At PM-ProLearn, we’re dedicated to helping people just like you enhance their careers and their lives with professional certifications. As a company owned and operated by Veterans with real-world project management experience, we have the unique capability to understand your individual situation and guide you to where you need to be.
Now, you can use your GI Bill for certifications and earn them at no cost to you. This page is meant to be your guide to understanding how the GI Bill works, the benefits of using your GI Bill for certifications, and the step-by-step process on how to do so.
There are two types of GI Bill benefits: the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Only the Post-9/11 GI Bill can be used to cover your certification costs. PM-ProLearn is the only approved training provider to utilize the Post-9/11 GI Bill to cover both training costs and exam fees for the Project Management Professional (PMP®), Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP®), and Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM®). Read more about how the GI Bill works for certifications below.
Many people ask, does GI Bill pay for certifications? The short answer is yes, and with PM-ProLearn, you only need 1 month worth of eligibility benefits per certification you’d like to earn! PM-ProLearn accepts Ch 33 and Ch 35, meaning you can use the benefits for yourself, family members, and dependents.
However, there’s more to the process. Typically, at a university, using the GI Bill for tuition is completely handled by the financial aid office and covers expenses without the beneficiary ever needing to come out of pocket for those expenses. With certifications, the process is a bit different. Instead, the students are often required to pay for their certification course upfront, submit their receipts to the VA, and wait for their GI Bill certification reimbursement. This is still the easiest and fastest way to enroll in a course, but PM-ProLearn understands that not everyone can pay the $2,000 upfront and wait for reimbursement.
With PM-ProLearn’s deferred payment plan, you can still get enrolled in a course for only $100 down. We’ll provide you with additional paperwork that allows you to take a loan from PM-ProLearn for the remaining balance. You submit your receipt to the VA for reimbursement for the course. You then keep your $100 deposit from that amount and pay the remainder of what you owe to PM-ProLearn, so it still ends up being no cost to you. This option requires you to choose a course at least 90 days out, so it’s important to plan ahead if you wish to take this option. If you’re short on time and want to get your certification as quickly as possible, paying the full cost upfront and waiting for the reimbursement from the GI Bill may be the better option for you.
The 1 month of eligibility benefits from your Post 9/11 GI Bill will cover your training cost for any of these certifications:
In addition to your training, PM-ProLearn will pay for your certification exam and a retest fee if needed (Restrictions Apply) as an added value and at no additional cost. Your training costs include a variety of benefits you can only get from PM-ProLearn for an entire year, including:
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Free reattendance to our live or virtual courses as often as you’d like
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Access to our online learning system, including videos, quizzes, practice tests, mastery tracking of key concepts, and so much more
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Ability to schedule 1-1 coaching with an instructor whenever you feel you need a bit of extra support and guidance along your journey
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Working with an instructor to expertly translate your military experience and craft a compelling PMI application
Below, we’ll lay out the step-by-step process for using your GI Bill for certifications. First, it’s important to understand whether you are eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and how to get your statement of benefits to see how much you still have available for use. We’ll cover that next.
How the GI Bill Works for Certifications
Eligibility Requirements for GI Bill Certification Reimbursement
Only the Post-9/11 GI Bill may be used to cover the costs of your certifications. To determine your eligibility, you must meet the following requirements:
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You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible (discharge conditions other than dishonorable may be eligible for Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) benefits)
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You must have started your service on or after September 11, 2001
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And one of these must be true:
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You served for at least 90 days total on active duty or
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You served for at least 30 days on active duty without a break and were honorably discharged with a service-connected disability or
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You received a purple heart
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How much time do I have to use my benefits?
If your last day on active duty was on or after January 1, 2013, you can use your benefits anytime. Your benefits won’t expire.
If your last day on active duty was before January 1, 2013, you have 15 years from that date to use your benefits.
How do I know if I still have benefits?
Great question! Before deciding on a course, your first step is to verify your eligibility and ensure you still have benefits available. To do this, you’ll want to get a copy of your Post-9/11 GI Bill Statement of Benefits, sometimes called a GI Bill Certificate of Eligibility.
Your GI Bill Statement of Benefits will show you how much of your benefits you’ve used and how much you have left to use for your education or training. You can check your GI Benefits at: https://www.va.gov/education/check-post-9-11-gi-bill-benefits/
Currently, the GI Bill benefit statement isn’t available online to family members and dependents, so you’ll need to request a copy of your education decision letter by mail to check your GI Bill benefit status, also available at the link above. If you haven’t yet applied for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, that link can also help you there.
Step-By-Step Guide for Payment Upfront Method
Step 1: If you haven’t been assigned to an advisor yet, please fill out this quick form to get started. While you wait for your advisor’s welcome email, move on to step 2 to verify your benefits. You can also download our checklist to help you along the way!
Step 2: Confirm you have at least 1 month of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits remaining. You can do so at https://www.va.gov/education/check-post-9-11-gi-bill-benefits/
Step 3: Once you have confirmed your benefits and eligibility, select which course you want to attend. The “Upcoming Courses” menu at the top of our website allows you to select the certification type you’re interested in and view the list of available classes.
Step 4: You should be in contact with your advisor by this point. Confirm with your advisor your eligibility benefits and the course you are interested in. Once confirmed, they will instruct you on how to pay the $2,000 for the course in advance.
Step 5: Upon payment, your advisor will send you a receipt and a VBA-22-10272 form with PM-ProLearn’s information pre-filled. You must complete the rest of your information and submit it to the VA for reimbursement here: https://www.va.gov/?next=%2Fmy-va%2F. Reimbursement usually takes between 15 and 30 days.
Step 6: Congratulations! Your funding process is complete, and you will be fully enrolled 2 weeks before your desired course, where you’ll be able to complete the pre-work to your selected certification online before your selected class starts.
Step-By-Step Guide for Deferred Payment Plan Method
Step 1: If you haven’t been assigned to an advisor yet, please fill out this quick form to get started. While you wait for your advisor’s welcome email, move on to step 2 to verify your benefits. You can also download our checklist to help you along the way!
Step 2: Confirm you have at least 1 month of Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits remaining. You can do so at https://www.va.gov/education/check-post-9-11-gi-bill-benefits/
Step 3: Once you have confirmed your benefits and eligibility, select which course you want to attend. You must select a course at least 90 days from starting this deferred payment process. You can use the “Upcoming Courses” menu at the top of our website to select which certification type you’re interested in and view the list of available classes.
Step 4: You should be in contact with your advisor by this point. Confirm with your advisor your eligibility benefits and the course you are interested in. Once confirmed, they will send you a “Deferred Tuition Agreement” via DocuSign. Once signed, your advisor will send you a link to pay your $100 deposit.
Step 5: Once your $100 payment has been processed, you will receive a “Promissory Note” via DocuSign. This shows that you owe PM-ProLearn the remaining balance, similar to a loan or line of credit from a credit card.
Step 6: Your advisor will send you a pre-filled VBA-22-10272 form with PM-ProLearn’s information. You will need to fill out the rest of your information. You will then submit this form and a receipt of the full $2000 for the course to the VA for reimbursement here: https://www.va.gov/?next=%2Fmy-va%2F
Step 7: The VA will reimburse you $2000 for the full course, and you will pay PM-ProLearn the remaining balance of $1900.
Step 8: Congratulations! Your funding process is complete, and you will be fully enrolled 2 weeks before your desired course, where you’ll be able to complete the pre-work to your selected certification online before your selected class starts.
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How to Use GI Bill for Certifications: A Step-By-Step Process
To use your GI Bill for certifications, you’ll need at least 1 month of eligibility for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, either Ch 33 or 35. The Montgomery GI Bill is NOT eligible for use. There are two options you can take:
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Paying the $2000 upfront and requesting full reimbursement (fastest option to get started)
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Deferred Payment Plan with only a $100 deposit (can take 3-4 months to get started)
As a company owned and operated by Veterans with real-world project management experience, we have the unique capability to understand your individual situation and guide you to where you need to be.
In addition to your training, PM-ProLearn will pay for your certification exam and a retest fee if needed (Restrictions Apply) as an added value and at no additional cost. Your training costs include a variety of benefits you can only get from PM-ProLearn for an entire year, including:
-
Free reattendance to our live or virtual courses as often as you’d like
-
Access to our online learning system, including videos, quizzes, practice tests, mastery tracking of key concepts, and so much more
-
Ability to schedule 1-1 coaching with an instructor whenever you feel you need a bit of extra support and guidance along your journey
-
Working with an instructor to expertly translate your military experience and craft a compelling PMI application
PM-ProLearn is the ONLY training provider where you can use the GI Bill to cover training costs and exam fees for the PMP®, PMI-ACP®, and CAPM® certifications.
Why Use Your GI Bill for Certifications at PM-ProLearn
Frequently Asked Questions about the GI Bill for Certifications
Only the Post-9/11 GI Bill is approved at this time. You can use either Chapter 33 or 35 of the Post-9/11 GI Bill
Yes! You are eligible for benefits once you've served at least 90 days on active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service) on or after September 11, 2001.
You may use the GI Bill for the PMP®, PMI-ACP®, or CAPM®
We have 2 different processes: one where you can pay the full amount upfront and get reimbursed, which can get you enrolled immediately, or a deferred payment plan that only requires $100 down and can enroll you in about 90 days. Both options will require you to submit paperwork we provide to the VA to get reimbursement, so the certification ends up being at no cost to you.
Once you’ve been assigned to an advisor and have made your class payments, your advisor will provide you with receipts and a VBA-22-10272 form to submit to the VA for reimbursement. If you need to connect with an advisor, fill out the form here.
Yes! PM-ProLearn accepts Ch 35 of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which can be used on family members and dependents.
You need 1 month’s worth of GI Bill benefits per certification you would like to receive.
Reimbursement typically takes between 15-30 days from the VA
Start Your Certification Journey Today
Don’t hesitate to use your GI Bill for certifications today! Earning a professional certification like the PMP®, PMI-ACP®, or CAPM® has many great benefits, including potential salary increases, new job opportunities, and making yourself more marketable in a competitive job market. Our GI Bill certification reimbursement programs make earning the certifications you need to develop your desired career easy.
Connect with an advisor today to start your journey.
“I started off not knowing if I really wanted to begin this journey, mainly because I wasn’t sure how to translate the many projects I managed while being active duty. Eventually in my indecisive journey I seen a post from PM-ProLearn about helping veterans with their application and providing the PMI knowledge we need for the exam. So I enrolled in the PMP Boot camp and not only did I receive the knowledge, but also the assistance with the application process. For all veterans and transitioning service members it’s a plus to take their course because you can use your GI Bill or other military funding options to fund the course. Ryan King was a great and knowledgeable instructor!”
Jade Brown, PMP