Education GI Bill - Silliman University

Under the current Post 9/11 GI Bill, a stipend is paid according to the number of units you are taking in the semester and the stipend is based on the zip code of the school you are attending if you are attending a school inside the USA (the 50 states).

If you are attending a VA certified program at a NON-USA, foreign school, you will receive the "worldwide" overseas stipend rate. This worldwide overseas stipend rate is supposedly the average stipend rate of the US GI Bill stipend rates by zip code from within the 50 States.

If you are attending a US school in a foreign country (like Webster University, (St. Louis, MO) at their location in Thailand, then you get the St. Louis, MO stipend rate. This rate (St. Louis, MO) is LOWER than the worldwide, overseas stipend rate.

I did my research on US accredited schools in foreign countries to see where I could get the highest stipend rate in a foreign country. I found one school named Touro University, located in New York City, NY. It has a very small campus in Berlin, Germany and it pays the NYC stipend rate!!!! And, it can award a DUAL certified degree that's good in both the USA and Germany. BUT, degree programs are limited (about 5 to choose from).

You can attend school at 3/4 time and receive 80% of the monthly stipend rate. But you must take and pass at least the minimum of 1 credit over the 1/2 time schedule to get the stipend. Generally, persons attending school at 1/2 time study rate do not get any stipend. So make sure you are taking at least 1 unit more than 1/2 time. 3/4 time attendance will allow you to receive 80% of the full stipend rate.

Full time stipend rate for Silliman is 1,566 p/mth. 1,566 X 8 mths = 12,528. The stipend is tax free (non-reportable on Income Tax Return). 3/4 time = 1,252

Stipends are not paid for Christmas or Spring breaks - nor for Summers off. So figure you will receive 8 months of stipend in a typical school year with summers off. Maybe 10 months if you take classes for Summer.

OH. The VA GI BILL "FISCAL SCHOOL YEAR" begins 01 AUG and ends 31 JUL of each year. In the US, this is when most school years start and stop. So if you go to Summer school, it's easier to take a class that ends by 31 JUL so it doesn't run into the next fiscal year and burn up your benefits.

The best school I could find outside of Touro University (NYC, NY) that pays a high stipend rate AND awards a US certified degree (without issue) - AND, has MANY degree programs to choose from is the University of GUAM. The stipend rate is 2,450 p/mth.

Cost of living is higher in Guam, but no car required. BUT, if a retiree VET, with your ID card, you can shop on post, they have gas, and Commissary, the whole nine yards. Tricare works without pre-pay and MediCare works as Guam is a Territory. Plus, there is a VA local office there for out-patient medical treatment and OTHER VA benefits (like VA Voc-Rehab). VA Voc-Rehab is a GREAT program to use if you are a disabled Vet and wanting to use your GI Bill to go to school.

Guam has a commercial 4 hour, non-stop flight to Manila AND is also a "Space A" hub. Did you know the World's largest K-MART is in Guam? Yep. Lots of Asian tourists....

I'll be attending Silliman for awhile and then finish up at U of Guam.

nwlivewire

 

Vocational rehab is the way to go if you can get into the program. Vocational rehab will require you to demonstrate that your disability has kept you from being competitively employable. If you are eligible for the Post 9/11 bill and apply for vocational rehab you can collect the Post 9/11 rates which are typically higher.

In any event the VA will typically only pay for 4 years of school (days under actual instruction) which can be combined voc rehab and post 9/11.

I am actually writing this in the library as I finish my last semester of school to get my bachelors under the post 9/11 GI bill. I will run out of money and complete all course requirements in the same semester, so I have an idea of what you guys are either going through or about to go through. Good luck.