Veterans Affairs Benefits

Brief description

Bath Spa University participates in the US Veterans Affairs Educational Benefits Program and is approved to process Veterans Affairs Benefits under various GI Bill programmes.

The University is unable to process Yellow Ribbon Benefits Programme.

US Veterans or their dependants can use funding to contribute towards tuition fees and living expenses whilst studying at Bath Spa University.

Applicant eligibility

To qualify for Veterans Affairs benefits, you must be a:

• Veteran or Veteran's dependent
• Surviving spouse, child or parent of a deceased Veteran
• Uniformed service member
• Present or former reservist or National Guard member

Bath Spa University is unable to determine individual eligibility.

Contact the US Department of Veterans Affairs directly for confirmation of your eligibility.

Eligible courses

In addition to individual applicant eligibility, applicants must have their intended course or programme of study approved. Please note that eligible courses include on-campus study only; online, distance learning or independent study courses cannot be approved for students at foreign schools.

The following courses have already been approved at Bath Spa University:

• UG Creative Arts
• BSc Psychology
• MA Creative Writing
• MA Education (International Education)
• MA Scriptwriting
• MMus Songwriting
• MA Writing for Young People
• MA Theatre for Young Audiences

What if my intended course is not listed?

If you are interested in studying a course that is not listed above, please email funding@bathspa.ac.uk as soon as possible, as the approval process may take several months.

We require the following information:

• social security number (SSN)
• date of birth
• chapter of benefits
• full address and
• course of study.

Please note that this process can only be initiated once the student has received an offer of admission.

How to apply

After you have confirmed your individual eligibility and your programme of study has been approved and registered, you can submit your application online via the US Department of Veterans Affairs or request to have a paper form mailed to you by calling (US) 1-888-GI BILL-1 (1-888-442-4551).

Once you have received your certificate of eligibility letter, please send it to us at funding@bathspa.ac.uk along with your social security number and your 6-digit student ID number, which can be found on your offer letter.

School certification

Before benefits can be disbursed, the University is required to certify your enrolment with the US Department of Veterans Affairs. In order to initiate this certification, please email funding@bathspa.ac.uk with the following information:

• Full Name
• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Bath Spa Student ID number (6 digits, found on your offer letter)
• Chapter of the Bill under which you are applying for benefits (e.g. Chapter 33)
• Copy of your Certificate of Eligibility letter you have received from the Department of Veterans Affairs

Please note that the University is unable to certify the enrolment of students earlier than 120 days before the course start date.

Receiving funds

Upon enrolment your first week on campus, we will require that you provide:

• The full UK address at which you will be resident during term time
• Your UK bank account details

Tuition payments will be made directly to the University after proof of enrolment. Housing stipends are paid monthly to the student. Books and supplies stipends are paid to students proportionately in the first month of each academic term. The latest information about payment amounts can be found on the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

The US Department of Veterans Affairs is currently unable to provide a timeframe for when students will receive funds once enrolment certification has been submitted. Please contact the Department directly to enquire about the status of your benefits.

As the University cannot guarantee that the tuition fees for which you have been certified will be paid (in part or in whole) by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, you must ensure that you have sufficient funds to cover any shortfall between the funding you receive and the tuition fees for which you have been assessed.

More information

US Department of Veterans Affairs – Veteran’s Benefits Administration