Post 9/11 GI Bill and MHA: Understanding Your Benefits

Everyone who has served in the military knows what BAH is. Basic Allowance for Housing is given to servicemembers who live off base to compensate them for the cost of renting a place to live. It can be applied to rent or a mortgage and is a different amount depending on where you live.

With the introduction of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the VA began paying a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) to those attending schools using the GI Bill. The MHA is provided to make it easier for veterans to take classes and position themselves for more opportunities.

Remember that classes don’t necessarily just mean university classes. There are a wide variety of education opportunities available using the GI Bill, including Vocational/Technical Training, On-the-Job training, flight training (after a private pilot license), and other programs. You can find a list of these on the VA “How to use your GI Bill” website.

For some, understanding how GI Bill monthly housing allowance (MHA) works can be a bit confusing. Here are five things to understand about your MHA:

1. MHA is only paid while you are actively enrolled and attending classes. This ensures you don’t exhaust your benefits before completing your education or training.
2. To receive MHA, you must be attending school or training at more than 50% of a full-time rate. The rate of pursuit is determined by how your school certifies your program.
3. If you are attending school or training part-time, your MHA will be prorated accordingly.
4. Changes in enrollment can impact your rate of pursuit and, consequently, your MHA payments. Inform your School Certifying Official immediately if you change your enrollment, so they can update your records with the VA to ensure proper payment and avoid debt.
5. MHA payments are generally issued during the first week of the month for the previous month. For example, the MHA for May 2024 will be paid in the first week of June 2024.

Also remember that most students who are using the GI Bill must verify their enrollment every month. Your local Veteran representative can help you with the verification, of you can call the VA Education Section at 1 (888-442-4551).

If you have any questions, you can call the above number to talk to the VA or drop a question or comment below. You can also email us here at info@nwavet.org.