Total Veteran- VA advises using VR&E first when eligible for both, to avoid deductions from other education benefits.
- Since 1 April 2021, VR&E months no longer count against the 48-month cap.
- VR&E offers up to 48 months; each GI Bill programme offers up to 36.
- You can keep VR&E services and elect the Post-9/11 housing rate instead of the subsistence allowance.
- The GI Bill tuition cap for private and foreign schools is $30,908.34 for 2026-27.
If you qualify for both, use Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E, Chapter 31) first, because VA states that doing so may give you more total benefits and VA will not deduct that time from your other education entitlement. Using the Post-9/11 GI Bill first reduces your remaining VR&E months. The two benefits pay differently, last for different lengths and serve different goals, so the table below compares them side by side.
VR&E versus Post-9/11 GI Bill at a glance
| Feature | VR&E (Chapter 31) | Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) |
|---|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Service-connected rating of at least 10 percent, a non-dishonourable discharge and an employment handicap. See VR&E explained. | At least 90 days of active duty on or after 11 September 2001, a qualifying Purple Heart, or 30 continuous days with an honourable discharge for a service-connected disability. |
| Purpose | Employment goal set in a written plan: training, job placement, self-employment or independent living. | Education and training funding, with no employment handicap test. |
| Maximum duration | Up to 48 months, with more possible in certain situations approved by a counsellor. | 36 months at most. |
| Tuition and fees | Paid as part of your approved rehabilitation plan, decided with your counsellor. | Full in-state public tuition and fees at maximum benefit. Private and foreign schools are capped at $30,908.34 for 2026-27. |
| Monthly living payment | Subsistence allowance: from 1 October 2026, $837.23 full time with no dependants, rising with dependants. | Monthly housing allowance (MHA) based on the E-5 with dependents BAH rate for your school's ZIP code, for those attending more than half time. |
| Books and supplies | Decided with your counsellor within your plan. | Up to $41.67 per credit hour for up to 24 credits a year at colleges, prorated by eligibility percentage. |
| Expiry | No 12-year limit if discharged on or after 1 January 2013. | No expiry for service ending on or after 1 January 2013 (Forever GI Bill). Earlier service expires 15 years after separation. |
| Extra support | Counsellor as case manager, career guidance, job search help, employer incentives. | Transferable to a spouse or dependent children if you meet the transfer rules. |
Rates come from VA's Post-9/11 GI Bill rates page for the academic year 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027 and VA's fiscal year 2027 VR&E rate table.
What each benefit pays
VR&E
VR&E pays for the services in your rehabilitation plan and a monthly subsistence allowance while you train. The allowance depends on training type, attendance and dependants. Full-time institutional training from 1 October 2026 pays $837.23 with no dependants, $1,038.49 with one and $1,223.79 with two. Apprenticeship and other on-the-job training pays $731.99 with no dependants.
Post-9/11 GI Bill
The GI Bill pays tuition and fees, a housing allowance and a books and supplies stipend. The housing allowance varies by location, so a student in a high-cost area receives far more than the national average. Online-only students receive half the national average MHA, up to $1,261 a month. Students at foreign schools receive the national average, up to $2,522 a month. No MHA is paid during school breaks.
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Housing allowance: you can sometimes choose the GI Bill rate
Veterans eligible for both can keep the VR&E counsellor, plan and services and ask to be paid the Post-9/11 housing rate instead of the Chapter 31 subsistence allowance. 38 CFR 21.264 allows this election, effective for those who apply from 1 August 2011, provided you still have Chapter 33 entitlement. You can switch back only after completing a term, quarter or semester, with limited exceptions. A university veterans office, James Madison University, notes the election helps when the housing rate exceeds the subsistence allowance. Ask your counsellor to compare both figures for your school before you choose. The election draws down Chapter 33 months, so it interacts with the rules below.
How entitlement interacts: the 48-month rule
Three facts from VA's education benefit comparison shape the order you should use them:
- VR&E offers up to 48 months. The GI Bill offers up to 36 months from one programme.
- In certain situations you can qualify for more than one education benefit, with a combined maximum of 48 months.
- Order matters. VR&E first means VA will not deduct that entitlement from your other education benefits. GI Bill first means VA deducts the time used from your remaining VR&E entitlement.
The VR&E rule changed on 1 April 2021. A VA spokesperson said VA would not count entitlement used in VR&E against the 48-month rule, as MOAA reported. Before then, a Veteran who used all 48 months of VR&E had no GI Bill left.
The 48-month rule also exists inside the GI Bill. VA's Post-9/11 GI Bill page says that with 56 or more months of active duty, or two or more qualifying periods of active duty, Veterans eligible for more than one GI Bill programme may receive up to 48 months in total. With less than 56 months you can generally use only one programme, to a 36-month maximum.
A Veteran has 36 months of Post-9/11 GI Bill and 48 months of VR&E. Using VR&E first for a degree leaves the GI Bill months available afterwards, such as for a second qualification. Using the GI Bill first removes those months from the VR&E balance. Confirm your own balance with VA before you enrol.
Which to use first, and when
| Your situation | Likely better fit |
|---|---|
| You qualify for VR&E and want to protect GI Bill months for later or for a dependant | VR&E first, per VA's guidance. |
| You want a degree with no employment goal assessment and have no disability rating | Post-9/11 GI Bill. VR&E needs a service-connected rating and an employment handicap. |
| Your school sits in a high-BAH area and the GI Bill housing rate exceeds the subsistence allowance | VR&E services with the Post-9/11 housing rate election. |
| You need a business start-up, job placement or independent living services | VR&E, because the GI Bill does not offer those services. See the self-employment track. |
| You plan to transfer unused months to a spouse or child | Check transfer rules before you use any months, since VR&E services are for the Veteran. |
VA lists family support for VR&E as vocational counselling and help with career goals, education and job search. It does not describe family members receiving VR&E payments.
Studying abroad
The GI Bill pays up to $30,908.34 a year in tuition at foreign institutions for 2026-27, and housing up to $2,522 a month at the national average. VR&E can fund training outside the United States when 38 CFR 21.130 conditions are met. Read the GI Bill guide to studying in the UK if you plan to study overseas.
How to decide this week
- Request your GI Bill Statement of Benefits to see months used and remaining.
- Apply to VR&E and ask your counsellor to compare both options in writing.
- Ask for a side-by-side calculation of subsistence allowance and the GI Bill housing rate for your school.
- Confirm how many VR&E months you can use and what happens to your GI Bill months.
- Make the choice before you register for classes.
What to do this week
- Download your GI Bill Statement of Benefits to see months used.
- Apply to VR&E using VA Form 28-1900 if you have a rating.
- Ask your counsellor to compare subsistence allowance with the GI Bill housing rate for your school.
- Ask in writing how many total months you will have if you use VR&E first.
- Decide before registration, since switching mid-term is restricted.
Questions people ask
Can I use VR&E and the Post-9/11 GI Bill together?
Which should I use first, VR&E or the GI Bill?
What is the 48-month rule?
Does VR&E pay more than the GI Bill housing allowance?
Do I need a disability rating for the GI Bill?
- Department of Veterans Affairs, "Compare VA education benefits" (VA.gov). https://www.va.gov/resources/compare-va-education-benefits/
- Department of Veterans Affairs, "Post-9/11 GI Bill" (VA.gov). https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/post-9-11/
- Department of Veterans Affairs, "Post-9/11 GI Bill rates" (2026-27 academic year). https://www.va.gov/education/benefit-rates/post-9-11-gi-bill-rates/
- Veterans Benefits Administration, "VR&E Fiscal Year 2027 Subsistence Rates" (effective 1 October 2026). https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/vrerates27.asp
- Department of Veterans Affairs, "Eligibility for Veteran Readiness and Employment" (VA.gov). https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/vocational-rehabilitation/eligibility/
- 38 CFR 21.264, "Election of Post-9/11 subsistence allowance". https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/21.264
- 38 CFR 21.78, "Extensions of entitlement beyond 48 months". https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/21.78
- MOAA, "New VA Education Rule Allows Some Vets to Get Multiple Degrees" (2021). https://www.moaa.org/content/publications-and-media/news-articles/2021-news-articles/new-va-education-rule-allows-some-vets-to-get-multiple-degrees/
- James Madison University Registrar, "Chapter 31 VR&E". https://www.jmu.edu/registrar/veterans/chapter31.shtml
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