Can You Use Chapter 35 and GI Bill Together?

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers educational benefits to service members, veterans, and their eligible family members. These programs, primarily the GI Bill and the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program, help alleviate the financial burden of higher education and job training. Understanding their distinct features and interactions is important for maximizing their potential.

Chapter 35 Benefits

Chapter 35, the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program, provides educational aid to eligible dependents. This monthly tax-free stipend is paid directly to the student to cover educational costs like tuition, fees, books, supplies, and housing. The amount depends on enrollment status; for example, full-time enrollment provides $1,536.00 per month from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. A 3/4-time enrollment yields $1,214.00, and a 1/2-time enrollment provides $890.00 during this period.

Eligibility for Chapter 35 extends to spouses and children of veterans who died on active duty, died from a service-connected disability, or are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability. Dependents of service members who are missing in action, captured, or forcibly detained for over 90 days also qualify. Dependent children are eligible between ages 18 and 26, with some exceptions. Spouses have a 10-year window from the VA’s eligibility determination or the veteran’s death, with possible extensions.

Beneficiaries receive up to 36 months of benefits if they started using the program on or after August 1, 2018; those who began before this date may be eligible for up to 45 months. This program is distinct from the GI Bill, as its benefits are not directly tied to the service member’s unused entitlement. The financial assistance supports the educational and job training needs of qualifying dependents.

GI Bill Benefits

The GI Bill includes educational benefits for service members, veterans, and in some cases, their transferred dependents. The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) is a prominent program, covering tuition and fees paid directly to the educational institution, a monthly housing allowance (MHA), and a stipend for books and supplies. Eligibility requires at least 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, a service-connected disability discharge after 30 continuous days of service, or receipt of a Purple Heart. The benefit percentage, such as 100% or 90%, is determined by the length of active duty service.

The Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) under the Post-9/11 GI Bill is based on the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for an E-5 with dependents in the school’s zip code, adjusted by the individual’s eligibility percentage and course load. Active duty service members and their spouses are not eligible to receive the MHA. The annual book stipend can reach up to $1,000, paid at approximately $41.67 per credit hour for up to 24 credits per academic year.

The Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (MGIB-AD, Chapter 30) provides a monthly payment directly to the student. Eligibility requires at least two years of active duty service and an honorable discharge, with most service members having contributed $1,200 to the program. For those with at least three years of service, the full-time monthly payment is $2,438.00 from October 2024 to September 2025. Both the Post-9/11 GI Bill and MGIB-AD offer up to 36 months of benefits, earned through military contributions. Transferability of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to dependents is possible under Department of Defense regulations, requiring a minimum of six years of service and an agreement to serve an additional four years.

Using Multiple VA Educational Benefits

Generally, a student cannot receive two VA educational benefits for the same period of enrollment. This means an individual cannot simultaneously receive a Chapter 35 stipend and Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition payments for the same semester at the same educational institution. While eligibility for multiple benefits is possible, using them concurrently for the same educational costs or time frame is not permitted to prevent duplicate payments.

However, individuals may use multiple VA educational benefits sequentially. For example, a person might use one benefit, exhaust its entitlement, and then, if eligible, use another for a subsequent period of education. This allows for a strategic approach to funding different educational stages; a dependent could use Chapter 35 for an undergraduate degree and then, if eligible through a transfer of entitlement, apply Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for a graduate degree.

Individuals can receive a maximum of 48 months of total benefits across various VA education programs if eligible for more than one. As of April 1, 2021, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E, Chapter 31) benefits do not count against this 48-month limit. The VA extends benefits to cover the entire term if a student has at least one day of benefits remaining at the start of an academic term.

Applying for VA Educational Benefits

Applying for VA educational benefits requires gathering essential personal information, including your Social Security Number and direct deposit details necessary for payments. Veterans or service members also need documentation of military service history.

Specific application forms are required based on the benefit and applicant. Dependents applying for Chapter 35 or the Fry Scholarship complete VA Form 22-5490. Veterans or service members applying for benefits based on their own military service, such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Montgomery GI Bill, use VA Form 22-1990. All required information on the chosen application form must be complete before submission.

Applications can be submitted online through VA.gov. They can also be submitted by mail or in person at a VA regional office. After submission, the VA reviews the application and, upon approval, issues a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Once the COE is received, the student provides it to their educational institution, which certifies enrollment to the VA, initiating benefit payments.