US Department of Veterans Affairs funding
The University is currently able to process applications for US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) funding (also known as the GI Bill or Post 9/11 Bill) and can complete and submit certificates of enrolment to the VA.
The University can certify enrolment for most degree-bearing courses which are matriculated, i.e. you are a full member of the University. Please be aware that it can take a long time to receive VA funding so you should not rely on VA benefits to fund a course deposit, or fees and living expenses early on in your course.
Am I eligible?
Before you start, please read the information about using VA benefits at foreign schools on the VA's website.
The VA’s eligibility requirements are different for foreign schools, compared with those in the US. In order to use your VA benefits at Oxford, you must meet the same basic eligibility requirements for studying in the US and:
- be enrolled on an eligible, degree-bearing course
- undertake your studies in Oxford
Non-degree-bearing courses, such as undergraduate and graduate certificates and diplomas are not eligible. Courses undertaken fully online or by distance learning are also ineligible.
If you are unsure whether your course is eligible for VA benefits at Oxford, please get in touch with the US Loans team.
How to apply
Step 1 - In order to apply for VA funding at Oxford you must first make an application directly to the VA once you have received an offer of a place to study on your chosen course. Please visit the US Department of Veterans Affairs website and consult their information about foreign programmes. We recommend that you check the current benefit rates to get an idea of the benefits you might be eligible for at Oxford.
Once you have applied, the VA will send you a Certificate of Eligibility.
Step 2 – Email the US loans team with a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility.
Step 3 - Complete our VA funding form to ensure we have the information we need to certify your enrolment to the VA.
Step 4 – If your course has not yet been approved by the VA, the University will submit a request to the VA on your behalf. You can check whether your course has been approved using the VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool. Please be aware that it can take several months to receive a response to course approval requests. If your course is not yet approved, please complete the above steps as soon as possible to minimise delays to any funding you are eligible to receive.
Step 5 – Once you have enrolled on your course, the US loans team will certify your enrolment to the VA.
Step 6 – If you are eligible to receive a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA), the VA requires that you verify your enrolment each month to confirm that you remain enrolled on the same course. Information on how to do this can be found on the Enrollment Verification page of the VA’s website.
How much will I receive?
The VA do not share their calculations with us so we cannot predict how much you will receive. You should be able to get a good idea by checking the current benefit rates, but please be aware that the amount you will receive depends on your individual benefit entitlement and enrolment details.
If you are eligible for education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you should be aware that tuition benefits at foreign schools are capped at $29,920.95 per year (in 2025-26). Depending on your benefit entitlement and course fees, the VA will pay the University up to this capped amount. If your annual course fee exceeds this amount, you will be responsible for paying the difference.
You may also be eligible to receive a Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) and book stipend. The amount you will receive depends on your benefit entitlement and whether you are enrolled full time or part time. Most part time courses at Oxford are half time or less and therefore you will not usually be eligible to receive MHA if you are studying part time.
Receiving VA funding
If your course is already approved by the VA, the University generally expects to receive the funds around 4-5 weeks after certifying your enrolment. The funds will be paid to the University and transferred to the relevant college or department for the payment of fees. Any remainder will be remitted to you.
You may consider using other funding, such as a US federal or private education loan to cover the financial declaration and expenses early on in your course, and then use the VA funding to repay the loan when it arrives.
Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship
VA also offers the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship for students training in high demand STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields.
Recipients will receive up to nine months of additional Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement or a maximum of $30,000. Eligible Post-9/11 GI Bill students must have either exhausted their entitlement or will exhaust their entitlement within 180 days.
For additional information, please visit the Rogers STEM Scholarship website.
Prior Credit Review Policy for US Department of Veterans Affairs Beneficiaries
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) requires schools to review prior credit, experience, and training, and grant credit as appropriate towards a VA student’s current programme. This policy applies to new students, students transferring from another institution to the University of Oxford, and current students transferring programmes within the University of Oxford.
Please contact the US loans team if you have any questions about the information given below.
Entry requirements
Admissions policies and procedures apply to new students. The links below provide an overview of the University of Oxford's general admissions policies and procedures:
In order to take up the offer of a place to study at Oxford, all applicants must meet the qualification requirements of their course. Students should check the course page for individual programme admission requirements. If your qualifications are not from the UK, please also refer to the information on international qualifications for undergraduates and international qualifications for graduate students for guidance on the grades and qualifications that are considered equivalent to the University’s minimum entry requirements.
Providing evidence of prior credit
Undergraduate applicants must provide details about their education as part of their UCAS application. Applicants must list all qualifications along with the grades that have already been achieved and any standardised test scores. Applicants also need to list any educational qualifications that they are currently working towards. Those applying for a second undergraduate degree will need to send a transcript from their first degree separately to the college that is considering their application. For full information, please refer to the undergraduate guide for applicants.
Graduate applicants should provide details of all qualifications and periods of study undertaken at university level, including qualifications that have not yet been completed, on the ‘Qualifications’ tab of the graduate application form. Non-UK qualifications do not need to be converted to UK degree classification, and an official statement of comparability from UK ENIC is not required. For each qualification entered, an official transcript should be uploaded. For full information, please refer to the graduate application guide.
Prior Credit Review Process
Undergraduate applications are assessed by academic tutors, usually from a college. Tutors make decisions based on all aspects of your application, including your interview, any admissions tests or written work required for your course, your prior academic attainment and predicted grades, your personal statement, the academic reference.
Graduate applications are academically assessed against the entry requirements for the course and relatively in terms of the quality of previous academic excellence and future potential in comparison with the applications received from other candidates for that course. The academic department that offers the course you apply to will assess the academic quality and suitability of your application. After this is complete, the department will send you formal notification of their decision by email.
Transfers and applying whilst studying at another University
Oxford University does not normally accept transfer students. If you wish to follow an undergraduate course or graduate taught course at Oxford, you would need to start the course from the beginning and follow the normal applications process for the course. The arrangements for student course transfers details the process by which a current student, either at Oxford or at another institution, moves from one course to another, or from one mode of study to another.
Students already in receipt of an undergraduate degree, and wishing to study a further undergraduate degree may apply for ‘senior status’ at Oxford, allowing them to be admitted directly to the Final Honour School for the degree. Students should follow the normal applications process for the course selecting Year 2 as their point of entry.
Postgraduate research (PGR) students will only be considered for transfer to Oxford from another institution as a result of their main supervisor relocating to Oxford to take up an academic position. Students wishing to transfer are required to complete a graduate application form. An application to Education Committee is also required to permit work undertaken and time spent at the previous institution to count towards the requirements for the relevant award (‘antedated admission’). Permission may also be requested from Education Committee to waive transfer of status requirements, if appropriate. All applications must have the support of the relevant department and of a college willing to take the student.
Written records of previous education
The University retains a written record of students’ previous qualifications and Oxford academic history within the student system in accordance with the Student Privacy Policy. Your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018 are outlined on the University's Data protection page.