by our College Data Analytics TeamWondering what the G.I. Bill® actually covers at Vanderbilt? GI Bill® benefits are limited and differ by school, so the specifics matter.
The table below compares the guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit to the cost of attending Vanderbilt. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $63,946 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $43,711 |
Because the Post-9/11 tuition benefit is capped near $20,235 per year, tuition above the cap is the veterans responsibility at Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt University 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. In the most recent year, about 187 students received Yellow Ribbon awards at this school.
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.
Active-duty service members using DoD Tuition Assistance are capped at $250 per credit hour. The chart below shows whether the per-credit charge at Vanderbilt falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $2,490 |  |
| Out-of-state | $2,490 | |
On top of tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for the months you are in school. Here is how that benefit compares to the estimated cost of living at Vanderbilt.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $21,054 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,388/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $19,104 |
| Estimated shortfall to cover yourself | $1,950 |
The housing benefit does not fully cover estimated living costs at this school — budget for the gap. Your actual MHA depends on your rate of pursuit and the school’s location.
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 Vanderbilt run about $1,194, leaving about $194 out of pocket.
This is the real volume of GI Bill® and military tuition benefits paid out at Vanderbilt.
Approximately 231 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $5,091,572.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 205 | $6,824,728 | $33,291 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 25 | $834,778 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 180 | $5,989,950 | — |
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.