,000 annual allowance for books and supplies and an additional living allowance, pegged to the military basic housing allowance for an E-5 with dependents.
One of the surprises uncovered by VA as it determines the maximum rate for each state is that the highest tuition reimbursement rate could be paid in Tennessee, where it costs more than $15,000 for each school term; the District of Columbia and Nevada are at the other end of the scale, with total costs of slightly more than $300 per term.
For people attending public institutions, the new benefits program promises full tuition reimbursement that will be paid directly to the college or university.
But differences in maximum rates are important for people using GI Bill benefits to attend private schools where tuition is higher than the most expensive public institution.
Rest of article at:
http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/military_gibill_paymentrates_022009w/%2e