Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship (GI Bill STEM Extension)

Last updated: July 7, 2026, reflecting VA policy current as of July 2026

The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship gives extra GI Bill money to veterans and Fry Scholars who need more time to finish a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math. People often call it the “GI Bill STEM extension”. It can add up to 9 months of benefits or $30,000, whichever runs out first, and it does not reduce your normal 36 months of GI Bill benefits.

Quick Facts:

• Open to veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill and to Fry Scholarship recipients
• Adds up to 9 months of benefits or $30,000, whichever comes first
• Pays your tuition and fees first, then books and supplies, then housing
• Does not use up any of your normal 36 months of GI Bill benefits
• Cannot be used with the Yellow Ribbon Program
• If you’re only looking to extend your GI Bill for reasons that are not STEM-related, see our guide to the Forever GI Bill instead

STEM Scholarship Eligibility

You may qualify in one of three ways. You only need to meet one.

1. You Are Working on an Undergraduate STEM Degree

All of these must be true:

• You’re enrolled in an undergraduate STEM degree program, or a qualifying dual degree program, that needs at least 120 semester credit hours (or 180 quarter credit hours) to finish
• You’ve already completed at least 60 semester credit hours (or 90 quarter credit hours) toward that degree
• You have 6 months or less of your Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship benefits left

2. You Already Have a STEM Degree and Are in a Clinical Training Program

All of these must be true:

• You’ve earned a STEM degree
• You’re accepted into or enrolled in a covered clinical training program for health care professionals, such as a medical residency (this training must not be part of a separate graduate degree program)
• You have 6 months or less of your Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship benefits left

3. You Already Have a STEM Degree and Are Working Toward a Teaching Certificate

All of these must be true:

• You’ve earned a STEM degree
• You’re working toward a teaching certificate
• You have 6 months or less of your Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship benefits left

A note on graduate school: You generally cannot use this scholarship to pay for a graduate degree. The two exceptions are the clinical training and teaching certificate paths above, since those don’t require you to be in a graduate degree program to qualify.

Eligible Fields of Study

You must be enrolled in one of these fields to apply:

• Agriculture science or natural resources science
• Biological or biomedical science
• Computer and information science and support services
• Engineering
• Engineering technology or a related field
• Health profession or related program
• Mathematics or statistics
• Medical residency program
• Physical science
• Science technology
• Other fields that the VA secretary identifies as meeting national needs

STEM Scholarship Rates for 2026-2027 School Year

VA pays your STEM Scholarship benefits in a set order. It pays your tuition and fees to the school first. If money is left over, it pays for books and supplies. If money is still left after that, it pays your monthly housing allowance. Your benefits end once you reach 9 months of payments or $30,000 in total, whichever comes first.

School Type	Maximum Benefit
Public institution	Up to $30,000
Private institution	Up to $30,908.34
Foreign institution	Up to $30,908.34 (in U.S. dollars)

You may be able to get the lower, in-state tuition rate at a public school even if you have not lived in that state.

Example: Say the VA pays your school $6,000 in tuition and fees for the year, then $500 for books and supplies. If your monthly housing allowance is $1,800, VA can pay that housing amount for all 9 months, since the total stays under $30,000. But if your tuition were much higher, say $27,000 for the year, there would only be enough money left for a couple of months of housing before you hit the $30,000 cap.

Your STEM benefit amount also depends on your GI Bill percentage. If you’re eligible for 80% of the standard Post 9/11 GI Bill rate, you’ll also get 80% of the STEM rate. Fry Scholars are eligible for 100% of the full rate.

Monthly Housing Allowance

Your monthly housing allowance (MHA) is based on the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rate for an E-5 with dependents, using the zip code where you attend classes.

• In-person courses: Paid based on local BAH rates and how many credits you’re taking
• Online only courses: Up to $1,261 a month
• Foreign schools: Up to $2,522 a month

You will not get a housing allowance if you are on active duty, if you are a spouse using transferred benefits while the veteran is on active duty, if you’re enrolled half-time or less, if you’re only taking correspondence or flight training, or if you’re on a school break.

Books and Supplies

Up to $1,000 per academic year, based on how many courses you’re taking.

How VA Decides Who Gets a Scholarship

Congress limits how much VA can spend on this scholarship each year. If there is not enough funding for everyone who qualifies, VA gives priority in this order:

1. People working on an undergraduate STEM degree, including qualifying dual degree programs
2. People working toward a STEM teaching certificate
3. People in a dual degree program where both degrees are in STEM fields

If the VA has enough funding for everyone who applies in a given year, this priority order does not come into play. Contact the VA education call center at 888-442-4551 for the current year’s funding details before you apply.

Other Rules to Know

• You can still use other college scholarships and grants while receiving STEM Scholarship benefits
• You cannot combine this scholarship with the Yellow Ribbon Program
• You can take part in the work study program while receiving STEM Scholarship benefits
• Spouses, children, and other dependents cannot use this scholarship on their own, and you cannot transfer it to them (Fry Scholars, who are already dependents receiving their own GI Bill benefit, can apply for it directly)

How to Apply

Apply online at VA.gov using VA Form 22-10203, the Application for Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship. The application takes about 15 minutes. VA usually makes a decision within 30 days and mails you a Certificate of Eligibility if you’re approved. Give a copy of that certificate to your school’s certifying official so they can apply it to your account.

Policy Talks on STEM Scholarship Rules

A bill called the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act (H.R. 2034 and S. 3040) is currently before Congress. It has not become law. If passed, it would:

• Remove the rule that you must have 6 months or less of GI Bill benefits left before applying
• Lower the number of credit hours you need to complete before applying by 25%
• Require you to use up your other GI Bill benefits before using STEM Scholarship funds

We’ll update this page if the bill passes. For now, the eligibility rules above still apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does using the STEM Scholarship reduce my normal 36-month GI Bill benefits? No. It’s a separate pool of benefits on top of your normal 36 months.

Can I use the Yellow Ribbon Program with the STEM Scholarship? No. Your school may still offer its own Yellow Ribbon funding, but VA will not match it.

Can dependents use the STEM Scholarship? Only if they are Fry Scholars. Other dependents, including those using transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, cannot use it, and veterans cannot transfer their STEM Scholarship benefits to them.

Is there a one-time STEM payment? No. VA pays your benefits over time as you attend school. Tuition and fees are paid to your school, and books and housing money are paid to you on a regular schedule, not as a single lump sum.

Why do STEM Scholarship applications get denied? Common reasons include having more than 6 months of GI Bill benefits left at the time you apply, being enrolled less than half-time, or attending a school or program that VA has not approved.

The Woman Behind the Name: Edith Nourse Rogers

The scholarship is named after Edith Nourse Rogers, a member of the House of Representatives from Massachusetts. She served from 1925 to 1961, making her one of the longest-serving women in the House. Rogers helped write the original GI Bill and the law that created the Women’s Army Corps. She also led the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee during the 80th and 83rd Congresses, from 1947 to 1949 and again from 1953 to 1955.