Changes to the Residency Requirements for Housing Allownace Coming Soon
Over the last two years, military-affiliated students who are using their GI Bill® have seen many changes in the requirements for residency and their basic housing allowance, or BAH. As of December 21, residency requirements for educational benefits from the VA will change again. Students taking in-person classes will need to return to campus to meet the updated requirements.
What are the In-Person Requirements?
If you’ve been using your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for a few years, the new system will look like the old system. But if you’re newer to this, here’s a quick breakdown.
As of June 1, 2022 - student veterans will need to enroll in approved resident classes to continue receiving their monthly housing allowance at the resident rate. If you aren’t planning to return to in-person classes, you will receive the online rate, also called the national average for BAH, which is $916.50 per month for the 2021-2022 school year.
How You Should Prepare for the Change
First, make sure that you are tracking the change date, which is June 2022. This means that for classes starting after that date, the protections put in place regarding COVID-19 are over.
Ensure that the classes you are scheduled to take next semester fulfill the in-person requirements, which may differ depending on the course, syllabus, or academic institution. If you have questions, check with your school certifying officer to ensure you don’t miss any important details.
You also need to check your institution’s requirements for the class. Some require a weekly class, and some only require once per term. You’ll also want to find the most up-to-date vaccination requirements for your school and the surrounding areas, particularly if traveling from out of town.
Stay Informed
As a student veteran, you know things can change. Make sure you keep up-to-date on the changes by following your school’s and the VA websites. The VA’s COVID-19 update currently states:
COVID-19 legislation that permits students to receive MHA at the resident rate while taking approved converted (online) courses will end on June 1, 2022. When enrolling for courses in 2022 or any subsequent term, students will need to enroll in approved resident classes to continue receiving their MHA at the resident rate. Additionally, suppose a student is enrolled in converted courses that continue past June 1, 2022, AND have been receiving their MHA at the resident rate due to COVID-19. In that case, their MHA will be reduced to the online rate on June 2, 2022.
Ready to learn more about navigating the higher education system as a veteran? Start here.
