The GI Bill is an educational benefit program administered by the Dept of Veterans Affairs for those who serve in the military. To keep this simple you contribute $100 a month for one year. When you decide to start drawing your benefits you receive a monthly check from the VA. How much the monthly amount is depends on how many credit hours you are taking and whether or not yu are still on active duty. The GI Bill program is designed to give the veteran monetary assistance for 3 years, assuming that the individual will be going to school full time. As Dave stated the amount the GI Bill is currently paying is a great deal more than what you contributed. Also, as the cost of attendance goes up, so does the GI Bill. There's alot more to this program, so if anyone has any questions about it e-mail me. I worked for the VA as a counselor the whole time I was in college.