GI Bill or Tuition Assistance?
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Question:
Can you explain the difference between tuition assistance and the GI Bill? My son is in the Air Force and he seems to be eligible for so many different benefits. How can he figure out which ones to use? He wants to enroll in online classes as soon as possible to start working toward a bachelor’s degree in engineering.
Answer:
The GI Bill legislation passed by congress is probably the single best benefit available to military, veterans and their families. Tuition assistance programs are a close second for active duty service members. Individual services offer military members a smorgasbord of educational opportunities. The Air Force runs as much on education as on jet fuel. Already, your son is earning a college degree. In basic training, he enrolled in Community College of the Air Force, an accredited degree program leading to an associate degree. He earned college physical education credit for completing basic.
Often, Air Force members qualify for additional college credit when they complete their technical training. I recommend that Servicemembers pursue educational opportunities while on active duty using tuition assistance programs before using GI Bill benefits.
Air Force tuition assistance pays up to $250 a credit hour for tuition and fees. The annual maximum is $4,500 dollars a year. While on active duty and working full time to accomplish the mission, your son may receive an undergraduate degree or be well on the way to achieving his goal without using the GI Bill.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides benefits for 15 years after leaving the military. Tuition assistance programs may preserve GI Bill benefits for use at Yellow Ribbon schools or for graduate education after leaving active duty. Another excellent feature of the Post-9/11 GI Bill allows immediate family to use these benefits.
Tags: accredited degree program, active duty, air force members, community college of the air force, Gi Bill, GI Bill benefits, GI Bill Schools, graduate education, military tuition assistance, military veterans, physical education credit, Post 9-11 GI Bill, tuition assistance programs, yellow ribbon, yellow ribbon program, Yellow Ribbon Schools
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