by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to Shenandoah 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 Shenandoah. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $36,028 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $15,793 |
Because the Post-9/11 tuition benefit is capped near $20,235 per year, tuition above the cap is the veterans responsibility at Shenandoah.
Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, Shenandoah University and the VA share the cost of tuition above the Post-9/11 cap. Roughly 22 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.
For active-duty students, Tuition Assistance covers up to $250 per credit hour — the indicators below show whether Shenandoah is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $120 |  |
| Out-of-state | $120 | |
On top of tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for the months you are in school. The table compares the housing benefit to estimated living expenses at Shenandoah.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $11,800 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,346/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $18,768 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $6,968 |
At this school the academic-year housing benefit exceeds typical living costs, so most full-time students come out ahead. The MHA is based on the school’s ZIP code and is paid at the full-time rate for resident students.
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 Shenandoah run about $1,500, leaving about $500 out of pocket.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to Shenandoah.
Roughly 120 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $1,849,971.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 141 | $2,123,966 | $15,064 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 99 | $1,486,776 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 42 | $637,190 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 4 | $12,661 | $3,165 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 2 | $5,250 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 2 | $7,411 | — |
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.