by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at The Colleges? The answer depends on the school — benefits are capped and the details vary, so it pays to do your research.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending The Colleges. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $63,268 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $43,033 |
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 The Colleges.
Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, Hobart William Smith Colleges and the VA share the cost of tuition above the Post-9/11 cap. In the most recent year, about 12 students received Yellow Ribbon awards at this school.
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 The Colleges compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $528 |  |
| Out-of-state | $528 | |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also covers housing through a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at The Colleges.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $14,875 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,037/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $16,296 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $1,421 |
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.
With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $1,300 in supply costs at The Colleges, leaving about $300 out of pocket.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at The Colleges.
Roughly 11 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $318,308.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 8 | $216,960 | $27,120 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 8 | $216,960 | — |
| GI Bill® — 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.