When you transfer your GI Bill to a family member they are subject to the following rules: Your spouse: May start to use the benefit immediately May use the benefit while you remain in the Armed Forces
United States Armed Forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States of America. It consists of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and forms military policy with the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, both federal executive departments, acting as the principal …
How to transfer a GI Bill to your spouse?
- Be currently on active duty or in the Selected Reserve.
- Have served at least 6 years on the date that GI Bill transfer request is filed, along with agreeing to serve a minimum of 4 more years.
- Have served a minimum of 10 years, but are unable to commit to 4 more years of service because of law. ...
What are the benefits of a GI Bill?
The bill further expanded veterans’ educational benefits by:
- eliminating the 15-year limitation on Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for eligible veterans and their dependents
- authorizing certain work-study programs
- offering the VetSuccess on Campus program, a vocational rehabilitation program, to students across the country
- offering veterans priority enrollment educational counseling
Who is eligible for GI Bill?
GI Bill: Vietnam Veterans & the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Any veteran or servicemember who served at least 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001 will qualify for this new education benefit. Those veterans who did not opt into the Montgomery GI Bill and/or participated in the VEAP program will still be eligible for this benefit.
How to transfer GI Bill benefits?
You’ll also need basic information about your:
- Service history
- Education or training plans and goals
- Current or former school or training program and the new school or training program you plan to attend
Can I transfer my Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits?
You may be able to transfer your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits if you’re on active duty or in the Selected Reserve and you meet all of these requireme...
Who’s covered?
Qualified dependents
What benefits can my qualified dependents get?
If the DoD approves the Transfer of Entitlement (TOE), your spouse or dependent children can apply for up to 36 months of benefits, and may be able...
When can they use the transferred benefits?
These conditions apply to family members using transferred benefits: Spouses May use the benefit right away May use the benefit while you’re on act...
How do I transfer the benefit?
While you’re still on active duty, you’ll request to transfer, change, or revoke a Transfer of Entitlement (TOE) through milConnect. You can’t appl...
Get more information
Go to the milConnect website To find out if you qualify, the status of your transfer request, and how to use the Transfer of Education Benefits (TE...
Who determines if you can transfer VA benefits to your family?
The Department of Defense (DoD) determines whether or not you can transfer benefits to your family. Once the DoD approves benefits for transfer, the new beneficiaries apply for them at VA.”. – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Can I transfer my GI bill to my spouse?
Yes! Your GI Bill is transferable under these conditions: “The transferability option under the Post-9/11 GI Bill allows Servicemembers to transfer all or some unused benefits to their spouse or dependent children. The request to transfer unused GI Bill benefits to eligible dependents must be completed while serving as an active member ...
Are scholarships available for military spouses?
The University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families offers a multitude of scholarships designed specifically for military members and their families. One of the National Military Scholarships that is available to you, as a military spouse, is the Military Spouse Scholarship.
How long do you have to be on active duty to get a military benefit?
May start to use the benefit only after you’ve finished at least 10 years of service. May use the benefit while you’re on active duty or after you’ve separated from service. May not use the benefit until they’ve gotten a high school diploma (or equivalency certificate), or have reached 18 years of age.
Can you get housing allowance if you are on active duty?
Don’t have to use the benefit within 15 years after your separation from active duty, but can’ t use the benefit after they’ve turned 26 years old. Your dependents may still qualify even if a child marries or you and your spouse divorce.
What is the GI Bill?
The GI Bill benefits transfer policy is designed as a retention tool to entice mid-career service members to commit to additional military service. Because of this, eligibility rules target those members based on their service time and eligibility to serve an additional four-year service commitment.
How long can you transfer GI Bill benefits?
The military member can transfer up to 36 months of GI Bill benefits and can allocate them among eligible recipients at any time (but only once per month). The service member may also cancel a family member’s use of the benefits at any time.
Why was the GI Bill removed?
This eligibility option has been removed because the GI Bill transfer benefit is a retention tool and all currently serving members will have had the option to transfer their benefits leading up to their retirement eligibility. This provision is no longer necessary.
How long can you serve on the GI Bill?
The first version of the law allowed members to transfer their GI Bill if they. “Have at least 10 years service and cannot serve 4 more years because of policy or law, but you agree to serve as long as you are able by law or policy.”.
What is the purpose of the GI Bill transfer program?
The Purpose of the GI Bill Transfer Program. The goal of the GI Bill transfer program is to keep mid-career military members in uniform, which is why there are minimum service requirements and why the GI Bill transfer program requires military members to incur more service time.
How many years of service do you need to serve on the GI Bill?
Have at least 6 years of service on date of GI Bill transfer request, and you agree to serve 4 more years.
When will the GI Bill be transferred?
New military rules, passed in 2018, require eligible members to transfer their GI Bill no later than the end of their 16th year of service. This change was originally scheduled to go into effect starting July 12, 2019.
Work toward a degree
Help paying for tuition, books, and housing at an institution of higher learning (like a 4-year university, community college, or graduate school)
Train for a specific career, trade, or industry
Reimbursement for the cost of tests to become a licensed or certified professional, or to apply for college or a training course
Work while you study
Help with paying for tuition, books, and housing if you’re part of a college or university co-op training program
Take classes from home
Funding for correspondence training (coursework completed by mail, online, or by some other device) if you want to take classes from home or live far from any schools
Type of Assistance
- Eligible Servicemembers may transfer all 36 months or the portion of unused Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits (unless DoD or the Department of Homeland Security has limited the number of transferable months). If you're eligible, you may transfer benefits to the following individuals: 1. Your spouse 2. One or more of your children 3. Any combination of spo...
Available Benefits and Eligibility
- Family members must be enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS) and be eligible for benefits at the time of transfer to receive transferred benefits. The option to transfer is open to any member of the armed forces active duty or Selected Reserve, officer or enlisted who is eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and meets the criteria established by the Depart…
Other Factors to Consider
- Marriage and Divorce 1. A child's subsequent marriage will not affect his or her eligibility to receive the educational benefit; however, after an individual has designated a child as a transferee under this section, the individual retains the right to revoke or modify the transfer at any time. 2. A subsequent divorce will not affect the transferees eligibility to receive educational benefits; how…
More Information
- View the official DoD website for information on transferability(non-VA link)
- Get the fact sheet on transferability of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits
- For specific questions about your eligibility, the status of your transfer request, and service specific questions about the TEB Portlet, please contact the appropriate career counselor or personne...