Frequently Asked Questions

A special provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill program allows career Service members the opportunity to share their education benefits with immediate family members.  Service members can determine their eligibility using TEB, available through milConnect.

You are eligible to transfer benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill if you meet one or more of the following program start date requirements:

You are a member of the Armed Forces (active duty or Selected Reserve, officer or enlisted) and were in the service on 1 August 2009 or joined after that date.

You are a Uniformed Service member of the Public Health Service (PHS) and were in the service on 1 August 2011 or joined after that date.

You are a Uniformed Service member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and were in the service on 1 September 2011 or joined after that date.

If you meet one of the above program start date requirements, you must also meet one or more of the following requirements:

1. You have at least six years of service in the Uniformed Services on the date you elect to transfer the Post-9/11 GI Bill program and agree to serve an additional four years in the Uniformed Services from that date.
2. You have at least ten cumulative years of service in the Uniformed Services (active duty and/or Selected Reserve) on the date of election, are precluded by either standard policy (service or DoD) or statute from committing to four additional years and agree to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute.
3. You have become or will become retirement eligible during the period from 1 August 2009 through 31 July 2012 and agree to serve an additional period of service as outlined in subparagraphs (a) through (d) below. A Service member is considered to be retirement eligible if he or she has completed 20 years of active Federal service or 20 qualifying years as computed pursuant to section 12732 of title 10 U.S.C. Requirement #3 and its associated subparagraphs (a) through (d) will no longer be in effect on 1 August 2013. On or after that date, all Service members must comply with requirement 1 or 2 above.

For individuals eligible for retirement on 1 August 2009, no additional service is required.

For individuals eligible for retirement on 1 August 2009, and before 1 August 2010, 1 year of additional service is required.

For individuals eligible for retirement on or after 1 August 2010, and before 1 August 2011, 2 years of additional service is required.

For individuals eligible for retirement on or after 1 August 2011, and before 1 August 2012, 3 years of additional service is required.

Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits may be transferred by the individual’s Service member to:

• The Service member’s spouse
• One of more of the Service member’s children
• Any combination of the spouse and children

Children must be enrolled in DEERS to receive benefits.  Children prior to the age of 21 are eligible to receive benefits as are children who are 21 or 22 years old and enrolled in a full-time course of education.

Children age 21 or 22 years old, who are attending school less than full time, or enrolled in on-the-job training, apprenticeships or non-college degree programs, may still be eligible to receive transferred benefits even though TEB may display them as ineligible.  Contact your TEB Service Representative for more information.  (Refer to the Education Tab for a list of Contacts.)

Children may not use the benefit after age 26.  The new TYA program does not extend the age by which the benefit must be transferred.  Additional questions and answers can be found on milConnect under the Education Tab, or click here for more information.

Only veterans who are currently serving on active duty or in the Selected Reserve can transfer benefits to eligible family members. Once the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) reflects that you have separated or retired from the Service, you will no longer be able to initiate the transfer of benefits to your family member(s). If you have already initiated a request to transfer your benefits, you can still view and modify your request.

Once approved, children can start to use their education benefits after the transfer Begin Date provided that you have met, or been excused from, the requirement to serve a minimum of 10 years in the Armed Forces (active duty or Selected Reserve). They can continue to use their benefits after you leave the service as long as they meet the age eligibility requirements for using their benefits. Children must also meet the age requirement of 18 before using the benefit, or have attained a secondary school diploma (or equivalency certificate). Children must use the benefit prior to turning 26 years of age.

Yes, if your child is not 18, but has attained a secondary school diploma (or equivalency certificate), they can still use the benefit. This includes some vocational or technical training programs, graduate and undergraduate training, as well as on-the-job training, apprenticeships or non-college degree programs.

Yes, children who are dependent students can continue to use their benefits up until their 26th birthdays.

Once approved, your spouse can start to use the benefit immediately provided that you have met the 6 years of Service requirement. Your spouse can continue to use the benefit while you remain in the service. If you are an active duty Service member, your spouse can continue to use the benefit up to 15 years after you are last released (discharged or retired) from active duty. If you are a Selected Reserve Service Member, you and your spouse can continue to use the benefit up to 15 years after you are released from your last active duty period of at least 90 consecutive days.

If you are currently service on active duty, then your spouse is eligible for the books and supplies stipend, but not the monthly living stipend (because Service member and spouse already received BAH). Only children are eligible for the monthly living stipend and/or the books and supplies stipend while the member is serving on active duty.  If you are not currently serving on active duty, then both your spouse and children are eligible for the monthly living stipend and/or the books and supplies stipend.