Home  »  Finding A School • Getting Your Degree   »   How to Study Abroad with Your Post-9/11 GI Bill

How to Study Abroad with Your Post-9/11 GI Bill

If you’re like many, the allure of travel may have been one of the top reasons you chose the military. You’re not alone. Traveling across the shining seas is exciting and can provide you with opportunities to experience new places and cultures all over the globe. 

If you have separated and are using your Post-9/11 GI bill, first of all, great job! You earned those benefits. And while you may think your “ship has sailed” when it comes to travel – not so fast. You might not need to trade exploring the world for hitting the books. In fact, recent legislative changes have improved the flexibility of the GI Bill, allowing you to keep that suitcase handy and your wanderlust spirit alive while still pursuing your education. 

Follow along as we give you the info you need to see if you can take your Post-9/11 GI Bill over the pond:

• Qualifying to Use Your Post-9/11 GI Bill
• Using Your GI Bill Benefits to Study Abroad
• Expenses Covered by Your Post-9/11 GI Bill
• How to Apply to Use Your Post-9/11 GI Bill Overseas
• Preparing to Study Abroad

Study Abroad Using the GI Bill: An Introduction

Previously, the qualifications for using your Post-9/11 GI Bill overseas were limited with murky guidance, making the process confusing and cumbersome. Legislative changes to the program make it easier to study overseas.

Terrence Hayes, VA press secretary, highlighted the improvements in an interview with Best Colleges,  “Under the Veterans Auto & Education Improvement Act, students enrolled in a U.S. institution can now use their GI Bill benefits on any study abroad program offered under contract or written agreement” between the U.S.-based institution and the foreign institution.”  

It is now possible to use Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits abroad through three different paths, making it accessible to more students. One report states that Italy was the most popular study-abroad destination for veterans, with a full 70% of veterans studying abroad doing so in European nations.

Qualifying to Use Your Post-9/11 GI Bill

The basic qualifications for using GI benefits overseas are similar to those used in the States. According to the VA, to qualify you must: 

• Be approved for or are receiving GI Bill benefits as a veteran, service member, reservist, or eligible dependent
• Be pursuing a VA-approved program
• Be pursuing a program that will qualify you for a standard associate (or higher) degree or one of equivalent value 
• Be studying ½ time or more to receive your Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA)
• Be taking classes that can be applied to your degree program.

Using Your GI Bill Benefits to Study Abroad

GI Bill-approved study abroad opportunities include 3 pathways:

• Direct enrollment with a foreign school (or guest student)
• Attending a foreign branch campus of a school that is located in the US
• Participating in a study abroad program of a US-based institution

 

Learn more about using the GI Bill

Expenses Covered by Your Post-9/11 GI Bill

With full Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, you may be able to receive tuition and housing funds to attend study abroad programs. Whether or not fees are covered is another story. Make sure you check with your school’s veteran coordinator, academic advisors, or foreign study office since payment of fees depends on several factors, including the agreement between your home school and the one you are attending abroad.

The tuition maximum in the US for private schools will apply to your foreign studies, with the maximum 2024-2025 academic year rate set at $28,937.09. For many schools, this will cover your tuition. For others, your experience may vary.

Australia is a popular location for veterans studying overseas. At the University of Sydney, the tuition to study classes in business (at press time) was listed at about $53,000, but there’s good news. For more expensive options, foreign schools are now permitted to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program voluntarily. So, if your tuition exceeds the maximum, it’s worth checking the VA’s Yellow Ribbon locator.

In the case of the University of Sydney, a quick check showed us that they have a generous Yellow Ribbon program that, in partnership with the VA, will fund the gap between the GI Bill maximum and their tuition for up to 1000 students pursuing any degree.

Before you make the leap in selecting a school, be sure to research the school you’re considering with your host school and use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to see how much the GI Bill will pay and how much you may have to cover.  

If you are studying more than ½ time on campus, you are also likely eligible for a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA), but it works differently when you study abroad. While the standard for housing is still based on E-5 with dependents, the exact amount will not be calculated based on the location of your campus. When you study abroad, your MHA is typically a flat rate determined by the average allotment in the states.

Like tuition, you’ll want to check out the cost of housing for the city of the school you’re considering, as this amount may be below or exceed your actual housing costs.  At press time, according to Zoopla, the average rate of a flat in London was listed at about $2600 per month, while International Living reported furnished apartments in small towns in Italy for as low as $535 per month.  It pays to shop around.

How to Apply to Use Your Post-9/11 GI Bill Overseas

Now that you know where you stand with benefits and expenses, it’s time to understand the application process for attending overseas schools. Let’s take them one by one, as explained by the VA;

• Determine if the VA has approved your program. Check with your academic advisor or foreign study office as they may have the answer; if not, the most efficient way to get an answer is to email the VA using this address: federal.approvals@va.gov. You must provide the foreign school’s name, complete address, and the program you want to pursue. In the meantime, stay connected with your school, which may have further guidance. 
• If you find out your program is not approved by the VA, don’t panic. One of the enhancements enacted by the Veteran Auto and Education Improvement Act has loosened the rules on approvals, permitting colleges and universities greater autonomy in offering overseas programs. To proceed, you will need to have a campus official request approval for your specific program by contacting the VA. In some cases, your School Certifying Official (SCO) will be able to certify your unapproved course with an “extension facility code” filed with your regional Education Liaison Representative (ELR). If your SCO has questions, they can get more details with the updated VA guidance. 
• Provide written permission for your home school to release your information to the host school. This is a critical step, as failure to do so may impact or even void your application. 
• Once you have the go-ahead from the VA and your school, it’s time to apply for benefits. For foreign study, the VA recommends doing so at least 120 days prior to departing, but give yourself as much time as possible to account for any hiccups along the way. Also, be sure to check on payment for fees, as these will vary depending on the relationship between your home school and the one you will be attending. Note: if you are using Chapter 31 or Chapter 36, you use a different application.

For Chapter 31, go to: https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/vocational-rehabilitation/how-to-apply/

For Chapter 36, go to: https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/education-and-career-counseling/

Get Ready to Go

Preparing to study overseas requires some additional preparation. Below are some steps you will need to take to ensure that your trip to and time abroad goes smoothly.

• Passports are typically required but depending on where you’re headed, you may also require a Visa. Your foreign study office should have the rundown for the country where you will study, and you can also contact the POC at your host school. The U.S. State Department’s Learn About Your Destination Tool is a great place to start researching what paperwork, health insurance, and vaccinations you’ll need. Be particularly careful with health benefits, as many countries have specific requirements.
• Have funds available to cover your expenses while you await your benefits, which may be subject to delays.
  

To get the most out of this opportunity, take the time to thoroughly research schools and programs that align with your goals, understand your benefits, and plan for those pesky out-of-pocket expenses. Ask questions, and don’t agree to anything you don’t fully understand. As you progress, take advantage of all the resources available, including your school’s veterans, academic advising, and the study abroad offices, and stay current on the latest guidance on the VA Study Abroad page.

Learn more about using the GI Bill