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Montgomery GI Bill

What is the Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty ?

Called "MGIB" for short, it provides up to 36 months of education benefits to eligible veterans for:

College, Business
Technical or Vocational Courses
Correspondence Courses
Apprenticeship/Job Training
Flight Training

Who is Eligible?

You may be an eligible veteran if you got an Honorable Discharge, AND you have a High School Diploma or GED or, in some cases 12 hours of college credit, AND you meet the requirements of one of the categories below:

CATEGORY I

Entered active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985
Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for first 12 months
Continuously served for 3 years, OR 2 years if that is what you first enlisted for, OR 2 years if you entered Selected Reserve within a year of leaving active duty and served 4 years ("2 by 4" Program)

CATEGORY II

Entered active duty before January 1, 1977
Served at least 1 day between 10/19/84 and 6/30/85, and stayed on active duty through 6/30/88, (or 6/30/87 if you entered Selected Reserve within 1 year of leaving active duty and served 4 years)
On 12/31/89, you had entitlement left from Vietnam Era GI Bill

CATEGORY III

Not eligible for MGIB under Category I or II
On active duty on 9/30/90 AND separated involuntarily after 2/2/91,
- OR involuntarily separated on or after 11/30/93,
- OR voluntarily separated under either the Voluntary
Separation Incentive (VSI) or Special Separation Benefit (SSB) program
Before separation, you had military pay reduced by $1200

CATEGORY IV

On active duty on 10/9/96 AND you had money remaining in a VEAP account on that date AND you elected MGIB by 10/9/97
- OR entered full-time National Guard duty under title 32, USC, between 7/1/85, and 11/28/89 AND you elected MGIB during the period 10/9/96, through 7/8/97
Had military pay reduced by $100 a month for 12 months or made a $1200 lump-sum contribution

How Much Does VA Pay ?

The monthly benefit paid to you is based on the type of training you take, length of your service, your category, and if DOD put extra money in your MGIB Fund (called "kickers"). You usually have 10 years to use your MGIB benefits, but the time limit can be less, in some cases, and longer under certain circumstances.

How Can I Apply?

You can get the application in several ways:

Fill out the form online at VONAPP.
Download forms from the VA Web site.
Call 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) and request the form. (You may have difficulty getting through quickly at the toll-free number, especially when school enrollments are heavy. You may have more success by going to the Internet site.)
Contact the nearest VA regional office.

You may also be able to pick up the application from your school or training facility.

How Can I Get More Information?

For more information on the GI Bill, see the Ch. 30 pamphlet online, or contact your local VA Regional Office for additional assistance: 1-888-442-4551.

For information on other sources of assistance, check with the Financial Aid office at your school.

Also, check with the state office that handles Veterans Affairs for the state where your training facility is located. Your state may offer other education benefits based on military service or being a dependent of a veteran. To locate the State office, click here.

Here are some other useful Web sites:

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