Chapter 33 Housing Allowance Explanation

Chapter 33 Housing Allowance Explanation

Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill® Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) Explanation (aka - your monthly BAH)

 

Whether you are an undergraduate or a graduate student, you need to be enrolled full-time for the full length of the semester, and be in at least one on campus course (any course that does not have the OL section identifier), in order to receive your full monthly housing allowance.

If you are full time, but taking classes entirely online, then you will only receive half the national average MHA payment.

Since you are paid a monthly housing allowance through your benefit, you are responsible for your housing arrangements.

Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for Ch. 33, or BAH, is paid based on your rate of pursuit and your award percentage.  Please review your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for your award percentage.

Unlike the school, the VA bases your rate of pursuit on the combined start and end dates for all of your classes (ie. 12 credits with all classes running the full 16 week standard term).

Short-term classes and pre-term classes do not "add" to the standard term rate of pursuit.  If the enrollment dates for some of your classes do not match the standard term - please contact the VMA at 719-255-3253 to inquire about how your MHA may be affected.

Fall and Spring Semester MHA - Typically 16-week enrollment periods

  • Full time: 12 credits for the standard term

  • Rate of Pursuit: number of credits taken / 12

  • Partial rate: You must be enrolled for greater than 50% Rate of Pursuit.

    • Rate of Pursuit X MHA = your monthly payment, rounded to the nearest 10%

    • 6 credits, or less, will not see MHA payment for the standard term

  • Full time: 5 credits for the standard term

  • Rate of Pursuit: number of credits taken / 5

  • Partial rate: You must be enrolled for greater than 50% Rate of Pursuit.

    • Rate of Pursuit X MHA = your monthly payment, rounded to the nearest 10%

    • 2.5 credits, or less, will not see MHA payment for the standard term

Summer Semester MHA - Typically 8-week enrollment periods

  • Full time: 6 credits for the standard term

  • Rate of Pursuit: number of credits taken / 6

  • Partial rate: You must be enrolled for greater than 50% Rate of Pursuit.

    • Rate of Pursuit X MHA = your monthly payment, rounded to the nearest 10%

    • 3 credits, or less, will not see MHA payment for the standard term

  • Full time: 2.5 credits for the standard term

  • Rate of Pursuit: number of credits taken / 2.5

  • Partial rate: You must be enrolled for greater than 50% Rate of Pursuit.

    • Rate of Pursuit X MHA = your monthly payment, rounded to the nearest 10%

    • 1.25 credits, or less, will not see MHA payment for the standard term

Points to keep in mind

If you have classes with different enrollment periods than the standard term, please contact our office for more information on short-term or pre-term MHA.

If you are full time but taking classes entirely online (OL section identifier), then you will only receive half the national average MHA payment.

  • Since you are paid a monthly housing allowance, you are responsible for your housing arrangements. 

  • MHA is paid by the enrollment period - check the start and end dates for each class.

    • You may be considered full time for UCCS, but you may not be considered full time for the VA.

      • Different start and end dates for classes can mean different rates of pursuit for MHA.

  • MHA is paid on the 1st day of the following month (ie. you are paid "end of month").

  • The first payment may not come for several months (VA will back pay).

    • This is very common; plan accordingly

  • Full time MHA is set - taking more than standard full time will not increase your MHA.

  • MHA is paid only during periods when the student is enrolled.

    • MHA is not paid during winter or summer breaks if the student is not enrolled in classes.

      • Courses taken during breaks (spring, summer, winter) are eligible for MHA payment, depending on the rate of pursuit for the enrollment period.

  • The first and last month's MHA are pro-rated because each term begins and ends in the middle of the month.

    • You will not get the full amount at the end of the first and last months of the term.

  • MHA amounts are based on the DOD's Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for an "E-5 with dependents" for the zip code of the school.

  • Online courses are rated differently for MHA. 

    • If you enroll in online courses only, and you are full time, you will only receive 1/2 the national average BAH.

  • Dropping courses can negatively effect your MHA

    • If you drop below full time you may owe a portion of the MHA back to the VA.

    • It is also likely you may have to pay back the tuition for the course.

    • Please go here to learn about Mitigating Circumstances and the "up to" 6 Credit Hour Exclusion.

For information about enrollment and MHA call the VMA office at (719) 255-3253.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.