If you have at least 90 days of aggregate active duty service after September 10, 2001 and are still on active duty, or if you are a veteran who was honorably discharged or discharged due to a service-connected disability after 30 days, you may be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, a VA-administered education benefit.
These benefits may also be transferred to dependents, as recorded in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).
What this Covers
The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides up to 36 months of education benefits. The educational benefits include tuition and course fees at a percentage rate. To find your percentage rate towards tuition please visit GI Bill® website.
Not Covered
Your GI Bill does not cover your bill in full, you will be responsible for any funds still due (meal plan, housing, parking pass, etc.). If you do not make this payment then your account will be assessed late payment fees and you may be prevented from registering for classes in future terms until the balance is paid in full. You may pay on your account at any time for funds owed outside what the GI Bill pays prior to the VA paying on your tuition and fees. For current cost of attendance please see Enrollment Costs.
To view the current housing allowance rates and other payment information for Tuscaloosa (ZIP code 35487), visit the VA Rate Tables.
VA Payments
The VA only pays for tuition and course fees to The University of Alabama. Basic Housing Allowances and Book Allowances is directly deposited to the student. Please keep in mind all other expenses charged by The University of Alabama are the responsibility of the student which can include:
- Housing
- Dining Dollars
- Meal Plans
- Parking Pass
Please keep in mind that the VA pays for number of calendar days in school for your Basic Housing Allowance. In addition, payments in August, December, January, and May will not be for a full payments based on The University of Alabama academic calendar. For payment rates please visit the VA website.
The Office of Veteran & Military Affairs does not have access to payment dates from the Veterans Administration for monthly housing allowances or book allowances. Please call the VA Educational Hotline for any payment questions at 1-888-442-4551.
New Students
Whether you’re a veteran, active-duty service member, or eligible dependent, this page walks you through the essential first steps to access your benefits. Y. Our goal is to help you seamlessly navigate enrollment, certification, and VA payments so you can focus on what matters most: your education.
Steps to Apply for Post 9/11 Benefits
- Go to the Vets.gov
- Click “Apply for Education Benefits” (Blue Box on Home Page)
- Click Blue Box “Select Correct Form”
- Applicant is the student attending the university
- If you are a dependent, you must be 18 or graduate high school before you can apply for benefits.
- UA Address: 730 Campus Drive, Tuscaloosa AL 35487
- Student must be listed on bank account for VA deposits
- A Certificate of Eligibility will be sent to you in the mail, it is not sent to the school
Current Students
As a current student utilizing your Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits, it’s essential to stay proactive each semester to ensure timely certification and uninterrupted support. Our goal is to streamline your experience, allowing you to focus on your studies while we assist with the administrative details. Let’s work together to make your educational journey as smooth as possible.
How to Receive Your Benefits Each Semester
All current students (on campus and online) must submit an Advising Worksheet for every semester after the student registers for class. A deadline will be emailed posted at vets.ua.edu every Fall and Spring semester to turn an Advising Worksheet to the Office of Veteran & Military Affairs.
The Office of Veteran & Military Affairs (VMA) will only accept the VMA Advising Worksheets, not worksheets provided by college academic advisors.
Incomplete Advising Worksheets will not be accepted.
Advising Worksheet Guidelines
- All Veteran & Military Affairs holds will be released by the first day of registration.
- Please complete a form for each individual term. For example, SUM I, SUM II and FULL SUM are each separate terms.
- Please submit an Advising Worksheet after you have registered for your classes to ensure accuracy for your GI Bill® certification. The Office of Veteran & Military Affairs can only certify classes in which students are currently registered.
- A Veteran & Military Affairs hold will be placed on student’s account to prevent from adding and dropping classes, to ensure correct payment by the Veterans Administration to The University of Alabama.
- If you add or drop a class not listed on your Advising Worksheet you must fill out a new advising worksheet.
- Request to release VMA schedule holds must be received in our office before 4:30pm CST on the drop add deadlines. Request received after that time will be processed the next business day which could have negative results on your benefits for the term.
- Forms turned in by the deadline will have priority. Forms turned in after the deadline will be processed only after all priority students have been processed.
- Classes dropped after the add/drop date will receive a “W” and are subject to debts from the VA.
Payment Plan
The new billing system will allow Student Account Services to offer you a payment plan that will consider your military benefits and the expectation of receiving those funds. In order to take advantage of this payment plan option, you must go to your “myBama” account and complete your enrollment by signing up for the Payment Plan option that will be available to you as a Post 9/11 GI Bill student.
Post 9/11 Students Payment Plan Instructions
- Log onto MyBama
- Click Student Tab
- Under Student Services Box: Click $ (Dollar Sign)
- At the top of the page click “Payment Plan”
- Click “Enroll Now”
- A drop-down box will appear and select term
- A payment plan option will open with your entire bill and will say “Veteran and Military Payment Plan”- If this is not an option email vma@ua.edu
- This is you agreeing that you owe anything outside of tuition and course fees (Example: Dining Dollars, Parking, and Housing)
- Click “Continue”
- Click I Agree
- Click “Continue”
- And your payment plan is complete
- VA funds will not appear until the VA pays after Drop/Add. You are responsible to find the amount you owe outside of tuition and course fees.