Learn how to combine online and hybrid courses to qualify for more housing allowance.
If you're a military veteran, University of Maryland Global Campus admissions advisors can assist you with selecting a class schedule that combines online and hybrid courses so you qualify for the higher dollar amount from your housing allowance.
Under the Post‐9/11 GI Bill®, your monthly housing allowance (MHA) is based on a variety of factors, including:
- Your eligibility percentage
- Whether you take online or hybrid courses
- Where the on-site component of your hybrid courses meets
- 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 a 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.
For students interested in full-time enrollment, we recommend you pursue at least 6 credits at a time and at least 12 credits per semester for undergraduate students and at least 6 credits at a time for graduate students. We also recommend you take at least one hybrid course in each session.
Below are the rates of pursuit for course loads in undergraduate, 3-term graduate, and 4-term graduate programs.
Undergraduate Rate of Pursuit (8-Week Sessions)
- 3 credits = 60 percent rate of pursuit
- 4 credits = 80 percent rate of pursuit
- 5 credits = 90 percent rate of pursuit
- 6 credits = 100 percent rate of pursuit
At the undergraduate level, taking 6 credits during two separate, non-overlapping eight-week sessions would be considered a 100 percent rate of pursuit during the fall and spring terms. By taking these courses in sessions 1 and 3*, you are enrolled in only two courses at a time with a one-week break between each session, for a total of 12 credits. If you want to continue to enroll at a 100 percent rate of pursuit during the summer term, you may consider enrolling in 6 credits each in sessions 1 and 2 for a total of 12 credits. Keep in mind that sessions 1 and 2 overlap for about a month during the summer term, so you must be prepared to balance 12 credits at once.
We offer hybrid courses in the first and last eight-week sessions of our academic calendar. We recommend you take 6 credits in the first session and 6 credits in the last session. During each session, at least one course should be a hybrid course (Labeled as US1 for first session and US2 for the last session). This will ensure four months of uninterrupted housing allowance in the spring and fall semesters.
* Session 4 during spring 2020 and prior terms.
3-Term Graduate Rate of Pursuit (12-Week Sessions)
- 3 credits = 50 percent rate of pursuit
- 6 credits = 100 percent rate of pursuit
- 9 credits = 100 percent rate of pursuit
At the 3-term graduate level, taking 6–9 credits during each term would be considered a 100 percent rate of pursuit. Please keep in mind that 6 credits per term is considered the recommended academic load for most students.
4-Term Graduate Rate of Pursuit (11-Week Sessions)
- 6 credits = 100 percent rate of pursuit
At the 4-term graduate level, taking 6 credits during each term would be considered a 100 percent rate of pursuit.
Choosing Your Courses
Online Courses
The Post 9/11 GI Bill provides students enrolled exclusively in online courses (i.e., no on-site classroom instruction) with a housing allowance that is set at half the national average Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for an E-5 with dependents. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs updates the allowance amount annually.
Hybrid Courses
If you prefer the flexibility of online coursework combined with on-site meetings, 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. Please note students should register for classes within a two-hour commutable driving distance from the address provided to UMGC.
Hybrid courses are approved classroom courses where students are only required to attend one day per week. Hybrid courses count toward eligibility for the full BAH rate.
We offer hybrid courses in the first and last eight-week sessions of our academic calendar. We recommend you take 6 credits in Session 1 and 6 credits in Session 2. During each session, at least one course should be a hybrid course. This will ensure four months of uninterrupted housing allowance in the spring and fall semesters.
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.
