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How to Apply for the GI Bill

Hi everyone and welcome (or welcome back) to the blog ‘Soldier to Student”. This blog is going to cover how to apply for the GI Bill. 


Step 1: Find out if you are eligible! Click on the following link and read through to determine if you meet the criteria. https://www.va.gov/education/eligibility/ 


Step 2: Gather the following documents and information.

  • Social Security number

  • Bank account direct deposit information

  • Education and military history

  • Basic information about the school or training facility you want to attend or are attending now

Step 3: Click on the link below that directs you to the application for VA education benefits. https://www.va.gov/education/apply-for-education-benefits/application/1990/introduction 

Step 4: Sign in (or create an account) and follow the on-screen instructions for the application.

Step 5: Submit application, you should receive a confirmation message which you can print out for your records. 

Step 6: The VA will review your application, but claims are roughly processed within 30 days.

Step 7: You will get a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), or award letter, in the mail if your application was approved. If your application was not approved, you will get a denial letter in the mail.

Applying for the GI Bill is pretty straightforward. There are a few things to remember and some advice I can give you though. The first is to research both the Montgomery and Post 9-11 GI Bills to see which gives you the most benefits. I also highly recommend reaching out to both the VA and your schools veteran center for advice on what option is the best for you. I found myself very confused when I was first presented the education benefits I qualified for, but after I reached out to my schools veterans center and the VA, I found the process to be very manageable. Another resource that is available but I did not use so I can not attest to how good it is, is a Veteran Service Officer (or VSO). There are many VSOs and they are relatively easy to find, a simple google search will give you a list. Also take advantage of transition programs, when I was getting out of active duty I enrolled in Onward Ops, a Expiration Term of Service (ETS) sponsorship program. They assigned me a sponsor who answered questions as well as gave me the resources I needed to succeed. There are many resources out there for veterans so do your research and take advantage of them! I hope this helped, please feel free to leave me any comments or questions!


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