by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at STAC? 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 STAC. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $37,720 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $17,485 |
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 STAC.
St. Thomas Aquinas College is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap. About 1 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.
For active-duty students, Tuition Assistance covers up to $250 per credit hour — the indicators below show whether STAC is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $525 |  |
| Out-of-state | $525 | |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also covers housing through a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). The table compares the housing benefit to estimated living expenses at STAC.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $6,000 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $3,234/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $25,872 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $19,872 |
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.
With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $1,250 in supply costs at STAC, leaving about $250 out of pocket.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at STAC.
Approximately 3 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $57,710.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 6 | $94,345 | $15,724 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 5 | $89,133 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 1 | $5,212 | — |
GI Bill® dollars are paid on the veterans behalf, while DoD Tuition Assistance supports active-duty service 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.