by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at UC Merced will the G.I. Bill® cover? GI Bill® benefits are limited and differ by school, so the specifics matter.
Below is the gap between the Post-9/11 tuition benefit and the cost at UC Merced. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $14,167 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $14,167 |
| 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 UC Merced.
Through the Yellow Ribbon Program, University of California-Merced and the VA share the cost of tuition above the Post-9/11 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 UC Merced is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $2,393 |  |
| Out-of-state | $2,393 | |
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 UC Merced.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $10,537 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,346/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $18,768 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $8,231 |
For most full-time students the housing allowance covers the cost of living off campus, with money left over. The MHA is based on the school’s ZIP code and is paid at the full-time rate for resident students.
Eligible veterans receive up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies; UC Merced estimates these costs at about $1,214, leaving about $214 out of pocket.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to UC Merced.
Approximately 29 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $227,680.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 9 | $87,251 | $9,695 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 9 | $87,251 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 0 | $0 | — |
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.