Veteran's Affairs Education Benefits
If you are a Veteran, or Veteran’s dependent, who is entitled to VA (Veterans Affairs) Benefits under the GI Bill then you will be able to claim those benefits if you enrol at Bath on a VA approved course.
The list of VA approved courses at Bath can be found online via the Department of Veteran's Affairs.
If you are interested in studying a course that is not listed, you must advise us as soon as possible, because the approval process can take some time. Please note we do not participate in the Yellow Ribbon Programme.
Unlike domestic US schools (universities), courses taught in whole or in part by distance learning at a foreign university cannot be approved for VA Benefits. This means we cannot apply to the VA's office for course approvals for any benefits you may have accrued.
Applying for VA Benefits
You can find full information on how to apply for your benefits from the VA website.
You will need to provide us with a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility Letter which will confirm to us the level and period of your VA Benefit entitlement.
The VA has a cap of $25,162.14 for the 2020-21 academic year for tuition fees, subject to an annual review. How much you are entitled to will depend on the percentage of benefits payable, this will be detailed in your Certificate of Eligibility Letter.
The VA will use their own exchange rate to convert the tuition costs from £sterling into USD$. They usually pay this to the university in two instalments up to the max limit of your benefits eligibility.
You will be invoiced for any deficit due for your tuition fees that is not covered by your education benefits.
Please contact the VA Office directly to enquire about the status of your benefits and any time-frames for your payments.
Other loans
You may be eligible to apply for other loans to help with your tuition fees and or living costs not covered by your education benefits. These could be from the US Department of Education in the form of Title IV Loans or private education loans from Sallie Mae. You can find out more about other loan types on our webpages.