VA Study Abroad Program

If you are using VA education benefits and planning to study abroad through UAB, your benefits may continue to cover you - but there are important rules about what qualifies and what does not. Read carefully before you commit to a program.

Study Abroad vs. Foreign Program - Know the Difference

These are not the same thing and the distinction matters for your benefits.

Study Abroad - You are enrolled at UAB and taking courses abroad that apply toward your UAB degree. This is the most common situation for UAB students. UAB is the home school and your benefits continue through UAB.

Foreign Program - You are enrolled directly at a foreign institution with no connection to UAB. That school must independently be approved for GI Bill funding. This page primarily addresses the study abroad scenario.

What Qualifies

For your VA benefits to cover a study abroad experience, all of the following must be true:

• You are currently using an approved VA education benefit
• The courses you take abroad apply directly toward your UAB degree - elective credit alone may not be sufficient
• The program is part of your official degree plan as confirmed by your academic advisor or program official
• The foreign institution or program is approved for GI Bill funding - use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to verify before enrolling

UAB Veteran Services Requirement: Before we can certify your benefits for a study abroad program, you must provide written confirmation from your academic advisor or program official stating that the courses you will take are required by or directly applicable to your degree program. We cannot certify enrollment without this documentation.

What VA Will Pay

Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33):

• Tuition and fees
• Monthly housing allowance based on UAB's zip code - not the location abroad
• Book stipend

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (Chapter 30), Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606), and DEA (Chapter 35):

• A monthly stipend based on your training time

What VA Will Not Pay

• Travel costs - airfare, ground transportation, or any travel-related expenses
• Independent study or distance learning courses taken abroad
• Programs at foreign schools that have not been approved for GI Bill funding
• Courses that do not count toward your UAB degree

Important: Do not enroll in a program before confirming it is approved. If the program is not approved, you will be responsible for all costs including tuition and fees.

How to Verify Program Approval

Use the VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool to confirm that the program and institution are approved for GI Bill funding before you commit.

GI Bill Comparison Tool Opens an external link.

How to Get Certified at UAB