Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty Accelerated Payment

How It Works

Get lump-sum payments for 60% of tuition and fees for certain high-cost, high-tech programs. If you are eligible, VAJoe.com can help you find schools where you can use your Accelerated Payment benefits. These conditions apply:

The VA makes Accelerated Payments for one term, quarter, or semester at a time.
If the program is not offered on a term, quarter or semester basis, the Accelerated Payment will be paid for the entire program.
Tuition and fees must be more than double the MGIB-AD benefits that you would otherwise receive for that term.

Example 1—How Your Accelerated Payment Amount Is Determined

Suppose your full-time MGIB-AD is $900 a month, and you are enrolled in a four-month semester. Your tuition and fees must be more than $7,200 in order for you to be eligible for an Accelerated Payment because your tuition and fees must be more than double the MGIB-AD benefits that you would otherwise receive for that term.

JoeMath
$3,600 (your available MGIB-AD benefit [$900 x 4 months]) × 2 $7,200 (minimum tuition & fees for Accelerated Payments eligibility)

If your tuition and fees are more than $7,200 for a four-month semester, you are eligible for Accelerated Payment benefits. You will receive an Accelerated Payment of $4,320 for each semester because:

JoeMath
$7,200 (your available MGIB-AD benefit [$900 x 4 months]) × 60% $4,320 (Accelerated Payment you will receive each semester)

Example 2—How Much Entitlement Is Charged

The Accelerated Payment you receive is divided by your full-time MGIB-AD monthly rate, and that amount is the number of months and days that are charged against your available MGIB-AD benefits.

Suppose you receive an accelerated payment of $3,600 and your full-time monthly rate is $900. You will be charged for four months of beneifts from your available MGIB-AD benefits because:

JoeMath
$3,600 (Accelerated Payment you received) ÷ $900 (your full-time monthly rate) 4 months of benefits charged against your available MGIB-AD benefits

JoeWarning

You may have to repay all or part of your Accelerated Payment if you receive a nonpunitive grade (a grade that does not count toward graduation requirements, such as a W for a withdrawal).

JoeTip

You can receive accelerated payments for short, nondegree courses if they are approved for VA benefits.

JoeWarning

Short, expensive, IT courses offered by businesses usually are not approved for VA benefits.

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the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense nor any U.S. government agency.