If I Go to School In Another State, Will I Have to Pay Out-State Tuition?

Q: My home of record is Pennsylvania, but I am looking at going to school in Florida and living there, but not until school starts. Does this wind up counting as out-of-state tuition, and will the GI Bill cover it?

A: It more than likely will count as out-state tuition, unless Florida as a reciprocity agreement with Pennsylvania which is doubtful. Most reciprocity agreements are between bordering states.

To answer the last half of your question, the GI Bill does not make a distinction as far as if your tuition cost is resident or out-state. If you have at least three years of active duty service and are using the Montgomery GI Bill, then you will get a fixed $1,368 per month regardless of where you attend school. You will have to pay your own tuition, fees and related-education expenses.

If you are using the New 9/11 GI Bill and you are at the 100% level, then the VA will pay your tuition and eligible fees, up to the most expensive public school, undergraduate program in the state of Florida. Right now those amounts are $295 per credit hour for tuition and $62,000 for fees. If you are at a tier less than 100%, they pay your tier percentage.

As a comparison, Pennsylvania amounts are $886 per credit hour for tuition and $6,391 for fees. If your out-state tuition in Florida runs more than what the VA will pay, then you have to pay the difference, unless your school is a Yellow Ribbon school. If it is, then, the school can pay up to half of the difference and the VA pays an equal amount.

This lowers the amount left that you have to pay, if anything. It doesn't hurt to ask if your school has a Yellow Ribbon agreement with the VA.