United States Department of Veterans Affairs - US Veterans Affairs Benefits

What you get

If you have served in the US military or are a family member of someone who has, you can use your US GI Bill education benefits to study at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. GI Bill benefits are educational grants provided by the US government for veterans and their families. The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) covers part of your tuition fees and, depending on individual circumstances, part of your living costs as well. The exact amount is determined by the VA, not by the university. It depends on which benefit you are entitled to and when you enrol. For tuition fees at universities outside the US, there is an annual cap, which is published on the VA’s website. The university is officially authorised to administer these benefits, but the VA decides who receives what.

A warning you should bear in mind at an early stage: payments are made by the VA to you, not to the university. Due to exchange rate fluctuations, the payment may not cover your fees in full, in which case you will have to make up the difference yourself. Furthermore, it can take a long time for the payments to arrive. You should therefore not rely on these payments being sufficient to cover your deposit or the first few months’ fees.

Who can apply

• Your background: You are a US veteran, a serving or former member of the armed forces, a current or former member of the Reserve or the National Guard, or the spouse, child or parent of a veteran (including a deceased veteran).
• Eligibility check: Your eligibility is determined solely by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. You should clarify this directly with the relevant authority, for example under the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) or the educational support scheme for veterans’ dependants (Chapter 35).
• Course type: You must be enrolled on a full-time degree programme. Online degree programmes and degree programmes that include a work placement or a semester abroad are not permitted.
• Where you study: Your entire degree programme must take place on the Edinburgh campus, not at partner universities or abroad.
• Course approval: The VA must approve your specific degree programme. Not every degree programme is approved, so you should check this beforehand rather than assuming it will be.
• Field of study: Open to all disciplines, provided the course complies with the rules set out above.

How to apply

First, check directly with the US Department of Veterans Affairs to see if you are eligible. Once the University of Edinburgh has offered you a place, please contact the University’s US Loans Team, providing your applicant number, the type of benefit you wish to claim, and your certificate of eligibility. The University will then apply to the VA for approval of your course, which currently takes around 60 days. There is no fixed deadline, but as approval and payment take some time, you should submit your application as early as possible.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a merit-based scholarship that you have to compete for against other applicants. It is a benefit to which you, as a US veteran or a family member of a US veteran, are already entitled, and which is applied towards your studies abroad. Once the VA has confirmed your entitlement and your course in Edinburgh has been approved, funding will be provided. The actual risks are more practical than competitive in nature: your course may not be approved (no online or work placement components), approval takes around 60 days, and exchange rates or delayed payments may lead to a funding shortfall that you will have to cover yourself. Make sure you have a financial safety net so that you do not find yourself in financial difficulty at an early stage.