Course Catalog / BMU 106 / Lesson 4 of 5
BMU 106
Lesson 4: Education and careers: the GI Bill and VR&E at a glance
Quick review
1. What two things do you need for disability compensation?
See the answer
A current condition and a link to service.
2. Is VSO help on claims free?
See the answer
Yes. VA says it is always free.
Why this matters
VA has two big ways to help with school and work. The GI Bill helps pay for school or training. Veteran Readiness and Employment, or VR&E, helps Veterans with a service connected disability get ready for and keep a job.
This lesson shows who may qualify for each. To plan how to use your GI Bill without wasting it, take BMU 203 Mission: Degree Without the Debt.
Start with what you already do
You already compare options before a big choice, like two job offers.
Common belief: The GI Bill and VR&E are the same thing.
What is actually true: They are different programs with different rules. VR&E needs a service connected disability rating. The GI Bill depends on your service time.
In this lesson you will
- Check the basic Post 9/11 GI Bill service rules
- Check the basic VR&E rules
- Choose which program to look at first
Key words
- Post 9/11 GI Bill
- Also called Chapter 33. Helps pay for school or training for people who served after September 10, 2001.
- entitlement
- How many months of a benefit you can use.
- VR&E
- Veteran Readiness and Employment, also called Chapter 31.
The Post 9/11 GI Bill
VA says you may be eligible if any of these is true:
- You served at least 90 days on active duty after September 10, 2001, all at once or in parts.
- You served at least 30 days in a row after September 10, 2001, and were honorably discharged with a service connected disability.
- You received a Purple Heart after September 10, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service.
How much you get
Your share of the full benefit depends on your total active duty after September 10, 2001. VA lists these tiers:
| Active duty after Sept. 10, 2001 | Share of the full benefit |
|---|---|
| 36 months or more | 100% |
| 30 to 35 months | 90% |
| 24 to 29 months | 80% |
| 18 to 23 months | 70% |
| 6 to 17 months | 60% |
| 90 days to 5 months | 50% |
A Purple Heart, or 30 days in a row with a discharge for a service connected disability, also earns 100%. At 100%, VA pays full public in state tuition and fees, plus money for housing if you attend more than half time, and a yearly books stipend. Most people get up to 36 months.
Two rules catch people. VA does not pay the housing money during breaks between terms. And if your service ended on or after January 1, 2013, your benefit does not expire. If it ended before then, it expires 15 years after you left.
If you have two or more qualifying periods of active duty, the Rudisill decision may give you up to 48 months of entitlement. Ask VA or a VSO. Some benefits can also go to family members.
Veteran Readiness and Employment
VA says a Veteran may apply if both are true: no dishonorable discharge, and a service connected disability rating of at least 10%.
- A counselor meets with you to decide if you are entitled to services.
- If you left active duty on or after January 1, 2013, there is no time limit to use it.
- Some service members can apply before they leave, such as with a pre discharge rating of 20% or more.
Text version of this figure
GI Bill or VR&E?. Look at your rating and your goal.
- Step 1, Goal: School or training? A job you can do with your disability?
- Step 2, Service time: 90 days or more after Sept. 10, 2001 points to the GI Bill.
- Step 3, Rating: 10% or more service connected opens VR&E.
- Next: Read the VA.gov eligibility page, then ask a VSO or VA.
Source: VA.gov education and VR&E eligibility pages (Oct 29, 2026).
Pick one to start
If you qualify for both, ask a VA counselor or VSO which to use first. The choice can affect how many months you keep. Before you pick a school, check it carefully. BMU 104 How to Choose a College shows how.
Worked example: Keisha compares
Keisha served 6 years in the Navy and left in 2022. She has a 30% service connected rating for her back. She wants an office job she can do without lifting.
- GI Bill: more than 90 days after Sept. 10, 2001. Likely.
- VR&E: rating of 30%, no dishonorable discharge. Likely.
- Her tier: 6 years is more than 36 months, so 100%.
- Her move: apply for VR&E and ask the counselor how it fits with her GI Bill.
Keisha is a made up example.
Practice: Find the tier
A made up Veteran, Jo, served 20 months of active duty from 2018 to 2020 and has no rating. Which program fits school, and what share of the full GI Bill can she get?
Check your practice: feedback
The GI Bill, at 70%. 20 months falls in the 18 to 23 month row. VR&E is not open to her yet because she has no rating. Her benefit will not expire, because her service ended after January 1, 2013.
Common mistakes
- Picking a school before checking benefits. Check your benefit first, then the school.
- Thinking VR&E has expired for you. For discharges on or after Jan. 1, 2013, there is no time limit.
- Choosing a benefit without advice. Some choices cannot be undone. Ask first.
Try it: Add education and careers to your map
Pick your scenario:
- I want school or training
- I want a job that fits my disability
- I am not sure yet
- Mark the GI Bill as likely, not sure, or not for me.
- Mark VR&E the same way.
- Write your school or job goal in one line.
- Write one question for VA or a VSO.
- If school is your goal, note BMU 203 and BMU 104 as next steps.
Do it by: this week
Reflect
What would school or a new job change for you or your family?
Check your understanding
1. Tom served 2 years after 2005 and has no rating. Which program should he check first?
- VR&E
- The GI Bill
- Life insurance
See the answer and feedback
B is correct. Yes. His service time points to the GI Bill.
A: VR&E needs a 10% service connected rating. Review Veteran Readiness and Employment.
C: That will not pay for school. Review The Post 9/11 GI Bill.
2. What rating does a Veteran need to apply for VR&E?
- At least 10%
- Exactly 100%
- No rating at all
See the answer and feedback
A is correct. Yes. At least 10% service connected, and no dishonorable discharge.
B: It does not need 100%. Review Veteran Readiness and Employment.
C: A rating is needed. Review Veteran Readiness and Employment.
3. Ana qualifies for both programs. What is the best next step?
- Use the first one she sees.
- Use both at once for the same classes.
- Ask VA or a VSO which to use first.
See the answer and feedback
C is correct. Yes. The choice can affect her months of benefits.
A: Some choices cannot be undone. Review Pick one to start.
B: Usually you cannot get both for the same training at once. Ask VA or a VSO which to use first. Review Pick one to start.
Takeaway: school and careers
- GI Bill: 90 days after Sept. 10, 2001 opens it; 36 months earns 100%
- No housing money during breaks
- VR&E: a 10% service connected rating and no dishonorable discharge
- Qualify for both? Ask before you choose
Recap
- The GI Bill depends mostly on service time after Sept. 10, 2001.
- VR&E needs a 10% or higher service connected rating.
- Some Veterans qualify for both. Ask before you choose.
- BMU 203 goes deeper on school benefits.
You now have: education and career lines on your VA benefits map, with one question to ask.
Next up
Next you will look at home loans and life insurance, then finish your map. Go to Lesson 5: Home loans, life insurance, and your map.
Sources
- VA.gov: GI Bill and other education benefit eligibility (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
- VA.gov: Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
- VA.gov: How we determine your percentage of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
- VA.gov: Eligibility for Veteran Readiness and Employment (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
