by our College Data Analytics TeamWill you go to Washington and Lee 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.
Below is the gap between the Post-9/11 tuition benefit and the cost at Washington and Lee. See the living-expense and book sections below for those benefits.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $64,525 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $20,235 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $44,290 |
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® caps the annual tuition benefit (about $20,235), so the tuition above that is a gap veterans must cover through Yellow Ribbon, savings, or other aid at Washington and Lee.
Washington and Lee University is a Yellow Ribbon school: the institution and the VA jointly fund tuition that exceeds the GI Bill® cap. Roughly 14 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.
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 Washington and Lee falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $0 |  |
| Out-of-state | $0 | |
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 Washington and Lee.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $17,685 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,569/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $12,552 |
| Estimated shortfall to cover yourself | $5,133 |
Expect to make up the shortfall between the housing benefit and actual living costs. 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; Washington and Lee estimates these costs at about $2,290, leaving about $1,290 out of pocket.
These figures show the GI Bill® and DoD Tuition Assistance dollars veterans and service members actually used at Washington and Lee.
Approximately 26 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $684,785.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 28 | $1,215,200 | $43,400 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 19 | $861,331 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 9 | $353,869 | — |
These are federal education benefits — the Post-9/11 GI Bill® for veterans and DoD Tuition Assistance for active-duty 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.