by our College Data Analytics TeamHow much of the cost at WGU will the G.I. Bill® cover? Coverage is not unlimited and varies school to school, so the fine print is worth checking.
Below is the gap between the Post-9/11 tuition benefit and the cost at WGU. Housing and book benefits are covered separately below.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Veteran tuition & fees | $8,300 |
| Guaranteed Post-9/11 tuition benefit | $8,300 |
| Tuition out of pocket | $0 |
Tuition and fees here fall within the annual Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefit, so eligible veterans typically owe nothing toward tuition at WGU.
Western Governors 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 1 students received Yellow Ribbon awards at this school.
Available Yellow Ribbon seats and maximum contributions differ by program and degree level — check with the veteran services office for current limits.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® also covers housing through a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Below, the academic-year housing benefit is set against the estimated living costs at WGU.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Estimated living expenses (room & board, academic year) | $8,100 |
| Post-9/11 monthly housing allowance (MHA) | $2,280/mo |
| Housing benefit (academic year, ~8 months) | $18,240 |
| Estimated surplus in your pocket | $10,140 |
The benefit generally more than covers off-campus living costs here. 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; WGU estimates these costs at about $200, so the stipend covers them in full.
Beyond the coverage math above, this is how much veteran education-benefit money actually flows to WGU.
In the latest reporting year, about 11,979 Post-9/11 recipients used tuition benefits worth $69,584,375.
| Benefit | Recipients | Total disbursed | Average / recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| GI Bill® (all students) | 10,778 | $41,340,957 | $3,836 |
| GI Bill® — undergraduate | 8,882 | $33,540,904 | — |
| GI Bill® — graduate | 1,896 | $7,800,053 | — |
| DoD Tuition Assistance (all) | 8,249 | $26,481,051 | $3,210 |
| DoD TA — undergraduate | 6,978 | $22,691,992 | — |
| DoD TA — graduate | 1,271 | $3,789,059 | — |
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.