by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to Elon for free thanks to the G.I. Bill®? Coverage is not unlimited and varies school to school, so the fine print is worth checking.
Below is the gap between the Post-9/11 tuition benefit and the cost at Elon. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $44,536 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $24,301 |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® limits the annual tuition benefit to roughly $20,235, so tuition beyond that is out of pocket (or covered by Yellow Ribbon) at Elon.
Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, Elon University and the VA share the cost of tuition above the Post-9/11 cap. Roughly 41 students used Yellow Ribbon benefits here in the latest reporting year.
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 Elon compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $181 |  |
| Out-of-state | $181 | |
Beyond tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) while you are enrolled. Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at Elon.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $14,478 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,860/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $14,880 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $402 |
At this school the academic-year housing benefit exceeds typical living costs, so most full-time students come out ahead. The MHA is based on the school’s ZIP code and is paid at the full-time rate for resident students.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays a books-and-supplies stipend of up to $1,000 per year. Estimated book and supply costs at Elon run about $900, so the stipend covers them in full.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at Elon.
Approximately 78 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $1,784,415.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 62 | $1,718,184 | $27,713 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 52 | $1,510,765 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 10 | $207,419 | — |
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.