The GI Bill, which initially went into effect after the Second World War, was created to help soldiers pay for educational expenses as they return to school. Over time, the undergraduate funding became available for Master's and Doctoral work, as well. To qualify for the GI Bill, you must have been a member of the United States armed forces for a certain amount of time. This varies depending on when you enlisted and in which department; check with your parent service for more details. In certain cases, funding can be used to finance the education, even the graduate education, of your son or daughter.
The GI Bill will contribute toward your doctoral education at any accredited institution; you can check to see if your institution qualifies at the GI Bill website. Funding is available for students at both private and public institutions, though the funding maximum is equal to the highest in-state tuition for an undergraduate degree at a public university in your home state.
Graduate tuition and living expenses normally outweigh undergraduate fees, particularly at private universities. However, you can still receive GI Bill funding, but must make up the difference on your own. Many doctoral programs offer their students full funding, but you can use the GI Bill only under particular circumstances: if your school offers you a tuition waiver, you cannot receive additional GI Bill funding, as the GI Bill is intended solely for tuition. However, if your funding is for living expenses, or even for "tuition and other expenses," you can receive GI Bill funding on top of your university program funding.
Students enrolled at schools participating in the Yellow Ribbon program may still have their full tuition paid, but these schools limit the number of veterans they accept. To find out if your school qualifies, visit the school's financial aid website or the GI Bill website. For further information on any aspect of GI Bill funding, you can speak both to your office of financial aid as well as the education center of your parent service.