GI Bill is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Let admissions advisors help calculate your housing allowance as a military veteran at UMGC Asia.
At University of Maryland Global Campus, we can help you determine how your class schedule and the type of classes you're taking affect the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' calculation for your housing allowance.
Factors that Affect your Housing Allowance
Under the Post‐9/11 GI Bill®, your housing allowance is based on your eligibility percentage, whether you take online, on-site or hybrid courses, where your on-site or hybrid courses meet, and your rate of pursuit which is calculated based on the number of credits you take. To be eligible for housing allowance, you must be enrolled at a 60 percent rate of pursuit or greater.
Balancing Your Courseload
UMGC offers multiple start dates that provide you with the opportunity to accelerate a degree path without an overly ambitious schedule of classes. If you plan to enroll full-time (100 percent rate of pursuit) you typically take two courses during two separate eight-week sessions in the fall and spring terms.
By taking these classes in Session 1 and Session 4, you are enrolled in only two courses at a time with a one-week break between each session for a total of at least 12 credits.
The summer requires a somewhat more rigorous academic schedule. If you want to continue to enroll at 100 percent rate of pursuit during the summer you should consider enrolling in two courses in Session 1 and two courses in Session 3 for a total of at least 12 credits. Keep in mind that Session 1 and Session 3 overlap for about a month, so you must be prepared to balance four courses at once.
Choosing your Courses: Online, On-Site, or Hybrid
The Post 9/11 GI Bill® provides students enrolled exclusively in online courses (no on-site classroom instruction) with a housing allowance that is set at half the national average Basic Allowance for Housing, or BAH, rates for an E-5 with dependents.
If you prefer the flexibility of online and classroom instruction, you can take classes at one of our 20+ locations in the Maryland, D.C., and Virginia region, as well as on-site at select military installations both in the U.S. and overseas. These on-site courses count toward eligibility for the full BAH rate. Many of these approved classroom courses are delivered in a hybrid format where students are only required to attend one day per week.
If You Enroll in Another School While Studying at UMGC
At least two to four weeks before your semester starts, you will want to work with your veterans advisor to get a Permission to Enroll granting approval for the courses you plan to take at another school. The Permission to Enroll verifies the courses you're taking will satisfy degree requirements and be accepted for transfer credit after they're successfully completed. You will need to contact the School Certifying Official at the other school for additional steps needed to get benefits and information on that school's housing allowance rate.
Undergraduate Rate of Pursuit (for 8-week Sessions)
- 3 credits = 60 percent rate of pursuit
- 4 credits = 80 percent rate of pursuit
- 5 credits = 90 percent rate of pursuit
- 6 credits = 100 percent rate of pursuit
Graduate Rate of Pursuit (for 3-term, 12-week Sessions)
- 3 credits = 50 percent rate of pursuit
- 6 credits = 70 percent rate of pursuit
- 9 credits = 100 percent rate of pursuit
Graduate Rate of Pursuit (for 4-term, 11-week Sessions)
- 6 credits = 100 percent rate of pursuit
