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

Can I Use My Step-Father’s GI Bill to Go Back to School?


Q: Can I attend school using my step father’s GI Bill? I’m unsure of how long he was in the military but I have been considering going back to school. I have being hearing I should be able to go back using his GI Bill and I am also hearing I wouldn’t be able to. Please reply soon, thanks!

A: I’m sorry, but being your step-father is not currently serving, he would not be able to make a transfer of benefits to you. The only GI Bill that has a transfer-of-benefits option is the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

The way Congress wrote the specifics of it, the servicemember has to have served for at least six years, be currently serving at the time a transfer request was made, and agree to serve an additional four years of service (as of August 1st, this rule applies regardless of the number of years already served.) However, if he would have transferred benefits to you while he was still serving, he would still have the right to revoke, reallocate or use those benefits himself even though he is retired.

The other thing you should know about Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits is there is a maximum age in which you have to use up your transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. So if you are age 26 or older, you would not be able to use transferred benefits even if you had them.

If your step-father has the Montgomery GI Bill, he couldn’t have transferred it either as that GI Bill did not have a transfer option to it.

So even though your step-father isn’t eligible to transfer any of his GI Bill benefits to you, don’t despair. There are many different sources of financial aid available that can help you get through school. Every year, thousands of dollars go unused because nobody applied for the money. Seek out the sources and apply.


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