Veterans Administration / GI Bill®

Funding is approved for either the Montgomery GI Bill® (chapter 30) or the Post 9/11 GI Bill® (chapter 33).  If you are eligible for Veteran Readiness And Employment benefits, FTI is approved to accept those as well!  For help determining which GI Bill® is right for you and to apply for your GI Bill® education, visit  www.va.gov. We recommend creating your VA.gov account using ID.me as the sign-in option. This allows you to take advantage of future enhancements that can determine your eligibility automatically.

Here are some basics to know about using your benefits for flight training:

  1. If you choose to use the Montgomery GI Bill®, you will be reimbursed directly from VA for only 60% of your total training costs. With the Post 9/11 GI Bill®, you can be reimbursed up to 100% of your training, depending on your eligibility percentage; that percentage is based on your time in service, and the VA will give you that number.
  2. Regardless of the number of benefits you have remaining, the VA puts an annual cap on the dollar amount it will reimburse for flight training. The actual net costs may not exceed $16,535.46 per academic year.  The VA academic year is August 1 – July 31.  If you use more than this annual cap for flight training within the same academic year, you will be responsible for the cost of any amount over the flight training cap.  This cap increases in August of every year; it will increase on August 1 of each year.  Specific information on flight school reimbursement can be found HERE.
  3. Reimbursement for flight training using GI Bill® benefits does not allow a housing allowance or the books-and-supplies stipend.

Here are the courses FTI offers to our students that are covered by your GI Bill® benefits:

  1. ATP-CTP
  2. ATP Rating
    • Boeing Aircraft: B737, B757/767, B777
    • Airbus Aircraft: A320
  3. Type Rating
    • Boeing Aircraft: B737, B757/767, B777
    • Airbus Aircraft: A320

Here is what you will need to do in order to train with FTI using your GI Bill® benefits:

  1. You Must Qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Montgomery GI Bill
    • If you have not applied for your benefits, got to va.gov and start the process. FTI needs a copy of your VA Certificate of Eligibility, and it can take the VA 30 days or longer to get that to you!
    • If you need assistance applying for your benefits let us help! Contact us to schedule an appointment HERE.
    • If you have already used GI Bill® benefits, you can provide a Statement of (remaining) Benefits from the VA website. FTI can use this SOB in lieu of a Certificate of Eligibility to determine if you will have enough benefits remaining to cover your training costs.  Be mindful of the annual VA flight cap above when planning!
  2. You must have an FAA Commercial Pilot’s Certificate
  3. You will also need to provide FTI with a FIRST CLASS medical done within 6 months of the first day of your training.
    • This is a VA requirement that cannot be waived.
  4. General information on flight training using a GI Bill® program can be found HERE.

FTI is veteran-run and is always ready and available to help fellow veterans use this incredible reward for your service!  If you have any questions about using your GI Bill® benefits for FTI’s top-notch advanced flight training programs, contact the FTI VA School Certifying Official, at 303-329-0999! FTI looks forward to serving those who have served!

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.