by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at RCU? The answer depends on the school — benefits are capped and the details vary, so it pays to do your research.
Below is the gap between the Post-9/11 tuition benefit and the cost at RCU. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $27,938 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $7,703 |
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 RCU.
Rochester University is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap. About 3 Yellow Ribbon recipients were reported at this school.
Seat counts and matching amounts change by program each year; verify the details with the schools military and veteran services team.
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 RCU falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $0 |  |
| Out-of-state | $0 | |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also covers housing through a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Below, the academic-year housing benefit is set against the estimated living costs at RCU.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $14,040 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,364/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $18,912 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $4,872 |
For most full-time students the housing allowance covers the cost of living off campus, with money left over. MHA amounts reflect the local housing rate for the school’s area.
Eligible veterans receive up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies; RCU estimates these costs at about $2,134, leaving about $1,134 out of pocket.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to RCU.
Approximately 9 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $195,955.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 5 | $120,890 | $24,178 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 5 | $120,890 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 1 | $4,500 | $4,500 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 1 | $4,500 | — |
| 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.