Housing Allowance

If you're a military veteran, admissions advisors at University of Maryland Global Campus can assist you with selecting a class schedule that combines online and hybrid courses, so you can qualify for the higher dollar amount from your housing allowance.

Under the Post‐9/11 GI Bill, your housing allowance is based on a variety of factors, including the following:

• Your eligibility percentage
• Whether you take online or hybrid courses
• Where the on-site component of your hybrid courses meet
• Your rate of pursuit, which is calculated based on the number of credits you take; to be eligible for housing allowance, you must be enrolled at a 60 percent rate of pursuit or greater

Spouses of veterans and children receiving benefits under the Post‐9/11 GI Bill may be eligible for a housing allowance. Children are eligible for housing allowance if the transferor is active-duty.

Balancing Your Course Load

UMGC offers multiple start dates that provide you with the opportunity to accelerate a degree path without an overly ambitious schedule of classes. If you plan to enroll full-time (100 percent rate of pursuit) at the undergraduate level, you'll take 6 credits during two separate eight-week sessions in the fall and spring terms.

By taking these courses in Session 1 and Session 4, you are enrolled in only two courses at a time, with a one-week break between each session, for a total of at least 12 credits.

The summer requires a somewhat more rigorous academic schedule. If you want to continue to enroll at 100 percent rate of pursuit during the summer, you should consider enrolling in 6 credits in Session 1 and 6 credits in Session 3 for a total of at least 12 credits. Keep in mind that Session 1 and Session 3 overlap for about a month, so you must be prepared to balance 12 credits at once.

Choosing Your Courses: Online and Hybrid

The Post 9/11 GI Bill provides students enrolled exclusively in online courses (no on-site classroom instruction) with a housing allowance that is set at half the national average Basic Allowance for Housing, or BAH, rates for an E-5 with dependents. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs updates the allowance amount annually.

If you prefer the flexibility of online and classroom instruction, you can take hybrid courses at one of our locations in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., as well as at certain military installations in the United States and overseas. These hybrid courses count toward eligibility for the full BAH rate. These approved classroom courses are delivered in a hybrid format, where students are only required to attend one day per week.

If You Enroll in Another School While Studying at UMGC

At least two to four weeks before your semester starts, you will want to work with your advisor to get a Permission to Enroll (PTE) granting approval for the courses you plan to take at another school. The PTE verifies that the courses you're taking will satisfy degree requirements and will be accepted for transfer credit after they are successfully completed. You will need to contact the School Certifying Official at the other school for additional steps needed to get benefits and information on that school's housing allowance rate.