Chapter 30 VA Benefits Explained: How Veterans Can Cash In on Correspondence Training

So you’re a veteran thinking about taking some correspondence courses — maybe online, maybe by mail — and you want to use your Montgomery GI Bill benefits (Chapter 30) to help pay for it. Totally understandable. But how much money can you actually get? Let me break it down in plain English.

What’s Correspondence Training, Anyway?

It’s just a fancy way of saying you’re learning remotely. Instead of showing up to a classroom, you’re doing your lessons online or through the mail, at your own pace. Perfect if you’ve got a busy life or other stuff going on.

How Does the VA Pay You for These Classes?

Here’s the thing: for correspondence courses, the VA doesn’t just pay you like regular classes based on how many hours you’re enrolled. Instead, you get paid based on how many lessons you actually finish — and it’s about 55% of what each lesson costs.

So say each lesson costs $100. When you finish one, you get about $55. You have to show proof that you finished the lessons to get paid, but that’s basically it.

What If You’re Doing Trade or Vocational Training?

If you’re learning a skill or trade, not a traditional college degree, the VA has a set of monthly payments depending on how much you’re taking:

• Full-time? Around $2,000 a month

• Three-quarters time? About $1,500

• Half-time? Close to $1,000

• Less than half-time but more than a quarter-time? Around $1,000 or less, based on tuition

• Quarter-time or less? About $500 or less, depending on tuition

And if you start mid-month, your payment will get adjusted for the actual time you’re enrolled.

What If Your Tuition Is Less Than Those Monthly Rates?

Good question! If your tuition and fees are less than what the VA’s monthly payment would be, they just pay you the actual tuition cost upfront as a lump sum. So, no overpaying.

Why Should You Care?

Knowing how this works means you won’t get surprised when your benefits show up. You can plan your money better, which is always a win.

Correspondence courses are a great way to keep learning without messing up your schedule. And with Chapter 30 benefits, you get paid as you finish your lessons — helping you keep things affordable.

If you’re thinking about signing up, talk to your VA rep or your school’s veterans office. They’ll help you figure out the details and make sure you get the most out of your benefits.