VA education grants can be used for a variety of purposes. For example, you can use them to  pay for tuition for undergraduate and graduate college programs. Or, you could use the GI Bill benefits for flight training or other technical courses. Job training and apprenticeship programs are also typically approved. 

Sometimes, however, the money you receive from your Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty grant is not enough to cover all your school or training-related expenses. That’s where the $600 Buy-Up Program can help.

The $600 Buy-Up Program provides up to $5,400 of additional cash benefits to qualified applicants. To participate, you must qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill benefit program. The program works as a type of savings or incremental contributions program.

While you are still serving in active duty, you must make contributions in increments of $20 to a specified education fund. The maximum amount of money you can contribute is $600, all of which must be added prior to discontinuing active duty. 

You will only start receiving these VA education benefits after separating from active duty for civilian life.

Any money you deposit into your education fund accrues interest. This means you can receive an additional $150 to $180 per month on top of your regular MGIB-AD grant money. 

Essentially, for every $20 you deposit, you’ll receive an additional $180 in addition to your Montgomery GI Bill benefits. When times are tight, the extra monthly payments provide significant financial relief. The entire $5,400 in extra money is available to spend on all approved school-related expenses such as books, supplies, additional classes and more.

Military grants for spouses of active duty and veteran service members are also available. The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA), also referred to as Chapter 35 benefits, provides funds to qualified spouses whose husband or wife died while serving in active duty. These benefits are also available to spouses whose husband or wife was captured or went missing during active duty.

Active duty, especially when involving combat, creates numerous potential issues for those who served. Injuries during active duty often result in permanent disabilities. The DEA program also provides funds to spouses whose partner was disabled during active duty or became disabled later because of an active duty injury.

The primary purpose of these grants is to help the families of U.S. military service members experience an easier financial transition moving forward without the help of their deceased or disabled spouse or parent.