by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to Canisius 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.
The table below compares the guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit to the cost of attending Canisius. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $32,720 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $12,485 |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® caps the annual tuition benefit (about $20,235), so the tuition above that is a gap veterans must cover through Yellow Ribbon, savings, or other aid at Canisius.
Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, Canisius University and the VA share the cost of tuition above the Post-9/11 cap. Roughly 5 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.
Active-duty service members using DoD Tuition Assistance are capped at $250 per credit hour. The chart below shows whether the per-credit charge at Canisius falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $70 |  |
| Out-of-state | $70 | |
On top of tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for the months you are in school. Below, the academic-year housing benefit is set against the estimated living costs at Canisius.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $8,000 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,169/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $17,352 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $9,352 |
For most full-time students the housing allowance covers the cost of living off campus, with money left over. Your actual MHA depends on your rate of pursuit and the school’s location.
Eligible veterans receive up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies; Canisius estimates these costs at about $1,200, leaving about $200 out of pocket.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at Canisius.
Roughly 35 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $501,871.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 38 | $548,081 | $14,423 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 23 | $364,255 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 15 | $183,826 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 0 | $0 | — |
These are federal education benefits — the Post-9/11 GI Bill® for veterans and DoD Tuition Assistance for active-duty members.
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.