Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for the GI Bill

Post-9/11 and Forever GI Bill benefits include a monthly housing allowance (MHA) for students. While often referred to as a separate bill, the Forever GI Bill is a group of adjustments to the Post-9/11 GI Bill and not a separate educational program.

There are three factors that help the VA determine your MHA:

• Your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits eligibility. (Percentage based on amount of time you served), and
• Your course load for the semester (The number of total credit hours you’re enrolled in), and
• Whether you’re in-person or online

2024 MHA rates go into effect on Aug. 1, 2024 through the July 31, 2025. Use the calculator below to figure you’re 2024 monthly housing allowance.

Monthly Housing Allowance Calculator

Veterans, dependents and National Guard and Reserve service members can use the MHA calculator to see their estimated monthly payments. Active-duty service members receive their regular BAH and should use the BAH calculator to see their estimated payments.

Note: If you don’t already have it set up, you’ll need to set up direct deposit to receive this benefit. You’ll need to make sure to use the same account that receives any other benefits payments you receive from the VA. The VA requires anyone who receives multiple benefits a month to have a single account set up to receive payments.

Post-9/11 and GI Forever GI Bill Payment Rate Exceptions

MHA payments vary, the factors listed above impact the total amount you would be eligible for each month.

Online learning: If you’re taking online-only classes, you can still receive a MHA, the only caveat is that it will be based on the national housing allowance average. The VA will pay up to $1,177.50 (which is equal to half the national average for MHA) each month.

Foreign School: Similar to the online-only learning, if you’re attending a college at an international university, the VA will base your MHA on the national average. It will pay you up to $2,355.00 each month for an MHA payment.

Attending School in a U.S. Territory: You will get an E-5 with dependents pay, but under the overseas housing allowance (OHA) rate for the school’s location (if attending in-person).

There are some instances where you won’t qualify for any monthly housing allowance:

• Fewer than 1/2 time attending college (fewer than 7 credit hours)
• Active duty trainee (or spouse of servicemember)

Monthly Housing Allowance Payments Breakdown

If you are not a full-time student, the number of credits you are taking will determine your MHA payments. For example, let’s say you are enrolled in eight credits for the fall semester. The VA classifies a full course load as 12 credit hours a semester. The VA will take the figure that 8 credit hours is 67% training time. The department will round up to the nearest 10 percent, putting it at 70%. So your MHA payment would 70% of the applicable housing allowance.

Monthly Housing Allowance Facts

• MHA is based on BAH rates for an E-5 with dependents.
• MHA is based on the ZIP code of the school campus where the student attends most of their classes.
• MHA adjustments go into effect at the beginning each academic year (Aug. 1). While BAH increases are effective Jan. 1, they will not be applied to your MHA until your Sept. 1 payment.
• Active-duty service members have individual rate protection against BAH decreases. MHA rates won’t decrease unless:
  • Your program or school changes
  • You attend most of your classes at a different location
  • You take a break of six months or longer (unless you are on active duty)
  • You drop courses or otherwise change how many credit hours you are taking
• Students attending all courses online will receive half the national MHA average. The MHA rate for online colleges, schools or distance learning programs is $1,177.50 until July 31, 2025. For more information on how to determine your online MHA rate and eligibility click here.
• MHA is prorated for the days you attend class. If your term begins in the middle of a month, you will receive an adjusted payment that covers only the days you were in class.

BAH vs. MHA

BAH is a housing benefit provided by the DoD, whereas MHA is a benefit provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Both use the same BAH rate tables, but eligibility and calculations differ.

• BAH rate effective date is Jan. 1. while the MHA rate effective date is Aug. 1.
• For BAH, the ZIP code is the primary duty station. For MHA, the ZIP code is where the student takes the most of their classes.
• BAH is for active-duty service members while MHA is for GI Bill students including veterans, spouses who are not married to a currently serving service member receiving BAH, and children.
• Active-duty service members and spouses of active duty service members receiving BAH can not receive MHA if they already receive BAH. BAH is calculated by pay grade, location and dependent status.
• MHA starts with the equivalent of an E-5 with dependents pay grade, but may be adjusted based on:
  • Campus, online or hybrid classes or foreign school
  • Months of service
  • Partial or full-time attendance

Additional Financial Benefits Available

Rural Benefit

If you live in a low-density rural area (counties with six or fewer people per square mile, as determined by the most recent decennial census), you may qualify for a one-time payment of $500. You must also either move 500 miles or more to attend school or travel by air to attend in person when there is no land-based transportation available.