Yes, you may be eligible for more than one VA education benefit program. However, you may only receive payments from one program at a time. You can receive a maximum of 48 months of benefits under any combination of VA education programs you qualify for.
For Example: If you qualify for both MGIB-AD (Chapter 30) and MGIB-SR (Chapter 1606), you can receive 36 months of entitlement at your MGIB-AD payment rate, and then an additional 12 months of entitlement at your MGIB-SR payment rate, up to the maximum total of 48 months entitlement.
Effective October 1, 2013, there is an exception to this rule for recipients of Survivors' & Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). Click here for more information.
If you are eligible for more than one benefit program you must notify us in writing which program you intend to use before enrolling in training.
If you are eligible for more than one benefit program you must notify us in writing which program you intend to use before enrolling in training.
If you are eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and another benefit program (like the Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty), you must make an irrevocable election in writing before receiving any Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. This means you cannot change back to the other program after you receive any Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. You must make this irrevocable election in writing by one of several methods:
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sending us a secure email containing your election statment by clicking on the "Ask A Question" tab on the top of this page
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entering an election statement on your Application for Education Benefits" (VA Form 22-1990)
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entering an election statement on your Change of Program of Place of Training" (VA Form 22-1995)
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sending your written election statment through "Ask A Question"
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visiting one of our regional offices in person and submitting a written election statment
All surviving spouses eligible for DEA and the Fry Scholarship must make an irrevocable election for terms beginning on or after January 1, 2015. When a surviving spouse elects to convert to the Fry Scholarship, he or she loses all remaining DEA benefits. If a spouse elects to use DEA instead of the Fry Scholarship, he or she forfeits all future entitlement to the Fry Scholarship.