If you drill with the National Guard or a Reserve unit and want to go to school at the same time, the Montgomery GI Bill® Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) is the education benefit built for you. It pays you a monthly amount while you study, some contracts add a kicker on top, and activated service can earn you the Post-9/11 GI Bill as well. This guide shows what Chapter 1606 pays in 2026, who qualifies, how the kicker and Post-9/11 eligibility fit in, and how to choose a program that works around drill weekends.
In this guide
1. What Chapter 1606 pays in 2026
Chapter 1606 works differently from the Post-9/11 GI Bill. VA pays you a flat monthly amount, and you pay the school yourself. How much you get depends on your type of training and how many courses you take. VA sets new rates every October 1:
Full time, through Sept. 30, 2026
Up to $493 a month for college and non-college degree programs.
Full time, from Oct. 1, 2026
Up to $508 a month, for October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027.
Half time, from Oct. 1, 2026
Up to $253 a month. Less than half time: up to $127 a month.
Apprenticeship and on-the-job training
From October 1, 2026: $381 a month for months 1 to 6, $279.40 for months 7 to 12, then $177.80.
Kicker
If your contract includes one, VA adds it to your monthly payment, on top of these rates.
How long
Up to 36 months of benefits, paid to you, not to the school.
Source: VA.gov MGIB-SR rates (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026; last updated November 17, 2025) and future rates (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027; last updated August 14, 2026), checked September 2026. Three-quarter-time rates are on the same pages.
Payments are prorated for partial months. VA's own example: if your term starts on the 20th, you are paid for about 10 days that month, one-third of the monthly rate. Because the money comes to you, you still owe the school its tuition. Many Guard and Reserve students cover that with their service's Tuition Assistance or a state National Guard tuition program, which have their own applications. Ask your education office how they can work alongside Chapter 1606.
If you have been activated, check section 4 before you decide. The Post-9/11 GI Bill pays tuition to the school and may add a housing allowance, which can be worth far more than a flat monthly rate. Our complete GI Bill guide compares every chapter side by side.
Not sure which benefit to use first?
A free 30-minute call with a VeteranDegrees Benefits Navigator can line up your Chapter 1606 months, any kicker and any Post-9/11 eligibility against the programs you are considering. No obligation to enroll anywhere.
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2. Who qualifies and how to apply
Chapter 1606 covers the whole Selected Reserve: the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard and Air National Guard. The rules are the same in every component. According to VA, you qualify if all of these are true:
You meet VA's requirements
- You have a six-year service obligation in the Selected Reserve that started after June 30, 1985
- You completed initial active duty for training (IADT)
- You earned a high school diploma or equivalent before you finished IADT
- You stay in good standing in an active Selected Reserve unit
What it can pay for
- College degrees and non-college degree programs
- Apprenticeships and on-the-job training
- Licensing and certification tests, flight training and correspondence courses
- Some remedial, deficiency and refresher courses
Eligibility generally ends when you leave the Selected Reserve. VA extends it to 14 years from the start of your first six-year obligation in a few cases, such as a separation for a disability that was not caused by misconduct. So if you are thinking about school, starting while you still drill protects your months.
How to apply
- Get your Notice of Basic Eligibility. Your unit establishes your entitlement and issues DD Form 2384-1. Ask your unit education officer if you don't have a copy.
- Check the program. Look up the exact school and program in VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool and run our six-step school check.
- Apply on VA.gov. Complete VA Form 22-1990 and choose Chapter 1606. Save the confirmation page.
- Hand your decision to the school. Give VA's decision or Certificate of Eligibility to the School Certifying Official and ask them to certify your enrollment. That is a separate step from the application.
3. The kicker: extra money on top
A kicker, sometimes called a College Fund, is an extra monthly education payment that some Guard and Reserve contracts include as an incentive for enlisting, reenlisting or extending, often for a critical skill or unit. It is not a separate application. If your contract has one, VA adds the kicker amount to your monthly Chapter 1606 payment, and VA notes that this can take you above the full-time rate.
Three things are worth knowing:
- The amount comes from your contract. Kickers are set by your component and your agreement, so there is no single figure. Look for a kicker addendum in your enlistment or reenlistment paperwork.
- It follows your service record. VA can only pay a kicker your component has reported. If the amount on your payments looks wrong, start with your unit education officer or your state's education services office, not the school.
- It may also pay with other GI Bills. The Texas Military Department, for example, notes that a Guard kicker may be paid with the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty, Chapter 1606 or the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Confirm which benefit your kicker attaches to before you switch.
If you are weighing Chapter 1606 against the Post-9/11 GI Bill, bring your kicker details to the conversation, because they can change which benefit pays more for you.
4. Post-9/11 eligibility from activated service
Many Guard and Reserve members have already earned the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) through federal activations and don't know it. You may qualify if you served at least 90 days of qualifying active duty on or after September 11, 2001, all at once or in separate periods. A Purple Heart, or 30 continuous days followed by a discharge for a service-connected disability, also qualifies you.
Service that counts
- Federal orders under title 10, sections 688, 12301(a), 12301(d), 12301(g), 12301(h), 12302, 12304, 12304a or 12304b, such as mobilizations and deployments
- Coast Guard Reserve orders under title 14, section 3713
- Some full-time National Guard duty under title 32, section 502(f). VA's page spells out which purposes qualify
Service that doesn't count
- Drill weekends and annual training, which are not on VA's list
- Initial skills training under title 10, section 12103(d)
- Orders under any other section
Source: VA.gov Post-9/11 GI Bill (last updated July 23, 2026), checked September 2026. Your orders show the authority they were issued under.
Your total qualifying days set your percentage: 50% for 90 to 179 days, 60% for 6 to 17 months, 70% for 18 to 23 months, 80% for 24 to 29 months, 90% for 30 to 35 months and 100% for 36 months or more. At your percentage, the Post-9/11 GI Bill pays tuition and fees to the school (up to $30,908.34 a year at private schools for 2026–27), a monthly housing allowance if you study more than half time, and up to $1,000 a year for books. It does not pay housing while you are on active duty. Our guide to what the GI Bill covers breaks down each part.
Which one should you use?
You can hold both benefits, but combined GI Bill use is generally capped at 48 months, and applying for the Post-9/11 GI Bill may ask you to give up a Montgomery benefit. That choice cannot be undone, so read the election language on VA Form 22-1990 carefully. As a rule of thumb:
- If you have qualifying activation time and plan to study more than half time at a school that charges tuition, the Post-9/11 GI Bill is often the stronger option, even below 100%, because it pays the school directly and may add housing.
- If you study half time or less while you drill, have no qualifying activation, or have a large kicker that pays only with Chapter 1606, Chapter 1606 may serve you better for now.
- If you lost benefits when the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) ended in November 2015, VA says you may now qualify for restored Post-9/11 benefits.
Activated and not sure which GI Bill to use?
Bring your orders, your Notice of Basic Eligibility and any kicker paperwork to a free Navigator call. We'll walk through what each benefit may pay at the schools you are considering, before you make an election you can't reverse.
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5. Hybrid partner programs that fit a drill schedule
The right program is the one that fits your career goal and the weekends you already owe your unit. Format matters in two different ways. Chapter 1606 pays the same monthly rate whether you study online, hybrid or on campus. Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, taking at least one in-person course that counts toward your program may qualify you for the standard campus housing rate instead of the online rate, and your school's certifying official makes that call. Our guide to hybrid vs. online for the housing allowance explains the rule, and the MHA calculator estimates the rate for a school's ZIP code.
Three of our partner schools offer formats with limited campus time:
Monroe lists Chapter 1606 among the VA benefits it accepts. For the Winter 2027 semester, which begins January 8, 2027, Monroe offers hybrid courses in majors including the MBA, MPA, MS in Computer Science and BS in Computer Networks and Cybersecurity, and some of its programs award credit for prior learning, including military training.
The Professional Weekend format adds one three-day residency per semester, so check residency dates against your drill calendar. Details are in our Professional Weekend guide. Ask the certifying official about Chapter 1606 before you apply.
The MBA in Executive Management pairs one online and one hybrid course in each 14-week term. The MS in Data Analytics and the MA in Organizational Leadership are online. Ask the certifying official about Chapter 1606 before you apply.
Before you enroll anywhere, put three dates side by side: your drill weekends, your annual training window and the program's in-person sessions. A format that looks flexible on paper can still collide with a drill weekend.
6. FAQ
How much does the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve pay in 2026?
For full-time college enrollment, Chapter 1606 pays up to $493 a month through September 30, 2026, and up to $508 a month from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. Half-time enrollment pays up to $253 a month under the new rates. VA pays you directly, you pay the school, and a kicker is added on top if your contract includes one.
Does the National Guard get the GI Bill?
Yes. Army and Air National Guard members in good standing can use the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606) if they have a six-year obligation, finished initial active duty for training and hold a high school diploma or equivalent. Guard members with at least 90 days of qualifying federal active duty since September 11, 2001 may also qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Can I use Chapter 1606 and the Post-9/11 GI Bill?
You can hold eligibility for both, but not use them for the same period, and combined GI Bill use is generally capped at 48 months. Applying for the Post-9/11 GI Bill may ask you to give up a Montgomery benefit, and that choice cannot be undone, so talk to your education office or VA before you submit.
What is the GI Bill kicker for the Selected Reserve?
A kicker is an extra monthly amount some Guard and Reserve contracts include as an enlistment or reenlistment incentive. VA adds it to your monthly Chapter 1606 payment. The amount is set by your contract, so check your contract and your Notice of Basic Eligibility, or ask your unit education officer.
Does Chapter 1606 end when I leave the Guard or Reserve?
Generally, yes. Your Chapter 1606 eligibility ends when you leave the Selected Reserve. VA extends it to 14 years from the start of your first six-year obligation in some cases, such as a separation for a disability that was not caused by misconduct. Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility earned through active duty follows its own rules.
Does Chapter 1606 pay a housing allowance?
No. Chapter 1606 pays one flat monthly amount based on how many courses you take, whether you study online, hybrid or on campus. The monthly housing allowance is part of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, where the in-person or online format of your courses can change the rate.
Want to talk it through? A VeteranDegrees Benefits Navigator can look at your Notice of Basic Eligibility, any kicker and any activation time, and show you what each benefit may pay at the programs you are weighing. Book a free Navigator call. No cost, no obligation to enroll anywhere. And before you commit to any school, run the program through our six-step check and VA's official GI Bill Comparison Tool and WEAMS.
