How Do I Get a Foreign University VA-Approved?

I’ll start with your second question first Jefferson, because it is the easiest to answer. I’m assuming you are eligible for both GI Bills. In that case, it really comes down to your educational goals.

If you are looking at getting a four-year degree and not continuing for an advanced degree, then I would go with the Post 9/11 GI Bill.  If you are thinking about going beyond a four-year degree, then you might want to look at using your Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) first and then switching to the Post 9/11 GI Bill and here is why.

If you are eligible for two GI bills, you can get a combined benefit of 48 months, but you first have to exhaust your MGIB and then switch to the New GI Bill; you can’t do it the other way around. If you use just one GI Bill, then you only get 36 months.

As far as the payment difference, with the MGIB you’ll get $1,368 per month and you have to pay all your own expenses. I’m not familiar with Brazil’s currency exchange rate against the U.S. Dollar, so I don’t know what that buys in Brazil as far as rent, food, transportation and credit hours of college.

With the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the VA will pay your tuition and fees directly to your foreign college,  up to the average tuition rate of the public schools across the U.S. for the previous year. As far as a housing allowance, you will get a fixed amount of $1,333 per month (2009 figure) and up to $1,000 per year book stipend.

To start the process of getting the Brazilian school VA-approved, contact your school and have them follow these foreign school approval application procedures or read about it in one of my earlier blogs.