by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at WCU will the G.I. Bill® cover? Coverage is not unlimited and varies school to school, so the fine print is worth checking.
Here is how the Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefit stacks up against the published cost of attending WCU. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $4,532 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $4,532 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
Public-college veterans generally have their entire in-state tuition paid by the Post-9/11 GI Bill® at WCU.
Western Carolina 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.
Available Yellow Ribbon seats and maximum contributions differ by program and degree level — check with the veteran services office for current limits.
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 WCU falls under that cap.
| Residency | Per-credit charge | Below $250 cap? |
|---|---|---|
| In-state | $144 |  |
| Out-of-state | $144 | |
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 WCU.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $12,322 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $1,533/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $12,264 |
| Estimated shortfall to cover yourself | $58 |
The housing benefit does not fully cover estimated living costs at this school — budget for the gap. MHA amounts reflect the local housing rate for the school’s area.
Eligible veterans receive up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies; WCU estimates these costs at about $693, 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 WCU.
Approximately 152 students drew Post-9/11 GI Bill® tuition benefits totaling $522,756.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 133 | $532,722 | $4,005 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 109 | $365,450 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 24 | $167,272 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 44 | $80,872 | $1,838 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 25 | $36,372 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 19 | $44,500 | — |
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.