Frequently Asked Questions About the GI Bill ®

Direct deposit is available for the Post-9/11 GI Bill ® (Chapter 33), MGIB-Active Duty (Chapter 30), MGIB-Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606), REAP (Chapter 1607), and DEA (Chapter 35) benefits (and not available for VEAP — Chapter 32). To enroll in direct deposit, please do one of the following:

• Login to WAVE (or create an account if you are a new user) by going to https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave/
• On the WAVE Main page, click on the link that says “Direct Deposit Enrollment Form.” This form can be submitted electronically, or you can print out a hard copy and mail it to your local Regional Processing Office.
• Call the VA at 1-888 GI BILL 1 (1-888-442-4551)
• Direct Deposit can also be enrolled in via a paper application and should be mailed to your local Regional Processing Office.

If you are new to WAVE and your enrollment has not yet been processed, you may not be able to create a WAVE account. You will gain access once your enrollment has been processed.

If you have questions about WAVE and using WAVE to verify attendance, please refer to WAVE FAQ.

Veterans who have served at least 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001, will qualify for Post-9/11 GI Bill ® (Chapter 33). Unlike in REAP (Chapter 1607), benefits for active duty service are based on cumulative active duty service, not the single longest deployment. National Guardsmen and reservists with three years of active duty service post-9/11 now qualify for full benefits under Post-9/11 GI Bill ® (Chapter 33).

Thanks to New GI Bill ® 2.0, Active Guard Reservist (known as AGRs) and Guardsmen responding to national emergencies will have their service count toward Post-9/11 GI Bill ® eligibility. These same Guardsmen will be retroactively credited for their service back to September 10, 2011. If they were already using the Post-9/11 GI Bill ® prior to these recent changes, they will be paid for any benefits they would have been entitled to. This change took effect October 1, 2011.

As a general rule annual training and other training schools for National Guard and reservists do not qualify toward eligibility.

Benefits Based on Amount of Service

Post 9/11 Active Duty Service	Percentage of Post-9/11 Benefits (Tuition, Books, & Living Allowance)
90 Consecutive Days	40%
6 Cumulative Months	50%
12 Cumulative Months	60%
18 Cumulative Months	70%
24 Cumulative Months	80%
30 Cumulative Months	90%
36 Cumulative Months	100%
30 Consecutive Days & Discharge Due to Service Connected Disability	100%

You can consult with the Post 9/11 GI Bill ®: Transferability Fact Sheet.

The VA has a GI Bill ® Handouts and Forms page.

You can consult with the VA’s GI Bill ® Study Abroad Fact Sheet.

The Veterans Support Office does employ a variable number of VA work-study students each semester. For availability of positions, please contact director of special programs, Michele Carpentier at 518-564-3811 or [email protected]

For more information on who is eligible for VA work-study, please consult with the VA’s Work Study Pamphlet.