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GI Bill BAH Calculator

Updated Sep 29, 2026 By Infinity Calculator
Rate Formulas Sources
MHA = BAH: The Post-9/11 GI Bill "Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)" and "BAH" refer to the same benefit. This tool estimates MHA only for Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). Tuition, book stipends, and Yellow Ribbon are out of scope — see VA.gov for full benefits.
* indicates a required field.
Eligibility Pre-Check
Confirm your GI Bill chapter and active-duty status.
Student Information
Tell us how you are using your entitlement.
Active-duty students are not eligible for MHA and are handled by the pre-check above. Your student type does not change the MHA rate formula.
Eligibility tiers are based on total active-duty service after Sept 10, 2001 (e.g., 90 days–under 6 months = 50%; 36+ months = 100%). This value is a direct multiplier in the final calculation.
MHA is always calculated using the E-5 with dependents BAH rate regardless of your actual dependent status — this is VA policy. Your selection here does not change your MHA amount.
School Lookup
The MHA rate is tied to your school's location — not your home address. Search by name or enter the campus ZIP.
Suggestions show location and E-5 w/dep rate. Selecting one fills the ZIP field.
OR
Enter your school campus ZIP code — not your home address.
Enrollment Details
Choose how you attend and how many credits you carry this term.
Hybrid students who take at least one credit in person at a U.S. campus qualify for the full local MHA rate.
Your Estimated Monthly Housing Allowance
$0 / month
≈ $0 / year
Annual estimate assumes 12 consecutive months of enrollment and does not account for breaks between semesters.
How Your MHA Was Calculated
Step-by-Step Solution
Supporting Details
Base BAH Rate Used—
Training Time Applied—
Eligibility Tier Applied—
Rate Effective Period—
Compare Schools
Add up to 2 more schools to compare MHA side by side. Comparisons use the same enrollment settings — only the school location changes.
Your School
$0
per month
≈ $0 / year
Training time: —
Base rate: —
GI Bill MHA Rate Reference Table
Browse E-5 with-dependents monthly rates by location, including County Cost Groups for unincorporated areas.
State City / Location Name

Introduction

If you use the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), you may get a monthly payment to help pay for housing while you go to school. This payment is called the Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA). Most people also call it BAH because it is based on the military's Basic Allowance for Housing rate for an E-5 with dependents.

How much you get depends on three things: where your school is located, how many credit hours you take, and your GI Bill eligibility percentage. This calculator handles that math. Enter your school and enrollment details, and it will show your estimated MHA rate.

You can also compare housing allowance rates at up to three schools side by side. All rates shown are for the 2026–2027 academic year, in effect from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027, and VA uses the 2026 BAH rates for that period.1 This tool estimates MHA only. It does not cover tuition, book stipends, or Yellow Ribbon benefits.

How to Use Our GI Bill BAH Calculator

Enter a few details about your GI Bill benefits, school, and enrollment below. The calculator will estimate your monthly housing allowance (MHA) under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

GI Bill Chapter: Pick your GI Bill chapter. This tool only calculates MHA for the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). If you use a different chapter, your housing benefits are calculated differently.

Active Duty Status: Tell us if you are currently on active duty. Active duty service members are not paid a housing allowance, so this is important to get right.1

Student Type: Select whether you are a veteran using your own benefits, a dependent using transferred entitlement, or a National Guard or Reserve member.

Eligibility Percentage: Choose your GI Bill eligibility tier. This ranges from 50% to 100% based on how long you served on active duty.1 You can find your percentage on your Certificate of Eligibility from the VA.

Dependents: Select whether you have dependents. Note that the VA always uses the E-5 with dependents BAH rate to calculate MHA, so this choice does not change your result.

School Location: Search for your school by name or type in the 5-digit ZIP code of your campus. Your MHA rate is based on where your school is located, not where you live.

Learning Modality: Choose how you attend classes. In-person and hybrid students get the local BAH rate. Online-only students get half the national average, and foreign school students get the national average.1

Credit Hours: Enter the number of credit hours you are taking this term. The VA uses this number to figure out your training time. Your rate of pursuit must be more than 50% to receive any housing allowance, which means more than 6 credit hours when 12 is full time.1

Click Calculate My MHA to see your estimated monthly and yearly housing allowance, a full breakdown of the math, and a step-by-step explanation of how your amount was determined.

What Is the GI Bill Monthly Housing Allowance?

The GI Bill Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) is a tax-free payment the VA sends to eligible students each month to help cover rent and housing costs. It is part of the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). Many people call it BAH because the payment amount is based on the military's Basic Allowance for Housing rates.

How Is MHA Calculated?

Your MHA amount depends on three things:

  1. Your school's location. The VA uses the E-5 with dependents BAH rate for the ZIP code where your campus is located, not where you live.
  2. How many credits you take. The VA divides your credit hours by your school's full-time load, usually 12, and rounds to the nearest tenth: 9 credits out of 12 is 80%.1 You must be enrolled in more than 6 credit hours (more than half-time) to get any MHA.
  3. Your GI Bill eligibility percentage. This is based on how long you served on active duty after September 10, 2001. It ranges from 50% to 100%.

The formula is: Base BAH Rate × Training Time × Eligibility Percentage = Monthly MHA.

Who Cannot Get MHA?

Active-duty service members do not receive MHA.1 Students enrolled at half-time or below (6 or fewer credits) also get $0 in housing allowance.

Online and Foreign School Rates

If you attend school entirely online, VA bases your allowance on half the national average, up to $1,261 a month.1 If you attend a foreign school, you receive the full national average rate. These rates do not change based on location. However, hybrid students who take at least one class in person qualify for the full local rate.

When Do Rates Change?

The VA updates MHA rates once a year on August 1. The current rates are in effect from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027.1 Use this calculator to estimate your benefit before you enroll.

Planning Around Your MHA

Once you know your estimated MHA, you can plan the rest of your finances more effectively.

Formulas used

Rate of Pursuit (raw percentage)
\text{Rate of Pursuit} = \frac{\text{Credit Hours}}{12} \times 100\%
Training Time (rounded to nearest 10%, capped at 100%)
\text{Training Time} = \min\!\left(\operatorname{round}\!\left(\frac{\text{Credit Hours}}{12} \times 100,\; 10\right),\; 100\right)\%
Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) 1
\text{MHA}_{\text{monthly}} = \text{Base Rate} \times \frac{\text{Training Time}}{100} \times \frac{\text{Eligibility \%}}{100}
Annual MHA Estimate
\text{MHA}_{\text{annual}} = \text{MHA}_{\text{monthly}} \times 12
Online-Only National Rate 1
\text{Online Rate} = \text{National Average MHA} \times \tfrac{1}{2}

Frequently asked questions

What does MHA stand for?

MHA stands for Monthly Housing Allowance. It is the housing payment you get from the VA when you use the Post-9/11 GI Bill to go to school. People also call it BAH because it is based on the military Basic Allowance for Housing rate.

Does my home address affect my MHA rate?

No. Your MHA rate is based on where your school is located, not where you live. Enter your school's campus ZIP code into the calculator, not your home ZIP code.

How many credit hours do I need to get MHA?

Your rate of pursuit must be more than 50% to receive any MHA, which means more than 6 credit hours when 12 is full time.1 If you take 6 or fewer credits, the VA considers you half-time or below and you get $0 in housing allowance.

Do I get full MHA if I take 9 credit hours?

Not quite. The VA divides your credits by 12 to find your training time. For 9 credits, that is 75%, which rounds to 80% training time. VA's own example says the same: 9 credits where 12 is full time gives a rate of pursuit of 80%.1 So you would get 80% of the full BAH rate (before your eligibility percentage is also applied).

How many credits do I need for full MHA?

You need 12 or more credit hours to get 100% training time. That gives you the full BAH rate for your school's location, adjusted only by your eligibility percentage.

What is training time?

Training time is the percentage the VA uses based on your credit hours. It is calculated by dividing your credits by 12, then rounding to the nearest 10%. For example, 10 credits ÷ 12 = 83.3%, which rounds to 80%.

Does my dependent status change my MHA amount?

No. The VA always uses the E-5 with dependents BAH rate to calculate MHA.1 It does not matter if you have dependents or not. Your payment is the same either way.

Can I get MHA while on active duty?

No. Active-duty service members receive $0 in MHA. The housing allowance is only for veterans and other eligible students who are no longer on active duty.

What is the online-only MHA rate?

Students who take all their classes online get up to $1,261 per month, half the national average, from August 1, 2026.1 It does not change based on your school's location.

Do hybrid students get the online rate or the local rate?

Hybrid students get the full local BAH rate. If you take at least 1 class in person while taking other online classes, you may be eligible for the higher resident rate.1

What is the foreign school MHA rate?

Students at foreign schools get up to $2,522 per month, the national average, from August 1, 2026.1 It does not depend on the school's country or city.

Is MHA taxable?

No. MHA payments under the Post-9/11 GI Bill are tax-free. You do not need to report them as income on your tax return.

How do I find my GI Bill eligibility percentage?

Your eligibility percentage is listed on your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA. It is based on how long you served on active duty after September 10, 2001. You can also find it by logging in to your account at VA.gov.

What is the annual estimate based on?

The annual estimate assumes you are enrolled for 12 straight months. In practice, most students have breaks between semesters when MHA is not paid, so your actual yearly total will likely be lower.

When do GI Bill MHA rates update?

The VA updates MHA rates once a year on August 1. The rates in this calculator are in effect from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027.1

How do I compare MHA rates at different schools?

Use the Compare Schools section at the bottom of the calculator. Click "Add Another School" and search for a second or third school. The tool will show each school's MHA side by side using the same enrollment settings.

Do National Guard and Reserve members get the same MHA?

Yes, if they qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The MHA formula is the same for all Chapter 33 users. The amount depends on your eligibility percentage, school location, and credit hours. It does not depend on your service component.

Do I get MHA during summer classes?

Yes, as long as you are enrolled in more than 6 credit hours during the summer term. The VA pays MHA for any term where you meet the training time requirement, including summer sessions.

Do I get MHA during school breaks?

Generally, no. VA does not pay MHA while you are on break from school.1 If there is a break between semesters and you are not enrolled in classes, you will not receive MHA for those months.

Sources

  1. Post-9/11 GI Bill Rates. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Rates effective August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2027; Monthly housing allowance. Accessed September 29, 2026.

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