by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to UC Santa Cruz 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 UC Santa Cruz. Living-expense and book benefits are addressed in their own sections below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $14,560 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $14,560 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
Because tuition is at or below the annual Post-9/11 benefit, the GI Bill® covers it in full at UC Santa Cruz.
UC Santa Cruz is not listed as a Yellow Ribbon participant in current federal reporting. Contact the veteran services office to confirm whether any programs offer Yellow Ribbon matching.
DoD Tuition Assistance pays up to $250 per credit hour for active-duty students; here is how the per-credit charge at UC Santa Cruz compares.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $2,775 |  |
| Out-of-state | $2,775 | |
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 UC Santa Cruz.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $16,697 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $4,557/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $36,456 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $19,759 |
For most full-time students the housing allowance covers the cost of living off campus, with money left over. MHA amounts reflect the local housing rate for the school’s area.
With a Post-9/11 book stipend of up to $1,000 per year, the estimated $1,315 in supply costs at UC Santa Cruz, leaving about $315 out of pocket.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at UC Santa Cruz.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 23 | $195,399 | $8,496 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 21 | $161,950 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 2 | $33,449 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 0 | $0 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 0 | $0 | — |
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.