Vanguard University of Southern California G.I. Bill® Benefits

Will you go to Vanguard for free thanks to the G.I. Bill®? The answer depends on the school — benefits are capped and the details vary, so it pays to do your research.

$39,950 Veteran Tuition & Fees

$20,235 Guaranteed Post-9/11 Benefit

$19,715 Tuition Out of Pocket

Your Estimated Out-of-Pocket Cost
How Tuition Is Covered
Yellow Ribbon Participation
Per-Credit Charges and Tuition Assistance
Living Expense Coverage
Book Stipend Coverage
Veteran Benefit Dollars
References

Veterans at Vanguard University of Southern California Pay About $19,715 Out of Pocket for Tuition

The table below compares the guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit to the cost of attending Vanguard. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.

Item	Amount
Veteran tuition & fees	$39,950
Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit	$20,235
Tuition out of pocket	$19,715

Private College Tuition Not Fully Covered by GI Bill® Benefits

Because the Post-9/11 tuition benefit is capped near $20,235 per year, tuition above the cap is the veterans responsibility at Vanguard.

Yellow Ribbon Program Participant

Vanguard University of Southern California participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which can cover tuition and fees beyond the Post-9/11 GI Bill® cap through matching funds from the school and the VA. Roughly 13 students used Yellow Ribbon benefits here in the latest reporting year.

The exact number of seats and the maximum contribution vary by degree level and program, so confirm the current limits with the schools veteran services office.

Per-Credit Charges vs. the $250 Tuition Assistance Cap

DoD Tuition Assistance pays up to $250 per credit hour for active-duty students; here is how the per-credit charge at Vanguard compares.

Residency	Per-credit charge	Below $250 cap?
In-state	$900
Out-of-state	$900

Your Living Expenses Are Likely Covered

Beyond tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) while you are enrolled. The table compares the housing benefit to estimated living expenses at Vanguard.

Item	Amount
Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year)	$19,430
Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA)	$3,864/mo
Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months)	$30,912
Estimated surplus in your pocket	$11,482

For most full-time students the housing allowance covers the cost of living off campus, with money left over. MHA amounts reflect the local housing rate for the school’s area.

Book and Supply Stipend

With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $935 in supply costs at Vanguard, so the stipend covers them in full.

Veteran Education Benefit Dollars at Vanguard University of Southern California

These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at Vanguard.

In the latest reporting year, about 48 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $448,265.

Benefit	Recipients	Total disbursed	Average / recipient
GI Bill® (all students)	30	$283,031	$9,434
GI Bill® — undergraduate	26	$265,778	—
GI Bill® — graduate	4	$17,253	—
DoD Tuition Assistance (all)	3	$9,938	$3,313
DoD TA — undergraduate	3	$9,938	—
DoD TA — graduate	0	$0	—

GI Bill® benefits follow the veteran; DoD Tuition Assistance is an active-duty benefit paid while serving.

More Veteran Resources

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at benefits.va.gov/gibill.