by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at Hard Work U? Coverage is not unlimited and varies school to school, so the fine print is worth checking.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending Hard Work U. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $21,290 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $1,055 |
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 Hard Work U.
College of the Ozarks is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap.
Seat counts and matching amounts change by program each year; verify the details with the schools military and veteran services team.
DoD Tuition Assistance pays up to $250 per credit hour for active-duty students; here is how the per-credit charge at Hard Work U compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $310 |  |
| Out-of-state | $310 | |
Beyond tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) while you are enrolled. Below, the academic-year housing benefit is set against the estimated living costs at Hard Work U.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $8,472 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,581/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $12,648 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $4,176 |
The benefit generally more than covers off-campus living costs here. Your actual MHA depends on your rate of pursuit and the school’s location.
With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $1,100 in supply costs at Hard Work U, leaving about $100 out of pocket.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at Hard Work U.
Approximately 9 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $21,950.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 7 | $15,490 | $2,213 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 7 | $15,490 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 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.