by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to USF Tampa for free thanks to the G.I. Bill®? 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 USF Tampa. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $6,410 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $6,410 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
Public-college veterans generally have their entire in-state tuition paid by the Post-9/11 GI Bill® at USF Tampa.
University of South Florida participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which can cover tuition and fees beyond the Post-9/11 GI Bill® cap through matching funds from the school and the VA. Roughly 6 students used Yellow Ribbon benefits here in the latest reporting year.
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 USF Tampa is below that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $62 |  |
| Out-of-state | $62 | |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also covers housing through a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at USF Tampa.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $12,170 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,832/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $22,656 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $10,486 |
The benefit generally more than covers off-campus living costs here. 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 USF Tampa run about $770, so the stipend covers them in full.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at USF Tampa.
In the latest reporting year, about 1,057 veterans received Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition payments of $5,217,926.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 918 | $5,254,806 | $5,724 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 751 | $3,755,561 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 167 | $1,499,245 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 38 | $68,047 | $1,791 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 18 | $30,436 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 20 | $37,611 | — |
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.