by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at UA? Coverage is not unlimited and varies school to school, so the fine print is worth checking.
Below is the gap between the Post-9/11 tuition benefit and the cost at UA. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $11,900 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $11,900 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
At public institutions the Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays in-state tuition and fees in full, meaning most eligible veterans pay no tuition at UA.
Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, The University of Alabama and the VA share the cost of tuition above the Post-9/11 cap. Roughly 182 students used Yellow Ribbon benefits here in the latest reporting year.
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 UA is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $33 |  |
| Out-of-state | $33 | |
Beyond tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® pays a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) while you are enrolled. Below, the academic-year housing benefit is set against the estimated living costs at UA.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $14,564 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,728/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $13,824 |
| Estimated shortfall to cover yourself | $740 |
Living costs here run above the housing allowance, so plan to cover the difference from savings or other income. 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; UA estimates these costs at about $800, so the stipend covers them in full.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to UA.
In the latest reporting year, about 1,085 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $8,884,216.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 905 | $10,222,648 | $11,296 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 804 | $9,308,004 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 101 | $914,644 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 106 | $295,353 | $2,786 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 95 | $267,853 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 11 | $27,500 | — |
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.