One of the things that I think the US government does right is the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Essentially, those who serve can be eligible for the US government to pay a chunk, if not all, of their tuition, fees, room, and books.
It doesn’t include food or other board costs, but that’s still a very generous offer, amounting to over $40,000 per year.
There’s just one problem – according to a 2017 report by CBS News, upwards of 40% of those funds go to for-profit colleges. For-profit colleges have lower graduation rates, higher default rates, and lower satisfaction rates than their non-profit peers.
That’s quite crazy, if you ask me, because GI Bill benefits actually work at a lot of foreign universities.
And I’m not talking about places that you’ve never heard of. Oxford and Cambridge both accept GI Bill benefits, and Oxford (still researching Cambridge to confirm this) is a Yellow Ribbon University, which means that students aren’t responsible for tuition and fees that exceed the GI Bill benefit. You can use the benefit for either undergraduate or graduate studies, which is a great thing to know.
Interested in learning more? Here’s what else you should know about the GI Bill and overseas universities.
Bureaucratic
Let’s start with the biggest negative first – the US government leans towards the bureaucratic. While some foreign universities are really great at handling the government and getting you your funds as quickly as possible (Oxford is quite good, for what it’s worth), others aren’t. That said, there are workarounds here. One that is particularly useful is to apply for federal loans, then when your GI Bill payment arrives, cancel the loans. Foreign universities that accept both are well-versed in how to do this.
It’s not just the Americans who are bureaucratic. European universities tend to be caught up in red tape at times as well, and this means that you’ll have to handhold paperwork from time to time. However, for free tuition, it could be worth it.
Universities Will Want to Help You
A theme of my posts, and indeed my consulting practice, is that foreign universities want American opinions on campus and American tuition rates in their accounts. This is especially true when Uncle Sam is picking up the bill. A number of universities have expressed an interest in administering GI Bill benefits, but no American has taken them up on the offer. If you fall in love with a program overseas, start talking to them; chances are that your tuition alone would justify the HR costs to start administering benefits.
It Doesn’t Cover Food or Travel
The GI Bill typically pays housing expenses at an E-5 level (which for a foreign school is ~$1,900 per month). That’s enough to live in Central London quite comfortably. That doesn’t cover food or travel costs. However, you can work up to 20 hours a week on most visas (but I wouldn’t bet everything on it), which should heavily subsidize that. Additionally, as you’d be an independent student, you can borrow through the Direct Loan program for food and travel expenses.
Military Training Can Help with Admissions
A lot of people have finished the equivalent of an associates degree when they finish their enlistments. For a number of universities in the UK, as well as elsewhere in Europe, that is enough to meet most admissions requirements in its own right. Depending on what and where you want to study, this could change. For example, Cambridge isn’t going to be impressed, but Edinburgh or Manchester may well be inclined to give your application consideration.
The Perspective You Bring
Being an American already brings a perspective foreign classrooms often miss. Being a veteran only makes that more pronounced. When I was doing my degree abroad, we all (even the instructors) paid attention to the guy who was on the GI Bill for perspectives when it came to current events in the Middle East or Indo-Pacific region. People may not agree with it, and they will expect you to back it up, but your opinion will still be valued and sought out.
For a lot of veterans, the last thing they’ll want to do is go away from friends and family again. However, for those who have caught the travel bug, it can be something great.