Order Code RL34549
A Brief History of Veterans’
Education Benefits and Their Value
June 25, 2008
David P. Smole
Specialist in Education Policy
Domestic Social Policy Division
Shannon S. Loane
Information Research Specialist
Knowledge Services Group
A Brief History of Veterans’
Education Benefits and Their Value
Summary
Federal educational assistance programs have been authorized for veterans of
the Armed Forces since 1944. The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (P.L. 78-
346), or the GI Bill of Rights, provided support, including education benefits, to
veterans of World War II. Subsequently, other programs were implemented for
similar purposes (e.g., the Korean GI Bill and the Vietnam Era GI Bill). These new
programs were primarily, if not exclusively, funded by the federal government and
were intended to support veterans returning from war. The implementation of the
Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) marked the
first time that an educational benefit had been established during peacetime and for
an all-volunteer force; the first time that education benefits were viewed as a military
recruiting tool; and the first time that servicemembers were required to make a
contribution toward their veterans’ education benefits. Many of the principles of
VEAP were carried over during the creation of its successor program, the
Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB), which was implemented in 1985.
Veterans’ education benefits have evolved substantially over the last 60-plus
years. When first established, veterans’ education benefits were completely
subsidized by the federal government; payments were issued to educational
institutions on behalf of the veteran; they could be used for a variety of education and
training programs; and separate subsistence payments were also provided. Currently,
veterans’ education benefits are partially subsidized; they are paid directly to the
veteran; and they may be used to pay tuition, fees and expenses associated with a
variety of education and training programs.
During the period since veterans’ education benefits first were made available,
college prices have increased substantially. In addition, the manner in which federal
student financial aid is calculated and awarded has shifted several times during the
evolution of the veterans’ education benefits programs. At present, federal student
assistance is calculated according to the federal need analysis system, which
considers the receipt of veterans’ education benefits when determining eligibility for
some student aid programs. These policy and program changes have altered the role
that veterans’ education benefits play in supporting access to postsecondary
education for veterans.
This report reviews the evolution of veterans’ education benefit programs and
describes the types of education benefits that have been made available under these
programs. It also examines how changes in the estimated value of these benefits
compares with changes in average college prices, and provides a discussion of the
interaction between veterans’ education benefits and federal student aid benefits
made available under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as
amended. This report will be updated consistent with programmatic changes.
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Veterans’ Education Benefit Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
GI Bill of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Korean GI Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Post-Korea and Vietnam-Era GI Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) . . . . 3
Montgomery GI Bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (MGIB-AD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA) . . . . . 7
Changes in the Value of Veterans’ Education Benefits Over Time . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Value of Veterans’ Education Benefits: 1944-2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Value of Education Benefits Provided Through the Montgomery GI Bill:
1987-2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Purchasing Power of the MGIB-AD Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Use of Education Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Veterans’ Education Benefits and Federal Student Aid Available Under
the Higher Education Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Federal Need Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Military Education Benefits, Need Analysis, and Federal Student Aid . . . . 19
Military Education Benefits and Pell Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Military Education Benefits and FFEL/DL Program Student Loans . . 20
Military Education Benefits and Campus-Based Programs . . . . . . . . . 20
Student Eligibility Requirements for Title IV Programs
and Military Education Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
List of Figures
Figure 1. Veterans’ Education Program Monthly Benefit Amounts:
Constant 2007 Dollars, 1944-2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
List of Tables
Table 1. Selected Characteristics of Veterans’ Education Benefits Programs . . . 9
Table 2. History of MGIB-AD and MGIB-SR Monthly Education Benefits:
Current and Constant 2007 Dollars, 1985-2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Table 3. Percent of Average Price of Public and Private Four-Year IHEs
and Public Two-Year IHEs Covered by the MGIB-AD Education Benefit:
1985-1986 through 2007-2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Table 4. Recipients of Veterans’ Education Benefits by Program:
FY1998 - FY2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Table 5. Student Eligibility Requirements for Participation in the Federal
Student Aid Programs Under Title IV of the Higher Education Act
and GI Bill Education Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
A Brief History of Veterans’
Education Benefits and Their Value
Introduction1
Since 1944, Congress has demonstrated an interest in providing education
benefits to veterans of the Armed Forces. The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of
1944 (P.L. 78-346), or the GI Bill of Rights, provided support, including education
benefits, to veterans of World War II. Following the expiration of the original GI
Bill, other programs, including the Korean GI Bill, Vietnam Era GI Bill, the Post-
Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP), and the current GI
Bill, known as the Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB), were implemented to make
education benefits available to veterans of the Armed Forces. These programs were
primarily, if not exclusively, funded by the federal government and were intended to
provide assistance to veterans following the completion of their military service.
Veterans’ education benefits have evolved substantially over the last 60-plus
years. In the past, veterans’ education benefits were completely subsidized by the
federal government; they could be used for a variety of education and training
programs; separate subsistence payments were provided; and payments were issued
to educational institutions on behalf of the veteran. Currently, MGIB veterans’
education benefits are partially subsidized; may be used to pay tuition, fees and
expenses associated with a variety of education and training programs; and are paid
directly to the student.
During the period since 1944, when veterans’ education benefits first were made
available, there have been numerous changes to the veterans’ education programs and
the benefit amounts made available. Also, during this period, other forms of federal
financial assistance have been made to students, including students who are veterans,
through the enactment of an array of federal student financial aid programs. At the
same time, however, college prices and costs associated with obtaining a
postsecondary education have continued to increase.2
The relationship between veterans’ education benefits and federal student aid,
and the manner by which federal student aid is calculated and awarded, have changed
several times as veterans’ education benefits programs have evolved. At present,
1 This report is adapted from a prior CRS report, Montgomery GI Bill Education Benefits:
Analysis of College Prices and Federal Student Aid Under the Higher Education Act, by
Charmaine Mercer. The report, now out of print, is available from the authors upon request.
2 For additional information on college costs and prices, see CRS Report RL34224, College
Costs and Prices: Issues for Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, by Rebecca R.
Skinner and Blake Alan Naughton.
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federal student aid awards are calculated according to the federal need analysis
system, which takes an individual’s receipt of veterans’ education benefits into
account during the process of determining eligibility for certain federal student aid
programs. The rules governing the interaction between the federal student aid
programs and veterans’ education benefits programs affect how much aggregate aid
is made available to veterans to support their access to postsecondary education.
This report reviews the evolution of veterans’ education benefit programs and
describes the types of education benefits that have been made available under these
programs.3 The report is organized into three major sections. The first section
provides an historical overview of education benefits for military veterans, beginning
with the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 (GI Bill of Rights). The second
section is an analysis of the estimated value of veterans’ education benefits relative
to average college prices. This section focuses on the estimated value of veterans’
education benefits and college prices at four-year public and private institutions, and
two-year public institutions. The final section briefly examines the interaction
between veterans’ education benefits and federal student aid benefits authorized
under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended.
Veterans’ Education Benefit Programs
This section provides a brief history of the education benefits programs that
have been made available to veterans, beginning with the GI Bill of Rights. A
summary of selected characteristics of the various programs is presented in Table 1
at the end of this section.
GI Bill of Rights
The original GI Bill, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, was intended
to help veterans readjust to civilian life, avoid high levels of unemployment, and
afford returning veterans an opportunity to receive the education and training that
they missed while serving in the military. Under the GI Bill, the Veterans
Administration, now the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), paid up to $500 a
year directly to an educational institution for tuition, books, fees, and other training
costs.4 The VA also paid as much as $50 a month (increased to $65 in 1946, and $75
3 Proposals are being considered in the 110th Congress to enact expanded education benefits
for veterans. These proposals are beyond the scope of this report. For information on
legislative proposals to expand veterans’ education benefits programs, see CRS Report
RL33985, Veterans’ Benefits: Issues in the 110th Congress, coordinated by Carol D. Davis;
and CRS Report RL34451, Second FY2008 Supplemental Appropriations for Military
Operations, International Affairs, and Other Purposes, by Stephen Daggett, Susan B.
Epstein, Rhoda Margesson, Curt Tarnoff, Pat Towell, Catherine Dale, and Shannon S.
Loane.
4 Reliable, comprehensive data on the price of college attendance during the 1940s are not
available. Based on data obtained on individual institutions, it seems likely that $500
annually would have been sufficient to cover educational costs at most institutions. For
(continued...)
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in 1948) as a subsistence allowance to single veterans, and greater monthly amounts
to veterans with one or more dependents. This program ended on July 25, 1956.
Korean GI Bill
The Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1952, the Korean GI Bill (P.L.
82-550), was authorized to help veterans returning from the Korean War to adjust to
civilian life. The benefit provided up to $110 a month to single veterans for
educational expenses and education-related expenses, and higher amounts for
veterans with dependents. Unlike the GI Bill of Rights, which paid both educational
expenses and a separate subsistence allowance, the monthly benefit for the Korean
GI Bill was intended to cover both. It was believed that requiring the veteran to
contribute to the costs of his/her education would encourage more careful spending.
In addition, partially in response to alleged incidents of fraud and abuse by for-profit
(proprietary) institutions of higher education (IHEs), each veteran received a lump-
sum payment from the VA instead of the VA making direct payments to IHEs. The
program ended January 31, 1965.
Post-Korea and Vietnam-Era GI Bill
The Post-Korea and Vietnam-Era GI Bill was enacted in 1966 under the
Veterans’ Readjustment Benefits Act of 1966 (P.L. 89-358). This program was
originally intended for veterans of the post-Korean War era, and was not intended to
be as generous as some of the earlier programs for veterans.5 Under this act, veterans
who had been on active duty for more than 180 consecutive days were entitled to one
month of educational assistance for each month of service. This was the first GI Bill
that provided benefits to members of the Armed Forces while they served on active
duty, as opposed to providing benefits only after the completion of active duty. The
program became effective June 1, 1966, but benefits were made available
retroactively to post-Korean War era veterans and Vietnam-Era veterans who had
served prior to the effective date. The initial monthly benefit amount for a single
veteran was $100 per month, and monthly benefit amounts were increased several
times during the operation of the program — ultimately, to $376 per month in 1984.
The program ended December 31, 1989.
Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational
Assistance Program (VEAP)
The Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) was
established under Title IV of the Veterans’ Education and Employment Assistance
Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-502). The program was made available to individuals who
4 (...continued)
example, based on anecdotal evidence tuition and fees at Harvard University and the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology were $450 and $500, respectively, in the 1940s.
5 In 1976, at the end of the Vietnam hostilities, benefits were extended from 36 months to
45 months, and the time period in which benefits could be used was extended from eight
years to 10 years following discharge.
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entered active duty after December 31, 1976, and before July 1, 1985. VEAP was
designed as a recruitment incentive for the Armed Forces during peacetime. Since
the benefit was established for an all-volunteer force serving during peacetime, it was
deemed appropriate to require participants, for the first time, to contribute to an
education fund during their period of service in the military. Program participants
had to agree to monthly pay reductions of at least $25, but not more than $100. The
maximum education benefit may not exceed the sum of the amount contributed by
the participant and the matching federal contribution (see Table 1 for details); and
the maximum monthly benefit amount is $300.6 VEAP benefits must be used within
ten years of discharge. VEAP participants who were on active duty on October 9,
1996 were eligible until October 8, 1997, to elect to participate in the MGIB
program.
Montgomery GI Bill
The MGIB consists of two major programs: MGIB-Active Duty (MGIB-AD),
for individuals serving on active duty or who have separated from active duty; and
MGIB-Selected Reserves (MGIB-SR), for members of the selected reserves. These
programs are described below.
Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (MGIB-AD). The Montgomery GI Bill
(MGIB), originally called the All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program,
was initially enacted as part of the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1985
(P.L. 98-525), as a three-year pilot program.7 The MGIB-AD program is available to
individuals who entered active duty after June 30, 1985; as well as, in certain
circumstances, individuals who entered active duty prior to that date.8 To become
eligible for MGIB-AD benefits, individuals must not have declined the benefit in
writing, and must have had their military pay reduced by $100 per month for 12
months. MGIB-AD benefits may be used for a maximum of 36 months; and in
general, benefits must be used within ten years of discharge from active duty.9 To
be eligible for benefits, individuals must have received a fully honorable discharge
6 The Department of Defense could also make additional contributions, known as “kickers,”
to individuals in critical military fields to encourage enlistment or reenlistment in the Armed
Forces.
7 The New GI Bill Continuation Act (P.L. 100-48) permanently authorized the All-Volunteer
Force Educational Assistance Program and the Selected Reserve Component. It also
changed the name of the program to the Montgomery GI Bill. The MGIB-AD program is
authorized under Title 38, Chapter 30, of the United States Code.
8 There are four categories of eligibility for the MGIB-AD program. Category 1applies to
the majority of individuals and is addressed here. Category 2 applies to Vietnam-Era GI Bill
conversion; Category 3 applies to involuntary separation/special separation; and Category
4 applies to veterans who participated in VEAP. For additional information on the four
categories of eligibility, see Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Benefits for Veterans
and Dependents, 2008 Edition, Chapter 4, Education and Training, at [http://www1.va.gov/
opa/vadocs/fedben.pdf].
9 In addition, individuals may receive veterans’ education and training benefits under only
one program at a time; and individuals may receive veterans’ education and training benefits
under all programs combined for a maximum of 48 months.
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(or be serving on active duty); and must have a high school diploma or the
equivalent, or have completed at least 12 credit hours towards a college degree. In
most instances, individuals must have served for three continuous years on active
duty to become eligible to receive MGIB-AD benefits; however, in certain
circumstances, individuals may qualify to receive benefits after two continuous years
of active duty service.
MGIB-AD benefits are paid on a monthly basis. Monthly benefit rates vary
according to whether individuals have served for three continuous years on active
duty; and the intensity of the training toward which the benefits are being applied.
For FY2008, the maximum monthly benefit rate is $1,101 for individuals who have
served for three continuous years on active duty, and who are enrolled full-time.
Maximum monthly benefit amounts are adjusted annually according to the consumer
price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U). Lower benefit rates apply to eligible
individuals who have not served for three continuous years on active duty, and to
those enrolled less than full-time. In certain instances, individuals may also be
eligible to receive higher benefit amounts, referred to as a “kicker” or a “college
fund” (see below).
MGIB-AD benefits may be used to pay for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and
other expenses associated with enrollment in an array of approved education and
training programs, including
! courses at colleges and universities leading to an associate,
baccalaureate, or graduate degree;
! courses at business, vocational, and technical schools leading to a
certificate or diploma;
! apprenticeship and on-the-job training, including self-employment
training for ownership or operation of a franchise (for individuals
not on active duty);
! flight training (for qualified individuals);
! state-approved teacher certification programs;
! preparatory courses for admission to undergraduate or graduate
education programs;
! approved licensing and certification tests;
! entrepreneurship training courses for the creation or expansion of
small businesses; and
! tuition assistance using MGIB as “Top-Up” (see below).10
MGIB “Kicker”/College Fund. The College Fund is an add-on benefit to the
MGIB-AD benefit that may be made available to individuals at the time of
enlistment. Individuals must elect to participate in the MGIB-AD program to
become eligible for the College Fund. Each service branch elects whether to offer
the College Fund benefit to recruits serving in certain critical military occupational
specialities. (Currently, the Army and the Navy participate.) Veterans receive the
College Fund benefit as an add-on to the MGIB-AD monthly benefit amount. While
10 Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents, 2008
Edition, p. 34.
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MGIB-AD monthly benefit amounts are adjusted annually according to changes in
the CPI-U, no annual adjustments are made to College Fund monthly benefit
amounts.
Tuition Assistance “Top-Up”. The Tuition Assistance “Top-Up” program
was established under the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2001 (P.L. 106-398). Through Tuition Assistance programs, military
service branches may pay tuition and expenses for the education and training of
active duty personnel.11 Under Tuition Assistance Top-Up, MGIB-AD participants
who have served for at least two years on active duty and who are approved for
Tuition Assistance benefits may elect to receive MGIB benefits to pay for education
and training expenses above the amount paid by their military service branch. If a
servicemember’s service branch will not pay 100% of tuition and fees, the
servicemember may use MGIB Top-Up to pay the difference between the total cost
and the amount paid by the service branch. Use of the MGIB Top-Up benefit results
in a reduction of future MGIB benefits.
Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR). The MGIB-SR
program is available to individuals serving in the Selected Reserves.12 Eligibility for
MGIB-SR is determined by Selected Reserve service components; and individuals
must agree to a six-year service obligation. Individuals may receive up to 36 months
of benefits, and these must be used within 14 years of becoming eligible.
(Individuals who became eligible for MGIB-SR prior to October 1, 1992 must use
benefits within 10 years of becoming eligible.) Education benefits may be used for
activities that include degree programs, certificate or correspondence courses,
cooperative training, independent study, apprenticeship, and vocational flight training
programs. For FY2008, the maximum MGIB-SR monthly benefit amount is $317.
Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
The Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) was established under the
Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (P.L.
108-375);13 and provides benefits for members of the Selected Reserves, Individual
Ready Reserve (IRR), and National Guard who are called or ordered to active duty
in response to a war or national emergency as declared by the President or Congress.
In general, an individual called to active duty who serves for at least 90 consecutive
days on or after September 11, 2001, is eligible for REAP. The REAP benefit
amount is based on a percentage of the MGIB-AD benefit amount and is indexed to
the duration of service. Members who serve at least 90 days, but less than 1 year
receive 40% of the full MGIB-AD rate; those who serve more than 1 year, but less
than 2 years receive 60% of the full MGIB-AD; and those who serve 2 or more
11 For additional information on Tuition Assistance programs, see the Defense Activity for
Non-Traditional Education Services (DANTES), Tuition Assistance Programs, at
[http://www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes_web/tuitionassistance/index.htm].
12 The MGIB-SR program is authorized under Title 10, Chapter 1606 of the United States
Code.
13 The REAP program is authorized under Title 10, Chapter 1607 of the United States Code.
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continuous years receive 80% of the full MGIB-AD rate. In general, REAP benefits
may be used to pay for education programs with the exception of reimbursement for
examinations and testing. REAP benefits are potentially payable from December 9,
2001.14 A maximum of 36 months of REAP benefits are available; and benefits must
be used within 10 years. For FY2008, the maximum REAP monthly benefit amount
is $881.
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational
Assistance Program (DEA)
The DEA program15 was first established by the War Orphans’ Educational
Assistance Act of 1956 (P.L. 84-634).16 It provides up to 45 months of education and
training benefits to the spouse and children (including stepchildren or adopted
children) of a veteran who
! is permanently and totally disabled, or dies, as a result of a service-
connected disability that arises out of or is aggravated by active duty;
! has a permanent and total service-connected disability and dies from
any cause;
! is missing in action or is captured in line of duty and held by a
hostile force;
! is currently detained in line of duty by a foreign government or
power;
! is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service-
connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be
discharged for that disability.17
Generally, children of such veterans are eligible from the age of 18 to the age
of 26, although there are some exceptions. Spouses are eligible for benefits for ten
years from the date of death of the veteran or from the date of VA notification of
eligibility due to the veteran’s permanent and total disability, although, again, there
are some exceptions. If the servicemember died on active duty, the spouse’s benefits
end 20 years after the date of death.
DEA benefits can be used for undergraduate and graduate degree programs at
colleges and universities; cooperative training programs; certificate programs at
colleges, universities, business, technical, or vocational schools; apprenticeships or
on-the-job training programs offered by companies or unions; farm cooperative
courses; overseas programs that lead to college degrees; preparatory courses for
college or graduate school entrance examinations; high school programs; and, for the
14 Department of Veterans Affairs, Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP), VA
Pamphlet 22-05-1, December 2005.
15 The DEA program is authorized under Title 38, Chapter 35 of the United States Code.
16 Department of Veterans Affairs, Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA),
VA pamphlet 22-73-3 Revised, January 2005, at [http://www.gibill.va.gov/pamphlets/
CH35/CH35_Pamphlet.pdf].
17 This category is effective as of December 23, 2006.
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spouse of a servicemember, correspondence courses. Other types of educational
costs, including tutorial assistance, tests for course credit at colleges and universities,
tests required for admission to certain programs, licensing and certification tests, may
also be covered.
The FY2008 rate for those attending an institution full-time is $881 per month.
Amounts are reduced for those attending less than full-time or pursuing farm
cooperative training or apprenticeship or on-the-job training.
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Table 1. Selected Characteristics of Veterans’ Education Benefits Programs
Post-Vietnam Era
Reserve
Veterans’
Montgomery GI
Vietnam- Era
Montgomery GI
Educational
Criteria
GI Bill of Rights
Korean GI Bill
Educational
Bill - Selected
GI Bill
Bill - Active Duty
Assistance
Assistance
Reserves
Program (REAP)
Program (VEAP)
Year enacted
1944
1952
1966
1976
1984
1984
2004
Initial
P.L. 78-346
P.L. 82-550
P.L. 89-358
P.L. 94-502
P.L. 98-525
P.L. 98-525
P.L. 108-375
authorization
Period of service
September 16,
June 27, 1950,
February 1, 1955
December 31,
Entered active
July 1, 1985, to
After September
1940, through
through January
through August 4,
1976, through July
duty after June 30,
present
11, 2001, to
July 25, 1947
31, 1955
1964 (Post-Korean
1, 1985
1985
present
War);
August 5, 1964,
through May 7,
1975 (Vietnam-Era
veterans)
Period of Use
June 22, 1944, to
August 20, 1952,
June 1, 1966, to
January 1, 1977, to
July 1, 1985, to
July 1, 1985, to
December 9, 2001,
July 25, 1956
to January 31,
December 31, 1989
present
present
present
to present
1965
Highest standard
$500 per year
$110 per month
$376 per month
$300 per montha
$1,101 per month
$317 per month
$881 per month
benefit amount
maximum; and
maximum
(FY2008)b
(FY2008)b
(FY2008)c
(current dollars)
$75 monthly
subsistence
Duration of
One year full-
1.5 times the
One month of
Lesser of 36
Lesser of 36
36 months
36 months
benefits
time training plus
duration of active
education benefits
months or number
months or number
a period equal to
service; 36 months
for every month of
of months of
of months of active
time in service;
maximum
active duty service;
contributions
duty
48 months
45 months
maximum
maximum
Contribution
None
None
None
$25 to $100 per
Pay reduction of
None
None
month; $2,700
$100 per month
maximum
for the first 12
months of pay
CRS-10
Post-Vietnam Era
Reserve
Veterans’
Montgomery GI
Vietnam- Era
Montgomery GI
Educational
Criteria
GI Bill of Rights
Korean GI Bill
Educational
Bill - Selected
GI Bill
Bill - Active Duty
Assistance
Assistance
Reserves
Program (REAP)
Program (VEAP)
Length of service
Minimum 90
Minimum 90 days
More than 180 days
Minimum 181
Minimum 181
Accepted 6-year
Minimum 90 days
days
of active duty
continuous days of
continuous days of
reserve obligation
of consecutive
service
active duty service,
active duty
after June 30, 1985
service in a
if entered before
service; 24 months
contingency
October 16, 1981;
of active duty if
operation
24 months of
enlisted after
continuous active
September 7, 1980
duty service if
entered after
October 16, 1981
Discharge status
Other than
Other than
Other than
Other than
Fully honorable
Must remain with
Must remain with
dishonorable
dishonorable
dishonorable
dishonorable
discharge or on
Reserve unit
Reserve unit
active duty
Time limitation on
Initiated by later
Initiated by three
Within 8 years after
Within 10 years of
Within 10 years of
Within 14 years of
Benefits can be
use of benefits
of end of war or
years and
discharge; 10 years
discharge or
discharge or
initial eligibility, if
used after 90-day
two years after
completed by eight
for Vietnam
release from active
release from active
eligible on or after
minimum service
discharge
years after
veterans
duty
duty
October 1, 1992
period completed
discharge
(for those first
— no fixed
eligible prior to
delimited date;
October 1, 1992,
must remain with
benefits must be
Reserve
used within 10
component
years of initial
eligibility)
Source: Table prepared by CRS based on data available from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
a. Government matches every $1 the service person contributes with $2. The maximum benefit available under the program is $8,100 ($5,400 federal contribution and $2,700 individual
contribution). The total contribution (service person contribution plus government share) is then divided by the number of months the service person contributed to VEAP.
b. Amounts shown are for full-time institutional training, and are for individuals who completed a minimum of three years of service. The amounts are less for individuals who served
less than three years and who attend less than full-time. The education benefits payment rate schedule is available at [http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_Bill_Info/rates.htm].
c. The monthly amount is a percentage of the MGIB-Active Duty and is based on the number of continuous days of active duty service. The amount shown is for full-time institutional
training, and is for individuals who completed at two years or more of active duty service. The amount is less for individuals who served two years or less, and who attend less
than full-time.
CRS-11
Changes in the Value of Veterans’
Education Benefits Over Time
Over time, there have been numerous changes to the veterans’ education benefit
programs. Periodically, programmatic eligibility criteria and benefit amounts have
been amended. Several programs have expired and been replaced by successor
programs. One useful way to examine veterans’ education benefits is to compare the
actual (real) value of the benefits made available under these different programs over
time. The analysis presented here considers only the benefits available for education
and living expenses. It does not factor in any individual contributions toward
education benefits that servicemembers have been required to make beginning with
the establishment of the VEAP in 1976, nor “kickers” provided to encourage
enrollment in the Armed Forces. In addition, it only considers benefits available to
full-time students with no dependents.18 This section examines the value of the
education benefits provided through the GI Bill of Rights and successor programs
from 1944 through 2007 in inflation-adjusted (constant) 2007 dollars. It also
examines the purchasing power of benefits made available under the MGIB-AD
program — the largest of the currently active veterans’ education benefits programs
— with respect to the costs of obtaining a postsecondary education.
Veterans’ education benefits are generally awarded for a specific number of
months, depending upon the program, when the recipient enrolled, and the duration
of service. For example, a recipient can receive MGIB benefits for 36 months, which
could be disbursed over the course of three years (twelve monthly payments per year)
or over the course of four years (nine monthly payments per 9-month academic
year).19 In the analyses presented here, it is assumed that the benefits will be
disbursed over a four-year period (i.e., for four 9-month academic years). College
price data are primarily from the Digest of Education Statistics, 2007, produced by
the Department of Education (ED). Data for 2007-2008 are from the College Board
because these data are not currently available from ED. The College Board bases its
college price data on a sample of institutions, whereas ED includes the universe of
institutions of higher education (IHEs) in its price data.
Value of Veterans’ Education Benefits: 1944-2007
As previously discussed, the original GI Bill provided up to $500 annually for
education expenses. This is the equivalent of $5,890 in 2007 dollars.20 An additional
$50 was provided monthly for living expenses in 1944, which in 2007 dollars is
18 Veterans with dependents have historically received additional funding to acknowledge
this added responsibility under programs prior to VEAP.
19 Other payment distribution arrangements are possible.
20 All constant dollar calculations were performed using Consumer Price Index-All Urban
Consumers (CPI-U) data available from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS).
CRS-12
equivalent to $589 monthly, or $5,301 annually.21 Thus, the total education benefit,
including the living allowance, in 1944 would have been worth $11,191 annually, or
$1,243 monthly in 2007 dollars.22 In 1956, when the original GI Bill ended, the
education benefit was $131 per month, which is equal to $999 per month in real-
dollar 2007 terms. Subsequent GI Bills provided benefits on a monthly basis.23 The
monthly benefit amount for the Korean War GI Bill was $110 for duration of the
program. In 1952, this was equivalent to $861 in 2007 dollars, and in 1965 when the
program ended, it was equivalent to $724. When the Post Korea and Vietnam-Era
GI Bill was enacted in 1966, the monthly benefit amount was $100, which was
equivalent to $640 in 2007 dollars. In 1989, when the Post-Korea and Vietnam-Era
GI Bill ended, the monthly benefit amount was $376, or $629 in 2007 dollars. The
maximum monthly benefit amount for the VEAP has remained constant at $300 since
first becoming available in 1977. In 1977, this was equivalent to $1,026 in 2007
dollars.
When the MGIB-AD program was enacted in 1985, the maximum monthly
benefit was $300, or $578 in constant 2007 dollars. The MGIB-AD benefit amount
has been increased numerous times, most recently under the Veterans Education and
Benefits Expansion Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-103). Since FY2004, MGIB-AD monthly
benefit amounts have been adjusted annually according to the CPI. Currently, the
MGIB-AD monthly benefit amount is $1,101. When enacted in 1985, the MGIB-SR
monthly benefit amount was $140, which was the equivalent of $270 in 2007 dollars.
The monthly benefit amount for the MGIB-SR program has also been increased
numerous times; however, these increases have not kept pace with those for the
MGIB-AD program. The maximum monthly benefit amount for the REAP program
is a fixed proportion of the MGIB-AD benefit amount. Thus, REAP benefits have
increased in concert with MGIB-AD.
Figure 1 shows the real value of the maximum monthly benefit amounts made
available under the various veterans’ education benefit programs that have been in
effect since 1944. As can be seen, benefits were most generous in real terms in the
late 1940s under the original GI Bill of Rights, in the early 1970s under the Post-
Korea and Vietnam-Era GI Bill, and in the 21st century under the MGIB-AD
program.
21 This assumes that living expenses were provided for nine months each year, the length of
a traditional academic year. P.L. 78-346 specifically refers to an “ordinary school year”
when discussing education benefits. The monthly allowance for living expenses increased
to $65 in 1946 and $75 in 1948.
22 Details may not add to totals due to rounding.
23 Benefits provided through the original GI Bill were converted to monthly amounts for
comparison purposes.
CRS-13
Figure 1. Veterans’ Education Program Monthly Benefit Amounts:
Constant 2007 Dollars, 1944-2007
$1,400
$1,200
's)
7 $ $1,000
200
unt (
$800
o
m
t A
$600
nefi
e
ly B
$400
Month
$200
$0
9
4
4
9
4
1944
194
195
1959
1964
1969
197
1979
1984
198
1994
1999
200
GI Bill of Rights
Korean GI Bill
Post-Korea and Vietnam-Era GI Bill
VEAP
MGIB-AD
MGIB-SR
REAP
Source: Table prepared by CRS on the basis of data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Note: All constant dollar calculations are based on the average Consumer Price Index-All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for each year. Monthly education benefits
include any funds available for living expenses. All dollar amounts have been rounded.
Value of Education Benefits Provided
Through the Montgomery GI Bill: 1987-2007
The maximum monthly benefit amounts available under the MGIB-AD and
MGIB-SR programs since their inception in 1985 are presented in Table 2. Monthly
benefit amounts are shown at the inception of the programs, at annual intervals, and
when adjustments to benefit amounts have been made. Benefit amounts are shown
in both current and constant (2007) dollars.
In the initial years of both the MGIB-AD and MGIB-SR programs, benefit
amounts remained stagnant. However, in real terms, benefit amounts declined
slightly. Beginning in the early 1990s benefit amounts began to be increased and
through most of that decade, proportional increases were provided for both programs.
In the late 1990s and the early years of this decade, a number of substantial increases
have been made to MGIB-AD benefit amounts, resulting in increases in several years
that exceed the CPI. Increases for MGIB-SR benefits have been less substantial and
for most of the past decade have been indexed to the CPI. At present, since MGIB-
AD and MGIB-SR (and REAP) benefit amounts are adjusted according to the CPI,
increases in benefit amounts are designed to keep pace with inflation. This contrasts
with predecessor veterans’ education programs in which benefit amounts generally
were not indexed to the CPI.
CRS-14
Table 2. History of MGIB-AD and MGIB-SR Monthly Education
Benefits: Current and Constant 2007 Dollars, 1985-2007
MGIB-AD
MGIB-SR
Monthly
Monthly
Monthly
Monthly
Date
Benefit
benefit
Benefit
benefit
(nominal
(constant 2007
(nominal
(constant 2007
dollars)
dollars)
dollars)
dollars)
July 1985
$300
578
140
270
July 1986
300
568
140
265
July 1987
300
548
140
256
July 1988
300
526
140
245
July 1989
300
502
140
234
July 1990
300
476
140
222
Oct. 1991
350
533
170
259
Oct. 1992
350
517
170
251
Apr. 1993
400
574
190
273
Oct. 1994
405
566
192
269
Oct. 1995
417
567
198
269
Oct. 1996
428
565
203
269
Oct. 1997
440
568
209
270
Oct. 1998
528
672
251
319
Oct. 1999
536
667
255
317
Oct. 2000
552
665
263
317
Nov. 2000
650
783
263
317
Oct. 2001
672
787
272
318
Jan. 2002
800
922
272
313
Oct. 2002
900
1,037
276
318
Oct. 2003
985
1,110
282
318
Oct. 2004
1,004
1,102
288
316
Oct. 2005
1,034
1,098
297
315
Oct. 2006
1,075
1,106
309
318
Oct. 2007
1,101
1,101
317
317
Sources: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and Military Officers Association of America.
Note: All constant dollar calculations are based on the average Consumer Price Index-All Urban
Consumers (CPI-U). All dollar amounts have been rounded.
Purchasing Power of the MGIB-AD Program
Since college prices have often increased at a rate that exceeds the CPI, it is also
useful to examine what proportion of the costs of obtaining a postsecondary
education may be met with MGIB-AD benefits. Table 3 shows the percentage of
tuition, fees, room, and board the MGIB-AD benefit has covered on an annual basis
at four-year public and private institutions, as well as at two-year public institutions
from 1985-1986 through the 2007-2008 academic years.
CRS-15
Table 3. Percent of Average Price of Public and Private Four-Year IHEs and Public Two-Year
IHEs Covered by the MGIB-AD Education Benefit: 1985-1986 through 2007-2008
(in current dollars)
Public Four-Year IHEs
Private Four-Year IHEs
Public Two-Year IHEs
MGIB-AD
Academic
Benefit
Average Tuition,
% of Price
Average Tuition,
% of Price
Average Tuition,
% of Price
Year
(September-May)
Fees, Room, and
Covered by
Fees, Room, and
Covered by
Fees, Room, and
Covered by
Board
Benefit
Board
Benefit
Board
Benefit
1985-1986
2,700
3,859
70.0
9,228
29.3
2,981
90.6
1986-1987
2,700
4,138
65.2
10,039
26.9
2,989
90.3
1987-1988
2,700
4,403
61.3
10,659
25.3
3,066
88.1
1988-1989
2,700
4,678
57.7
11,474
23.5
3,183
84.8
1989-1990
2,700
4,975
54.3
12,284
22.0
3,299
81.8
1990-1991
2,700
5,243
51.5
13,237
20.4
3,467
77.9
1991-1992
3,100
5,693
54.5
14,258
21.7
3,623
85.6
1992-1993
3,150
6,020
52.3
15,009
21.0
3,799
82.9
1993-1994
3,250
6,365
51.1
15,904
20.4
3,996
81.3
1994-1995
3,640
6,670
54.6
16,602
21.9
4,137
88.0
1995-1996
3,741
7,014
53.3
17,612
21.2
4,217
88.7
1996-1997
3,841
7,334
52.4
18,442
20.8
4,404
87.2
1997-1998
3,948
7,673
51.5
19,070
20.7
4,509
87.6
1998-1999
4,664
8,027
58.1
19,929
23.4
4,604
101.3
1999-2000
4,816
8,275
58.2
20,706
23.3
4,720
102.0
2000-2001
5,638
8,653
65.2
21,856
25.8
4,839
116.5
2001-2002
6,666
9,196
72.5
22,896
29.1
5,137
129.8
2002-2003
8,000
9,787
81.7
23,787
33.6
5,601
142.8
2003-2004
8,780
10,674
82.3
25,083
35.0
6,020
145.8
2004-2005
9,017
11,426
78.9
26,257
34.3
6,375
141.4
2005-2006
9,276
12,108
76.6
27,317
34.0
6,492
142.9
2006-2007
9,634
12,805
75.2
28,869
33.4
6,810
141.5
2007-2008
9,883
13,589
72.7
32,307
30.6
—
—
Source: Table prepared by CRS based on data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, data available from the U.S. Department of Education,
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Digest of Education Statistics: 2007, table 320, and data available from The College Board, Trends
in College Pricing: 2007.
Notes: The annual MGIB-AD benefit shown here is based on nine months of education benefits to coincide with a nine-month (Sept. to May)
academic year. See Table 2 for monthly benefit amounts by date. All dollar amounts have been rounded.
CRS-16
As shown in Table 3, since the inception of the MGIB-AD program in 1985, the
benefits have covered only a portion of the average tuition, fees, room, and board at
public and private four-year institutions.24 In academic year 1985-1986, the benefit
would have covered 70% of the average expenses at a public four-year institution,
and 29.3% of the average expenses at a private four-year institution.25 In the 2007-
2008 academic year, the MGIB-AD benefit covers 72.7% of the average expenses at
public four-year institutions, and 30.6% of the average expenses at private four-year
institutions. Table 3 also shows that during the 1990s, MGIB-AD benefits met just
over half of the average costs of attending public four-year institutions and just over
one-fifth of the average costs of attending private four-year institutions. In the early
years of this decade, MGIB-AD benefits were increased substantially, and although
benefits are currently indexed to the CPI-U, since college prices are increasing at a
rate that exceeds the CPI-U, their purchasing power relative to college costs is again
declining. MGIB-AD benefits cover a much greater proportion of the average costs
of attending public two-year institutions. Public two-year institutions have typically
had lower prices of attendance and smaller price increases. Since the late 1990s, the
MGIB benefits have covered more than 100% of the average price for tuition, fees,
room, and board at public two-year institutions.
Use of Education Benefits
Information on the number of individuals receiving veterans’ education benefits
by program for FY1998 through FY2007 is shown in Table 4. Nearly two-thirds of
individuals receiving veterans’ education benefits participate in the MGIB-AD
program. Most other beneficiaries are spread across the MGIB-SR, REAP, and DEA
programs. Only a very small number of veterans currently receive benefits under
VEAP.
24 For both analyses, prices are based on in-state tuition and fees and room and board rates
paid by full-time-equivalent students enrolled in degree-granting institutions. While GI Bill
recipients may choose not to live on campus, room and board for on-campus residency were
used in the calculations because these prices are comparable to or higher than room and
board expenses for students living off-campus (The College Board, Trends in College
Pricing: 2007. Available online at [http://www.collegeboard.com].)
25 Due to program eligibility requirements, including minimum time-in-service provisions,
maximum benefit amounts, in general, would not be initially available.
CRS-17
Table 4. Recipients of Veterans’ Education Benefits
by Program: FY1998 - FY2007
FY
MGIB-AD
MGIB-SR
REAP
DEA
VEAP
Total
1998
276,568
121,063
0
22,223
1,023
420,877
1999
288,052
73,580
0
44,423
3,939
409,994
2000
279,948
70,299
0
44,820
2,522
397,589
2001
289,771
82,283
0
46,917
1,680
420,651
2002
323,165
85,766
0
53,888
1,340
464,159
2003
321,837
88,342
0
61,874
917
472,970
2004
332,031
88,650
0
68,920
796
490,397
2005
336,347
87,161
0
74,267
723
498,498
2006
332,184
66,105
23,747
75,460
627
498,123
2007
343,751
60,298
41,388
77,339
568
523,344
Source: Data provided to CRS by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Veterans’ Education Benefits and Federal Student
Aid Available Under the Higher Education Act
Unlike when the GI Bill of Rights was enacted in 1944, veterans’ education
benefits are made available to veterans alongside a broad array of federal student
financial aid programs under which veterans and servicemembers may also be
eligible for assistance. The Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended,
authorizes the major federal student aid programs through which financial assistance
is made available to individuals seeking to obtain a postsecondary education. Most
programs that make available federal student aid to individual students are authorized
under Title IV of the HEA. Major programs authorized under HEA, Title IV include
the Pell Grant program, the American Competitiveness (AC) grant and National
Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent grant (SMART) programs, the
Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants for States and Partnerships (TEACH) Grant
program, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
program, the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program, the Federal Perkins Loan
program; and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) and William D. Ford
Federal Direct Loan (DL) programs. 26 The FFEL and DL programs both make
available subsidized Stafford Loans, unsubsidized Stafford Loans, and PLUS Loans.
These and other programs authorized under the HEA make available federal student
aid in numerous forms, including grants, work-study employment, and loans. The
types and amounts of aid students may be eligible to receive is determined by
programmatic requirements and federal need analysis provisions. As explained
below, federal need analysis provisions take into account students’ status as a veteran
and veterans’ education benefits for which they may be entitled.
26 For additional information on federal student aid programs authorized under the HEA, see
CRS Report RL34214, A Primer on the Higher Education Act (HEA), by Blake Alan
Naughton.
CRS-18
Federal Need Analysis
The expected family contribution (EFC) is the amount that the federal need
analysis system (HEA, Title IV, Part F) determines a family has available to
contribute toward postsecondary education expenses. In calculating the EFC,
consideration is given to available income (a combination of taxable and untaxed
income and benefits) and, for some families, available assets. In addition, living
expenses, retirement needs, and federal and state tax liability are considered. The
income contribution is calculated by determining a student’s (or a student’s family’s,
where applicable) total income, next determining available income by subtracting a
series of allowances from total income, and then considering a percentage of that
available income as an income contribution toward postsecondary education costs.
A contribution from assets is similarly calculated. The combination of the available
income contribution and asset contribution, divided by the number of individuals in
the family enrolled in college, constitutes the EFC.
The calculation of the EFC varies depending upon the applicant’s dependency
status. There are three separate dependency classifications for individual applicants:
dependent student, independent student with dependents, and independent student
without dependents. These distinctions are important because parental financial
information is not considered if the applicant meets the statutory definition of an
independent student. To be classified as statutorily independent (HEA, § 480(d)), an
applicant must meet one of the following conditions:
! be 24 years of age or older by December 31 of the award year;
! be an orphan or ward of the court or was a ward of the court until the
individual reached the age of 18;27
! be a veteran28 of the Armed Forces of the United States or is
currently serving on active duty in the Armed Forces for other than
training purposes;
! be a graduate or professional student;
! be married;
! have legal dependents other than a spouse; or
! be a student for whom a financial aid administrator makes a
documented determination of independence by reason of other
unusual circumstances.
27 Effective July 1, 2009, this provision is revised to “is an orphan, in foster care, or a ward
of the court, at any time when the individual is 13 years of age or older.” Additionally,
effective July 1, 2009 a student may also be deemed to be independent upon meeting the
following criteria: is an emancipated minor or is in legal guardianship as determined by a
court of competent jurisdiction in the individual’s State of legal residence; or has been
verified as a homeless child or youth as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless
Assistance Act. Finally, effective July 1, 2009, a financial aid administrator may make a
determination of independence based upon a documented determination of independence
that was previously made by another financial aid administrator in the same award year.
28 HEA, § 480(c) defines a veteran as an individual who was engaged in the active duty in
the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard; and was released under a
condition other than dishonorable.
CRS-19
Students who do not meet any of the aforementioned conditions are considered to be
financially dependent on their parents for the purposes of Title IV student aid.
Cost of attendance (COA) is determined by each higher education institution.
The COA is a measure of a student’s educational expenses at a specific IHE.29 In
general, it is the sum of tuition and fees; an allowance for books, supplies,
transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses; and a room and board
allowance.
The financial aid administrator determines the student’s need for federal aid and
other sources of aid, based primarily upon the EFC and COA. This is true for all
federal student aid programs except for the Pell Grant program (see below). The
final outcome of this process is the financial aid award or package, which consists
of the specific sources and amounts of student aid each applicant will receive.30
Military Education Benefits, Need Analysis,
and Federal Student Aid
This section describes military education benefits and how they are treated in
the federal need analysis system. Military education benefits31 are not treated as
income, and therefore are not used in the calculation of the expected EFC. However,
depending upon the federal student aid program, veterans’ education benefits may be
treated as a resource or other estimated financial assistance (to be discussed).32
Financial need is calculated by subtracting the EFC and resources or other estimated
financial assistance from the student’s COA. As a result, as the amount of the EFC
29 See HEA Title IV, § 472 for relevant statutory language.
30 For a more detailed description of the federal student aid need analysis system, see
archived CRS Report RL33266, Federal Student Aid Need Analysis System: Background,
Description and Legislative Action, by Charmaine Mercer.
31 HEA, § 480(c)(2) defines “veterans’ education benefits” as including, but not limited to,
10 different sources of veterans’ education support. In addition to the Montgomery GI Bill
benefits, these include benefits from such sources as the Dependents Educational Assistance
program (U.S.C., Title 38, Chapter 35), and the Reserve Officer Training Corps program
(U.S.C., Title 37, Chapter 2).
32 The program regulations for the three campus-based programs (FSEOG, FWS, and
Perkins Loans) refer to other types of aid, such as veterans’ education benefits, as a resource
and the federal Stafford Loan programs refer to them as estimated financial assistance. HEA
Title IV, Section 480(j)(1) states that for the purpose of determining a student’s eligibility
for funds under this title, estimated financial assistance shall include all scholarships,
grants, loans, or other assistance known to the institution at the time the determination of
the student’s need is made, including veterans’ education benefits as defined in Subsection
(c), and national service education awards or post-service benefits under Title I of the
National and Community Service Act of 1990. According to the Federal Student Aid
Handbook, 2006-2007, the term resources comprises aid from federal student aid programs,
as well as grants, scholarships, loans, and need-based employment that a financial aid
administrator can reasonably anticipate at the time he/she awards aid to the student,
regardless of whether the assistance is awarded by the school or by an individual or
organization outside the school.
CRS-20
or estimated financial assistance/resources increases, the amount of need declines,
which reduces the amount of need-based aid a student can receive.
Military Education Benefits and Pell Grants. The primary Pell Grant
award rule is that a student’s annual grant is the least of (a) the maximum
appropriated Pell Grant, minus EFC, or (b) the cost of attendance (COA) of the
institution attended, minus EFC. For nearly all Pell recipients, the Pell Grant award
is calculated by subtracting the EFC from the maximum appropriated Pell Grant for
the year (i.e., without regard to the COA). This is because the maximum Pell Grant
minus the recipient’s EFC is almost always lower than the COA minus the EFC.
Because military education benefits are not considered in calculating the EFC, the
receipt of these benefits does not affect a student’s Pell Grant award.
Military Education Benefits and FFEL/DL Program Student Loans.
Need analysis also determines the amount that students may borrow in need-based,
subsidized Stafford Loans under the FFEL and DL program. Eligibility for
subsidized Stafford Loans is determined by subtracting the student’s EFC and other
estimated financial assistance (EFA) from the COA of the institution attended. In
general, EFA includes all grants, loans, scholarships, and veterans’ education benefits
(with the exception of MGIB-AD benefits)33.
Slightly different need analysis rules apply to the awarding of non-need-based
unsubsidized Stafford Loans and PLUS Loans. For non-need-based loans, eligibility
is determined by subtracting the student’s EFA from COA; and MGIB-AD benefits
are included in this calculation. Students may borrow unsubsidized Stafford Loans
and PLUS Loans to replace their EFC.
Military Education Benefits and Campus-Based Programs. For the
FSEOG, FWS and Federal Perkins Loan programs (also commonly referred to at the
campus-based student aid programs), military education benefits, including MGIB-
AD benefits, are considered to be a resource. Thus, all veterans’ education benefits
directly affect the determination of a student’s need for campus-based student aid.
However, regulations for the campus-based programs permit an institution of higher
education, in its determination of a student’s campus-based assistance, to exclude
from consideration as a resource any portion of a subsidized Stafford Loan up to the
amount of a student’s MGIB-AD benefits.34 This regulatory provision permits an
institution to protect — if it chooses to do so — a certain amount of the subsidized
Stafford Loan assistance from having an adverse effect on the MGIB-AD benefit
recipient’s campus-based assistance.
Student Eligibility Requirements for Title IV Programs and Military
Education Benefits. As illustrated by Table 5, few similarities exist between the
student eligibility requirements for Title IV programs and the eligibility requirements
for military education benefits. The only similarity among all of the programs is that
a student must maintain satisfactory academic progress — as determined by the
institution — while enrolled.
33 This exception applies only to the rules for awarding subsidized Stafford Loans.
34 Title 34, CFR § 673.5(c)(3).
CRS-21
The differences between the programs are primarily eligibility-related, and are
targeted to the particular program. For example, the eligibility requirements for
military education benefits generally focus on the beneficiary’s time and duration of
service, the amount that was contributed toward the benefit, and how much the
recipient is eligible to receive. Similarly, the eligibility requirements for the HEA,
Title IV programs generally relate to the student having the requisite education and
citizenship status, not having a drug conviction, not owing money to the federal
government, and registering for the Selective Service (where applicable).
CRS-22
Table 5. Student Eligibility Requirements for Participation in the Federal Student Aid Programs
Under Title IV of the Higher Education Act and GI Bill Education Benefits
Veterans Education Assistance
Montgomery GI Bill-
Montgomery GI Bill-
Eligibility Criteria
HEA, Title IV Programs
Program (VEAP)
Active Duty
Selected Reserve
Citizenship requirement
Generally, students must be U.S.
N/A
N/A
N/A
citizens or U.S. permanent
residents. Individuals with several
other entrance statuses can qualify
for aid
Selective Service registration
Males between ages 18-25 must
N/A
N/A
N/A
register for the selective service.
Contribution
N/A
$25 to $100 per month; $2,700
Pay reduction of $100 per month
None
maximum.
for the first 12 months of pay
Discharge requirement
N/A
Conditions other than dishonorable Fully honorable
Must remain with Reserve unit
Drug conviction
Conviction for possession or sale of N/A
N/A
N/A
drugs can disqualify students for
federal student aid
Duration of benefits
N/A
Lesser of 36 months or number of
Lesser of 36 months or number of
36 months
months they contributed
months on active duty
Education requirement
Students must have a high school
N/A
High school diploma or
High school diploma or
diploma or the recognized
equivalency, or 12 hours of college equivalency before applying for
equivalent; absent such a diploma
credit
benefits
or its equivalent, students must
demonstrate an ability to benefit
from postsecondary education by
passing an examination approved
by the Department of Education
Enrollment status
Must be enrolled or accepted for
Courses must lead to an
Courses must lead to an
Courses must lead to an
enrollment in a degree, certificate,
educational, professional, or
educational, professional, or
educational, professional, or
or other program leading to a
vocational objective
vocational objective
vocational objective
recognized educational credential
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Veterans Education Assistance
Montgomery GI Bill-
Montgomery GI Bill-
Eligibility Criteria
HEA, Title IV Programs
Program (VEAP)
Active Duty
Selected Reserve
Imprisonment
Students who are incarcerated in a
Only the costs of tuition and fees,
Only the costs of tuition and fees,
Benefits will be reduced
federal or state penal institution are necessary books, and supplies are
necessary books, and supplies are
ineligible for Pell Grants and
covered
covered
federal student loans, but may
qualify for FSEOG and FWS aid
Length of service
N/A
Minimum 181 continuous days of
Served continuously for 181 days
Accepted 6-year reserve obligation
active duty service, if entered
or more; 24 months of active duty
after June 30, 1985
before October 16, 1981; 24
if enlisted after September 7, 1980
months of continuous active duty
service if entered after October 16,
1981
Money owed to federal
Cannot owe a refund on a grant
N/A
N/A
N/A
government
previously received, or be in
default on any education loan
Period of service
N/A
December 31, 1976, through July
Entered active duty after June 30,
July 1, 1985, to present
1, 1985
1985
Progress while enrolled
Students have to maintain
Satisfactory attendance, conduct
Satisfactory attendance, conduct,
Satisfactory attendance, conduct,
satisfactory academic progress
and progress, as determined by the
and progress, as determined by the
and progress, as determined by the
while enrolled in postsecondary
institution
institution
institution
education in order to be eligible for
federal student aid; satisfactory
progress is delineated by policies
developed by each participating
higher education institution.
Time limitation on use of
N/A
Within 10 years of discharge or
Within 10 years of discharge or
Within 14 years of initial
benefits
release from active duty
release from active duty
eligibility, if eligible on or after
October 1, 1992; otherwise,
benefits must be used within 10
years of initial eligibility
Source: Table prepared by CRS based on data available from the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, relevant legislation, and the Code of Federal
Regulations.