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Transfer your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits

Find out if you can transfer any of your unused Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to your spouse or dependent children.

Note: The Defense Department (DOD) decides whether you can transfer GI Bill benefits to your family.

Can I transfer my Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits?

You may be able to transfer your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to a dependent family member if you’re on active duty or in the Selected Reserve and you meet all of these requirements.

All of these must be true:

  • You’ve completed at least 6 years of service on the date your request is approved, and
  • You agree to add 4 more years of service, and
  • The person getting benefits is enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS)

Learn about the eligibility requirements for family members to use transferred benefits

Note: If you received a Purple Heart, you don’t need to meet a service requirement. But you’ll need to request to transfer your benefits while you’re still on active duty. 

How do I transfer my benefits?

While you’re still on active duty, you’ll need to request a Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) from the DOD through milConnect. You can’t request a TEB from VA. 

Request a transfer of benefits through milConnect

What benefits can my dependents get?

Your dependents may be able to get money to pay for these expenses:

  • Tuition
  • Housing
  • Books and supplies
  • Fees for national standardized tests 
  • Fees for licensing and certifications

Check the current payment rates for transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits

You can request to transfer up to a total of 36 months of your remaining education benefits to your dependents. 

When can my dependents use the transferred benefits?

Spouses

Your spouse can use these benefits right away whether you’re on active duty or have separated from service.

  • If you separated from active duty before January 1, 2013, your spouse can use these benefits for up to 15 years after your separation from active duty.
  • If you separated from active duty on or after January 1, 2013, your spouse can use these benefits at any time. There’s no time limit on the benefits. 

Note: Your spouse doesn’t qualify for monthly housing allowance while you’re on active duty.

Children

Your child can start to use these benefits only after you’ve finished at least 10 years of service. They can use these benefits while you’re on active duty or after you’ve separated from service.

Your child must meet these requirements:

  • They can’t use the benefit until they’ve gotten a high school diploma (or a certificate that’s equivalent) or turned 18 years old, and
  • They must use these benefits before they turn 26 years old

Note: Your child may qualify for the monthly housing allowance even when you’re on active duty.

Can I cancel or change my transferred benefits?

Yes. You can cancel (revoke) or change the transfer of any benefits that we haven’t awarded to your dependent yet. 

You’ll need to use milConnect for these changes:

  • To change the number of months you’re transferring to your dependent
  • To transfer benefits back to yourself
  • To cancel the transfer of any benefits

If you’re still on active duty, you can also request to transfer benefits to additional dependents. 

What if my dependent doesn’t use their transferred benefits?

If your dependent doesn’t use their transferred benefits in the required timeframe, you’ll need to make a request to transfer the benefits back to yourself or another eligible dependent. You’ll need to make the request in milConnect. DOD doesn’t transfer the benefits back automatically. 

What happens if I don’t complete the service requirement for transferring benefits?

If you separate from service before you meet the service requirement to transfer benefits, your dependents may still be eligible to use the benefits in certain situations.

Your dependents may be eligible if you separated from service for any of these reasons: 

  • You get sick or injured while serving in the military—or your service makes an existing condition worse
  • You receive a hardship discharge
  • You have a medical condition that prevents you from performing military duties
  • You have a disability that existed before your service
  • You lose your position during a reduction in force

If you die before completing your service requirement for transferring benefits, your dependents may still be eligible to use the benefits. 

If you separate from service for other reasons, your dependents won’t be eligible to use transferred benefits. And you’ll owe us for education, training, or fees we’ve already paid for your dependents. We’ll return the transferred benefits back to your entitlement.

Get more information

For questions about eligibility, the status of your transfer request, and how to use the Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) online tool, find the contact for your branch of service.

Army

Navy

Marine Corps

Air Force

Coast Guard

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS)