by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to SVA for free thanks to the G.I. Bill®? 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 SVA. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $49,140 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $28,905 |
Because the Post-9/11 tuition benefit is capped near $20,235 per year, tuition above the cap is the veterans responsibility at SVA.
School of Visual Arts is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap.
Available Yellow Ribbon seats and maximum contributions differ by program and degree level — check with the veteran services office for current limits.
For active-duty students, Tuition Assistance covers up to $250 per credit hour — the indicators below show whether SVA is below 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). The table compares the housing benefit to estimated living expenses at SVA.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $24,200 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $5,196/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $41,568 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $17,368 |
The benefit generally more than covers off-campus living costs here. Your actual MHA depends on your rate of pursuit and the school’s location.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays a books-and-supplies stipend of up to $1,000 per year. Estimated book and supply costs at SVA run about $1,868, leaving about $868 out of pocket.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at SVA.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 30 | $1,054,662 | $35,155 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 28 | $992,749 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 2 | $61,913 | — |
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.