Understanding Your GI Bill Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)
The Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) is one of the most significant benefits of the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). It is designed to cover the cost of living while you pursue your education. Unlike a standard loan, this is a grant-like benefit that does not need to be repaid as long as you complete your courses.
How MHA is Calculated
Your MHA is calculated based on several factors, primarily the location of your school and your training status. The VA uses the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for an E-5 with dependents as the benchmark.
Location: For in-person students, the rate is based on the zip code of the campus where you attend the majority of your classes.
Online Training: If you are taking 100% of your classes online, you receive a national average rate, which is currently $1,177.50 (for the 2024-2025 academic year).
Rate of Pursuit: You must be enrolled more than half-time to receive any MHA. For example, if 12 credits is full-time, you must take at least 7 credits to qualify.
Benefit Level: Your service history determines if you get 50% to 100% of the calculated rate.
The "More Than Half-Time" Rule
To qualify for MHA, your "Rate of Pursuit" must be greater than 50%. If you are exactly at 50% (e.g., taking 6 credits when 12 is full-time), you receive $0 in housing allowance. Once you cross that threshold, your payment is rounded to the nearest 10%. For instance, a 75% rate of pursuit pays out at 80% of the applicable MHA rate.
Example Calculations
Scenario
Calculation
Total Monthly
Full-time In-Person (San Diego, $3,400 BAH), 100% Level
$3,400 * 1.0 * 1.0
$3,400.00
Full-time Online, 100% Level
$1,177.50 * 1.0 * 1.0
$1,177.50
3/4 Time In-Person ($2,000 BAH), 80% Level
$2,000 * 0.8 * 0.8
$1,280.00
Important Considerations
Keep in mind that MHA is pro-rated for partial months. If your semester starts on August 15th, you will only receive half of the MHA for the month of August. Payments are also typically issued in arrears, meaning you receive August's payment in early September.
function toggleZipInput() {
var type = document.getElementById('enrollmentType').value;
var container = document.getElementById('bahRateContainer');
if (type === 'online') {
container.style.display = 'none';
} else {
container.style.display = 'block';
}
}
function calculateMHA() {
var enrollmentType = document.getElementById('enrollmentType').value;
var pursuitRateInput = parseFloat(document.getElementById('pursuitRate').value);
var benefitLevel = parseFloat(document.getElementById('benefitLevel').value) / 100;
var resultDiv = document.getElementById('mhaResult');
var valueDiv = document.getElementById('mhaValue');
var detailsDiv = document.getElementById('mhaDetails');
var baseRate = 0;
var onlineNationalRate = 1177.50; // 2024-2025 Standard
if (enrollmentType === 'online') {
baseRate = onlineNationalRate;
} else {
baseRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('bahRate').value);
if (isNaN(baseRate) || baseRate <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid BAH rate for your school's zip code.");
return;
}
}
if (isNaN(pursuitRateInput) || pursuitRateInput 100) {
alert("Please enter a valid Rate of Pursuit between 0 and 100.");
return;
}
// Eligibility check: Rate of pursuit must be > 50%
if (pursuitRateInput <= 50) {
resultDiv.style.display = 'block';
valueDiv.innerHTML = "$0.00";
valueDiv.style.color = "#d32f2f";
detailsDiv.innerHTML = "Your rate of pursuit must be greater than 50% to qualify for the Monthly Housing Allowance.";
return;
}
// Calculation logic
// 1. Determine rounded pursuit rate (rounded to nearest 10%)
var roundedPursuit = Math.round(pursuitRateInput / 10) / 10;
// 2. Base calculation
var calculatedMHA = baseRate * roundedPursuit * benefitLevel;
// Display
resultDiv.style.display = 'block';
valueDiv.style.color = "#2e7d32";
valueDiv.innerHTML = "$" + calculatedMHA.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
var typeText = (enrollmentType === 'online') ? "100% Online rate" : "Local In-Person rate";
detailsDiv.innerHTML = "Based on " + typeText + " ($" + baseRate.toFixed(2) + ") at a " + (roundedPursuit * 100) + "% rounded rate of pursuit and " + (benefitLevel * 100) + "% benefit level.";
}