If you're a military veteran, admissions advisors at University of Maryland Global Campus can assist you with selecting a class schedule that combines online and hybrid courses, so you can qualify for the higher dollar amount from your housing allowance.
Under the Post‐9/11 GI Bill, your monthly housing allowance (MHA) is based on a variety of factors, including the following:
- Your eligibility percentage
- Whether you take online or hybrid courses
- Where the on-site component of your hybrid courses meet
- Your rate of pursuit, which is calculated based on the number of credits you take; to be eligible for housing allowance, you must be enrolled at a 60 percent rate of pursuit or greater
Spouses of veterans and children receiving benefits under the Post‐9/11 GI Bill may be eligible for a housing allowance. Children are eligible for housing allowance if the transferor is active-duty.
Balancing Your Course Load
UMGC offers multiple start dates that provide you with the opportunity to accelerate a degree path without an overly ambitious schedule of classes. Below are the rates of pursuit for course loads in undergraduate, 3-term graduate, and 4-term graduate programs.
Undergraduate Rate of Pursuit (for 8-Week Sessions)
- 3 credits = 60 percent rate of pursuit
- 4 credits = 80 percent rate of pursuit
- 5 credits = 90 percent rate of pursuit
- 6 credits = 100 percent rate of pursuit
At the undergraduate level, taking 6 credits during two separate, non-overlapping eight-week sessions would be considered a 100 percent rate of pursuit during the fall and spring terms. By taking these courses in sessions 1 and 3*, you are enrolled in only two courses at a time with a one-week break between each session, for a total of 12 credits. If you want to continue to enroll at a 100 percent rate of pursuit during the summer term, you may consider enrolling in 6 credits each in sessions 1 and 2 for a total of 12 credits. Keep in mind that sessions 1 and 2 overlap for about a month during the summer term, so you must be prepared to balance 12 credits at once.
*Session 4 during spring 2020 and prior terms.
3-Term Graduate Rate of Pursuit (for 12-Week Sessions)
- 3 credits = 50 percent rate of pursuit
- 6 credits = 70 percent rate of pursuit
- 9 credits = 100 percent rate of pursuit
At the 3-term graduate level, taking 9 credits during each term would be considered a 100 percent rate of pursuit. Please keep in mind that 6 credits, which is at 70 percent rate of pursuit, is considered the recommended academic load for most students.
4-Term Graduate Rate of Pursuit (for 11-Week Sessions)
- 6 credits = 100 percent rate of pursuit
At the 4-term graduate level, taking 6 credits during each term would be considered a 100 percent rate of pursuit.