Chapter 31 vs. Chapter 33: Which VA Benefit Pays for IT Training?
Chapter 33 (the Post-9/11 GI Bill) is based on your length of active-duty service and is the benefit most veterans use. Chapter 31 (Veteran Readiness and Employment, or VR&E) requires a service-connected disability rating of at least 10% and an approved vocational rehabilitation plan, but can cover training costs more completely once you qualify. They're not competitors — using one doesn't automatically use up the other, and depending on your situation, you may be able to use both.
If you're a veteran or transitioning service member exploring IT or cybersecurity training, the first question usually isn't "which school." It's "which benefit pays for it." Here's how the two most relevant ones actually compare.
Chapter 33: Post-9/11 GI Bill
Who qualifies: You need at least one of the following, per VA: 90 days of active duty on or after September 11, 2001 (consecutive or not); a Purple Heart received on or after September 11, 2001 with an honorable discharge; 30 continuous days of active duty on or after September 11, 2001 followed by an honorable discharge for a service-connected disability; or eligibility as a dependent using transferred benefits. No disability rating is required.
How much you get: If you served 90 days, you're eligible for a percentage of the full benefit, which scales up to 100% as your active-duty time increases. At 100%, VA covers full in-state public tuition and fees, caps private and foreign school tuition at an annual rate that updates yearly, pays a monthly housing allowance (reduced for online-only enrollment, and not paid during school breaks), and covers a books-and-supplies stipend up to an annual maximum.
How long it lasts: Up to 36 months of entitlement for most veterans. If you served 56 months or more on active duty and also have Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB-AD) entitlement, you may qualify for up to 48 months combined.
Does it expire? If you separated from active duty before January 1, 2013, your Chapter 33 benefits expire 15 years after your last separation date. If you separated on or after January 1, 2013, they don't expire — a result of the Forever GI Bill.
Chapter 31: Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
Who qualifies: Per VA, you must meet both: you didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, and you have a service-connected disability rating of at least 10%. Meeting both makes you eligible to apply — it doesn't automatically mean you're approved. Once VA receives your application, a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) evaluates you and determines your actual entitlement to services, based on whether your disability creates an employment barrier.
How much you get: Rather than a flat tuition cap, VR&E works through an individualized rehabilitation plan your VRC approves with you. Once approved, VA pays the cost of tuition, fees, required books, supplies, and equipment tied to that plan, plus a subsistence allowance rather than a GI Bill-style housing allowance. If you also have at least one day of remaining Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement, VA lets you choose to receive the Post-9/11 subsistence rate instead of the standard Chapter 31 rate — VA notes this is usually the higher of the two, so it's worth asking your VRC about.
How long it lasts: If you separated before January 1, 2013, your basic eligibility window is 12 years from your separation date or your first VA disability rating, whichever is later — extendable if your VRC finds a serious employment handicap. If you separated on or after January 1, 2013, that 12-year window doesn't apply to you at all.
Does using it cost you GI Bill months? Generally, no. VA says using VR&E benefits doesn't deduct entitlement from your Post-9/11 GI Bill or Montgomery GI Bill. The exception: if you already used other VA education benefits before qualifying for VR&E, VA deducts that already-used time from your VR&E entitlement — though a process called "retroactive induction" can sometimes restore those months to your other benefit instead. Your VRC determines whether that applies to you.
Chapter 31 vs. Chapter 33, side by side
| Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) | Chapter 31 (VR&E) | |
|---|---|---|
| Core requirement | Active-duty service time | Service-connected disability rating of 10%+ |
| Who decides what you get | Formula based on service length | A VRC, through an individualized plan |
| Tuition coverage | Capped (full in-state public; annual cap for private) | Tied to your approved plan, can be more complete |
| Monthly payment | Housing allowance, based on school location | Subsistence allowance (or Post-9/11 rate, if eligible and higher) |
| Uses up GI Bill months? | N/A — this is the GI Bill | Generally no, with exceptions above |
| Time limit to use it | 36 months (up to 48 if combined with MGIB-AD) | No time limit if separated after Jan 1, 2013 |
So which one should you use for IT training?
If you don't have a service-connected disability rating, Chapter 33 is your path — it's the benefit most veterans and transitioning service members use, and it covers IT and cybersecurity training at approved schools without needing a VRC's approval first.
If you do have a rating of 10% or higher, it's worth talking to a VRC before defaulting to the GI Bill. VR&E's plan-based approach can cover training more completely than the GI Bill's tuition caps, and because it generally doesn't draw down your GI Bill entitlement, you may be able to preserve those months for later — a second credential, a degree program, or passing benefits to a dependent if you're eligible to transfer them.
Either way, the training itself needs to be at an approved provider. ACI Learning Tech Academy accepts Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, and veterans with VR&E eligibility should confirm their IT or cybersecurity program choice with their VRC as part of their rehabilitation plan.
Not sure which VA benefit fits your situation?
Talk to an admissions advisor about using Chapter 31, Chapter 33, or VET TEC 2.0 to fund your IT or cybersecurity training at Tech Academy.
No. Chapter 33 eligibility is based on active-duty service time, not disability status. A disability rating is only required for Chapter 31 (VR&E).
In many cases, yes, and using VR&E generally doesn't use up your GI Bill months. The exception is if you've already used other VA education benefits before VR&E approval — talk to your VRC about how that affects your specific entitlement.
It can, since VR&E ties coverage to an individualized plan rather than a flat cap, and VA allows you to elect the (usually higher) Post-9/11 GI Bill subsistence rate if you qualify for both. But VR&E requires a VRC's approval of your plan — it isn't a benefit you can activate on your own the way you apply for the GI Bill.
Only if you separated from active duty before January 1, 2013 — those benefits expire 15 years after separation. If you separated on or after that date, there's no expiration.
Apply through VA, and once your application is received, VA schedules you with a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC), who evaluates your eligibility and builds your plan if you qualify.
