Study Abroad and VA Benefits

Other Student Services

There are many ways students can utilize their GI Bill benefits to study abroad. The one method of study abroad that cannot be used is the DU Partner Program - Provider, as it utilizes third-party providers. Under no circumstances will the VA pay benefits to students who use this method to study abroad. Below are various study abroad methods that are approved by the VA.

DU Partner Program (DUPP) Options

  • DUPP Direct Enroll
    • The VA Certifying Office (VACertify@du.edu) will confirm that the partner program remains eligible for certification under Section 9 rules of VA Study Abroad.
    • If eligible, the School Certifying Officials (SCOs) will certify the student’s enrollment credits and eligible tuition and fees.
    • The student must provide the VA Certifying Office (VACertify@du.edu) with a copy of their study abroad itinerary to ensure the correct dates are certified for benefits. The VA will not pay for travel time, orientation, or registration days, so those cannot be included for housing stipend purposes. Enrollment/placeholder credits will not be certified with the VA if the itinerary is not provided.
    • The VA will not pay any study abroad-related fees billed to the student’s account unless study abroad is a required component of the student's degree program, not just optional. Even then, the student must provide an itemized description of the additional fees. This is required because the VA will not cover travel, food, or accommodation expenses, even if the study abroad is a degree requirement.Ìý
      • It is the student’s responsibility to provide the VA Certifying Office with the itemization. If the itemization is not provided, no portion of the fee will be payable by the VA.
      • Students should work with the Office of International Education (OIE) for assistance with itemization.
  • DUPP Exchange
    • The VA Certifying Office (VACertify@du.edu) will confirm that the partner program remains eligible for certification under Section 9 rules of VA Study Abroad.
    • If eligible, the School Certifying Officials (SCOs) will certify the student’s enrollment credits and eligible tuition and fees.
    • The student must provide the VA Certifying Office (VACertify@du.edu) with a copy of their study abroad itinerary to ensure the correct dates are certified for benefits. The VA will not pay for travel time, orientation, or registration days, so those cannot be included for housing stipend purposes. Enrollment/placeholder credits will not be certified with the VA if the itinerary is not provided.
    • The VA will not pay any other study abroad-related fees billed to the student’s account unless study abroad is a required component of the student's degree program, not just optional. Even then, the student must provide an itemized description of the additional fees. This is required because the VA will not cover travel, food, or accommodation expenses, even if the study abroad is a degree requirement.
      • It is the student’s responsibility to provide the VA Certifying Office with the itemization. If the itemization is not provided, no portion of the fee will be payable by the VA.
      • Students should contact the Office of International Education (OIE) for assistance with itemization.
  • DUPP Masters Scholar
    • The VA Certifying Office will confirm that the partner program remains eligible for certification under Section 9 rules of VA Study Abroad.
    • ÌýIf eligible, the SCOs will certify the student’s enrollment credits and eligible tuition and fees.
    • The student must provide the VA Certifying Office (VACertify@du.edu) with a copy of their study abroad itinerary to ensure the correct dates are certified for benefits. The VA will not pay for travel time, orientation, or registration days, so those cannot be included for housing stipend purposes. Enrollment/placeholder credits will not be certified with the VA if the itinerary is not provided.
      • It is the student’s responsibility to provide the VA Certifying Office (VACertify@du.edu) with the itemization. If the itemization is not provided, no portion of the fee will be payable by the VA.
      • Students should contact the Office of International Education (OIE) for assistance with itemization.
    • For the fifth and final year of study, the student will directly enroll at the foreign institution. To utilize GI Bill benefits for this period of study, both the foreign institution and the program must be listed in .
    • Next, they must contact the SCO at that school and follow their instructions for getting set up to use their GI Bill benefits there.

Other Options

  • DU Instructor-Led
    • The VA Certifying Office’s SCOs will certify the student’s enrollment and tuition and fees as if it were any other DU course.
    • The VA will not pay any other study abroad-related fees billed to the student’s account unless study abroad is a required component of the student's degree program, not just optional. Even then, the student must provide an itemized description of the additional fees. This is required because the VA will not cover travel, food, or accommodation expenses, even if studying abroad is a degree requirement.
      • It is the student’s responsibility to provide the VA Certifying Office with the itemization. If the itemization is not provided, no portion of the fee will be payable by the VA.
      • Students should work with their department if studying abroad through Korbel or Sturm College of Law, or Grace Warner (Grace.Warner@du.edu) with University Academic Programs (UAP) if utilizing Short-term or Interterm Travel to fulfill this requirement.
  • GI Direct Enroll
    • The student must select an approved foreign institution from . Not only must the institution be approved, but the program at the institution must also be approved. If both are not approved, the VA will not pay.
    • The student must then apply and be accepted into the foreign institution, then take a leave of absence with the Office of the Registrar for the term(s) they wish to go abroad.
    • ÌýNext, they must contact the SCO at that school and follow their instructions for getting set up to use their GI Bill there.
    • The classes that the student intends to take must transfer back to DU for credit and apply to their degree. The student should submit a Coursework Approval Request in for each class as soon as possible.
    • The foreign institution’s SCO must reach out to VACertify@du.edu for a parent letter stating that the credits earned at their school will transfer back and apply toward the student’s degree.
    • The foreign institution will certify the student’s enrollment credits and tuition and fees up to the annual cap set by the VA each academic year.
    • Most foreign institutions do not have a Yellow Ribbon agreement with the VA, so if a student hits the annual tuition cap while they are studying abroad using GI Direct Enroll, they will be required to pay anything above the cap out-of-pocket, even if they personally are Yellow Ribbon eligible. Because of this, we encourage students to study abroad during the fall quarter.
  • Other Graduate-Level Studies: Korbel and Sturm College of Law
    • As early as possible, students should reach out to the VA Certifying Office to express interest in studying abroad and to confirm that the program they’re interested in is still eligible for certification under the Section 9 rules of VA Study Abroad.
    • If eligible, the School Certifying Officials (SCOs) will certify the student’s enrollment credits and eligible tuition and fees.
    • Students studying abroad with one of the various or programs must provide the VA Certifying Office with confirmation that the courses taken abroad will transfer back as DU credit and apply toward their degree. They should work with their program advisors on this requirement
    • ÌýStudents must provide the VA Certifying Office with a copy of their study abroad itinerary to ensure the correct dates are certified for benefits. The VA will not pay for travel time, orientation, or registration days, so those cannot be included for housing stipend purposes. Enrollment/placeholder credits will not be certified with the VA if the itinerary is not provided.
    • The VA will not pay any other study abroad-related fees billed to the student’s account unless study abroad is a required component of the student's degree program, not just optional. Even then, the student must provide an itemized description of the additional fees. This is required because the VA will not cover travel, food, or accommodation expenses, even if studying abroad is a degree requirement.
      • It is the student’s responsibility to provide the VA Certifying Office with the itemization. If the itemization is not provided, no portion of the fee will be payable by the VA.
      • Students should work with their department if studying abroad through or .

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the .