by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at SFCM? 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 SFCM. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $54,550 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $34,315 |
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 SFCM.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap. Roughly 3 students used Yellow Ribbon benefits here in the latest reporting year.
The exact number of seats and the maximum contribution vary by degree level and program, so confirm the current limits with the schools veteran services office.
DoD Tuition Assistance pays up to $250 per credit hour for active-duty students; here is how the per-credit charge at SFCM compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $1,750 |  |
| Out-of-state | $1,750 | |
On top of tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for the months you are in school. Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at SFCM.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $17,200 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $5,115/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $40,920 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $23,720 |
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; SFCM estimates these costs at about $1,000, so the stipend covers them in full.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to SFCM.
In the latest reporting year, about 5 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $74,445.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 5 | $123,204 | $24,641 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 3 | $86,104 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 2 | $37,100 | — |
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.