by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to SFSU for free thanks to the G.I. Bill®? GI Bill® benefits are limited and differ by school, so the specifics matter.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending SFSU. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $7,424 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $7,424 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
Tuition and fees here fall within the annual Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefit, so eligible veterans typically owe nothing toward tuition at SFSU.
Federal data does not indicate that SFSU currently participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. If you need benefits beyond the Post-9/11 cap, ask the schools veteran services office whether any programs participate.
DoD Tuition Assistance pays up to $250 per credit hour for active-duty students; here is how the per-credit charge at SFSU compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $1,762 |  |
| Out-of-state | $1,762 | |
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 SFSU.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $19,431 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $5,115/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $40,920 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $21,489 |
At this school the academic-year housing benefit exceeds typical living costs, so most full-time students come out ahead. Your actual MHA depends on your rate of pursuit and the school’s location.
With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $1,099 in supply costs at SFSU, leaving about $99 out of pocket.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at SFSU.
Roughly 633 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $2,973,098.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 849 | $3,818,802 | $4,498 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 754 | $3,224,769 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 95 | $594,033 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 5 | $10,871 | $2,174 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 5 | $10,871 | — |
| 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.