This website is not affiliated with the U.S. government or military.

Can I Use My Boyfriend’s Post 9/11 GI Bill to Start School Before We Marry?


Q: My boyfriend and I are planning on getting married but I want to start school before we do. He wants to give me his GI Bill, but if I start school first will I still be able to use it? He is a member of the Louisiana National Guard and we reside in Texas now. Will I be able to use his Louisiana GI Bill at a Texas university?

A: Because we may be talking about two different GI Bills, let’s address your last question first. Generally speaking, when a state offers its National Guard and Reservists its own GI Bill, it normally has to be used at a public school located within that state. So if your boyfriend/husband could transfer his State GI Bill to you (and he can’t), you most likely would not be able to use it in Texas anyway.

However if he has deployed in support of a contingency operation ( like Iraq or Afghanistan) as a National Guardsman, he most likely has some eligibility under the Federal Post 9/11 GI Bill.

Once you are married, he has served for at least 6 years, is currently serving at the time he makes a transfer request and has at least four years left on his enlistment at the time he makes his request (whew, what a mouthful!), he could transfer part or all of that GI Bill benefit to you. Because it is a federal benefit, you could use it in Texas. But beware as it only pays up to the resident tuition rate and because Texas is not your state of residency, you may end up paying out-state tuition. Also, depending on how long your boyfriend deployed if he deployed at all, you might be at a lesser tier than full-time. A typical one-year tour would put him at the 60% tier level; three years total would put him at 100%.


Privacy Policy | About Us | FAQ | Terms of Service | Disclaimers | Do Not Sell My Personal Information (CA and NV residents)

Copyright © 2023 EducationDynamics. All Rights Reserved.

This is a private website that is not affiliated with the U.S. government, U.S. Armed Forces or Department of Veteran Affairs. U.S. government agencies have not reviewed this information. This site is not connected with any government agency. If you would like to find more information about benefits offered by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, please visit the official U.S. government web site for veterans’ benefits at http://www.va.gov.

The sponsored schools featured on this site do not include all schools that accept GI Bill® funding or VA Benefits. To contact ArmyStudyGuide, email us.

Disclosure: EducationDynamics receives compensation for the featured schools on our websites (see “Sponsored Schools” or “Sponsored Listings” or “Sponsored Results”). So what does this mean for you? Compensation may impact where the Sponsored Schools appear on our websites, including whether they appear as a match through our education matching services tool, the order in which they appear in a listing, and/or their ranking. Our websites do not provide, nor are they intended to provide, a comprehensive list of all schools (a) in the United States (b) located in a specific geographic area or (c) that offer a particular program of study. By providing information or agreeing to be contacted by a Sponsored School, you are in no way obligated to apply to or enroll with the school.

This is an offer for educational opportunities that may lead to employment and not an offer for nor a guarantee of employment. Students should consult with a representative from the school they select to learn more about career opportunities in that field. Program outcomes vary according to each institution’s specific program curriculum. Financial aid may be available to those who qualify. The financial aid information on this site is for informational and research purposes only and is not an assurance of financial aid.

VFW $30,000 Scholarship!
Write an essay on the annual patriotic theme. This year’s theme is, “Why Is The Veteran Important?”

X