by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at Columbia College South Carolina? 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 Columbia College South Carolina. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $21,450 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $1,215 |
Because the Post-9/11 tuition benefit is capped near $20,235 per year, tuition above the cap is the veterans responsibility at Columbia College South Carolina.
Columbia College is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap.
Available Yellow Ribbon seats and maximum contributions differ by program and degree level — check with the veteran services office for current limits.
DoD Tuition Assistance pays up to $250 per credit hour for active-duty students; here is how the per-credit charge at Columbia College South Carolina compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $400 |  |
| Out-of-state | $400 | |
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 Columbia College South Carolina.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $6,600 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,998/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $15,984 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $9,384 |
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; Columbia College South Carolina estimates these costs at about $960, so the stipend covers them in full.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at Columbia College South Carolina.
In the latest reporting year, about 71 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $670,919.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 74 | $782,574 | $10,575 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 57 | $627,548 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 17 | $155,026 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 7 | $21,250 | $3,036 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 6 | $19,750 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 1 | $1,500 | — |
GI Bill® benefits follow the veteran; DoD Tuition Assistance is an active-duty benefit paid while serving.
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.