Outside Awards

VA Benefits for Independent Undergraduate Students

We encourage you to carefully consider whether you want to use your Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) benefits for your undergraduate expenses at Stanford, or to save some or all of your benefits eligibility to use for graduate school costs. Some students decide that Stanford's need-based financial aid package is sufficient to cover their undergraduate expenses, and that it makes financial sense to reserve their Chapter 33 benefits for graduate study. If you have a graduate program in mind, you may want to find out whether your Chapter 33 benefits could be used for that program. You should also consider the expiration date of your Chapter 33 benefits eligibility.

When you apply for financial aid from Stanford, we will provide a financial aid notification that shows your eligibility for need-based aid without Chapter 33 benefits. If you choose to use your benefits, your need-based scholarship aid from Stanford will be adjusted to reflect the expected amounts of your Chapter 33 benefits for tuition, fees, and books, as well as the portion of the VA housing allowance matching the budgeted amount for your room and board costs (any additional amount of VA housing allowance will not be considered in the financial aid process). Chapter 33 benefits replace the Student Responsibility portion of the aid package. Chapter 33 benefits do not affect your eligibility for federal Title IV aid programs (grants and loans).

In the example shown below, the left side shows an independent student's financial aid package without Chapter 33 benefits. The right side shows the same student's aid package adjusted to incorporate Chapter 33 benefits. This example assumes that the student is single, independent, not working, without other resources, and eligible at the 100% level for the full academic year 2026–2027. Please keep in mind that your actual figures will be different depending on your financial circumstances and your Chapter 33 eligibility level.

Sample Package without Chapter 33 benefits			Sample Aid Package with Chapter 33 benefits
Cost of Attendance			Cost of Attendance
Tuition	$67,731		Tuition	$67,731
Housing and Food	$22,944		Housing and Food	$22,944
Student Fees Allowance	$2,610		Student Fees Allowance	$2,610
Personal Expenses Allowance	$3,405		Personal Expenses Allowance	$3,405
Books & Supplies Allowance	$855		Books & Supplies Allowance	$855
Transportation (CA)	$405		Transportation (CA)	$405
Total Expenses	$97,950		Total Expenses	$97,950
Scholarships and Grants			Scholarships and Grants
Need-Based Aid (Grant/Scholarship)	$92,950		VA Tuition/Fees Base Benefit	$30,908
			Stanford Yellow Ribbon Scholarship	$10,000
			VA Yellow Ribbon Matching Benefit	$10,000
			VA MHA Funds toward Housing & Food*	$22,944
			VA Books Benefit	$1,000
			Need-Based Aid (Grant/Scholarship)	$23,098
Total Grants and Scholarships	$92,950		Total Grants and Scholarships	$97,950
Net Cost to Student			Net Cost to Student
Student Responsibility	$5,000		Student Responsibility	$0
Total Net Cost to Student	$5,000		Total Net Cost to Student	$0

* The actual amount of Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) funds that you will receive from the VA may be higher than the amount shown here. In calculating need-based scholarship eligibility, Stanford only considers the portion of MHA funding that is needed to cover our standard budget amount for room and board. Chapter 33 benefit recipients living in on-campus housing are expected to pay Stanford directly for room and board costs using the MHA funds that the VA pays directly to the recipients.

The Financial Aid Office staff is available to answer any questions you may have about your need-based aid award and how using Chapter 33 benefits may impact your aid package.

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 website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Updated on April 14, 2026 10:27 AM