VA benefit payments are made directly to students (except vocational rehabilitation students). The payment is made to the student for the number of days the student is certified for the month. If a student is certified for a whole month, the full monthly benefit is paid. If the student is only certified for part of the month, the benefit is prorated as follows:

VA uses a 30-day month. Divide the monthly rate by 30 to get the daily rate. If a student is certified from the 1st through the 15th, the student is certified 15 days and is entitled to 1/2 of the full monthly benefit. Example:

• If the monthly benefit is $100.00 and the student is certified 1/1 through 1/15, the student is entitled to $50.00 ($3.33 per day for 15 days).
• If the student is certified 1/16 through 1/31, the student is entitled to $50.00 ($3.33 per day for 15 days).
• If the student is certified 1/1 through 1/31, the student is entitled to $100.00 (a full months benefit).

Remember, VA uses a 30-day month: 1/16 through 1/30 (or 1/31) is 15 days and 2/16 through 2/28 (or 2/29) is 15 days. The month rounds out to 30 days.

An additional kicker may be paid to some chapter 30 and chapter 1606 students. If a student paid for part of a month is subsequently certified for the next quarter or semester, VA will automatically pay the break between the quarters or semesters if Break Pay can be paid.

Benefit payment rate information is available at http://www.gibill.va.gov/resources/benefits-resources/rates-tables.html.