Education Allowance
At Post Allowances
Allowable Expenses
One-Time Fees:
- Application, Admission/Registration, Capital Improvement, Building Maintenance/Development Fees, Entrance/Evaluation/Assessment type fees, Matriculation and School Security Fees
- English as a Second Language (ESL) course provided by the school may be paid in addition to the authorized Education Allowance
- Costs or fees associated with course required or end-of-year examinations/tests, and Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams
Annual/Recurring Fees:
- Technology fees (May not be used to lease/rent-to-own any computing devices)
- Laboratory Fees
- Academic testing required by the school
- Fees for group-instruction activities such as Music, Art, and Physical Education (PE) if those fees are required for courses offered in the curriculum of the school, which occur during the regular school day
- Non-U.S. Regional/International Fees (Not registration fees) for Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT), and registration fees of the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT) for U.S. Grades 8 - 10 only.
- Musical Instrument Rental fees required for a course that is part of the school curriculum, and that occurs during the regular school day.
- Subject to NDSP review and approval, additional required, published annual fees that may be allowable under applicable law and regulations.
Tuition and Education Resources
- Publicly advertised tuition rates per the school’s fee schedule, for required core curriculum courses and electives taking place during the school’s regular school day.
- Advanced academics such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses.
- Textbooks, or access to online textbooks, used as standard work for the study of a particular subject, and is required as part of the curriculum
- Transcript Conversion
Student Transportation
- Used on school days between the school and the sponsor’s home, one (1) round trip per day between home, school and return is authorized, subject to dependent’s available education allowance.
- If the selected school OR the U.S. Government provides, or arranges a student transportation program, that transportation resource must be the first option.
- Subject to NDSP review and approval, in a location where the selected school or USG does not provide or arrange a transportation program, commercial or private transportation resources may be used, or POV mileage may be reimbursed at the current DoD-approved official business POV mileage rate. Commercial transportation resources may include sources such as Uber, Lyft, and taxis may be authorized.
Non-Allowable Expenses:
- School Meals
- School Uniforms
- Voluntary Elective Courses for dancing, horseback riding, sports or other specialized instruction
- Overnight field trips/school excursions/camps/athletic events regardless of whether the trips are predominantly academic in nature or if participation is mandatory or voluntary
- Before/After school care, activities, or events
- Personal expenses including, but not limited to, computing devices, internet services, personal telephone service, satellite, or other communication expenses
- U.S. exam/registration fees for SAT/ACT or other college entrance exams
- Fees for museums, cultural events, or performances
- Fees for graduation, yearbooks, parent-teacher organization fees
- Debentures that pay shares of stock in the school which make the sponsor or the U.S. Government a shareholder in the school
- Summer School
- Purchase or reimbursement of safety equipment (e.g., car/booster seat, restraints)
Away from Post Expenses
Allowable Expenses
This option refers to a school that offers a full boarding program for K-12 students in which a student is required to be enrolled as a full or weekly boarding student. Flexi-boarding is not an authorized boarding option. The fees listed below are allowable except as otherwise disallowed by law or regulation.
All boarding school fees must be covered by the education allowance. One-time fees are not “funded in addition to” the Away from Post education allowance:
- Tuition and Fees as published in the school’s fee schedule
- Room and Board
- Transportation
- Five-Day Boarding. Transportation to and from school on weekends and school breaks.
- Full-Time Boarding. Not to exceed trips when students are required to vacate the dormitory, as indicated by the school’s vacation closing calendar. However, when travel from the school to the assigned post is not feasible, as determined by the authorizing officer, travel may be allowed between the school attended and the home of a designated relative or family friend or to join a sponsor, parent, or legal guardian at any location where the allowable travel expense does not to exceed the cost of travel between the school and the post.
- If travel to an alternate destination exceeds the U.S. Government costs between school and post, the sponsor must pay the difference (constructed cost). Actual expenses for the child’s transportation within prescribed maximum rates, may be included in reimbursement for travel between school and post. Travel must be performed and reimbursed in accordance with the Joint Travel Regulations.
Non-Allowable Expenses:
- Transportation outside of posted school breaks
- School uniforms
- Overnight field trips/school excursions/camps/athletic events regardless of whether the trips are predominantly academic in nature or if participation is mandatory or voluntary
- Personal expenses including, but not limited to, computing devices, internet services, personal telephone service, satellite, or other communication expenses
- Admission to school events
- U.S. exam/registration fees for SAT/ACT or other college entrance exams
- Fees for museums, cultural events, or performances
- Fees for graduation, yearbooks, parent-teacher organization fees
- Debentures that pay shares of stock in the school which make the sponsor or the U.S. Government a shareholder in the school
- Supplemental Instruction allowance
- Private residential or non-dormitory facility
- Summer school
- Prekindergarten (PK) enrollment
Home Study/Virtual School Expenses
Allowable Expenses
- Tuition Charges from an accredited virtual school
- Course specific textbooks and instructional curriculum guides
- Consumable course materials.
- Shipping costs and U.S. tax associated with the educational materials.
- Costs or fees for course-required or end-of-year examinations/tests, and PSAT for 8th-10th Grades, as consistent with U.S. public school requirements.
- Surcharges for international fees associated with SAT and ACT.
- Group lessons for music, art, and non-team related PE.
- Grades K-6: Two (2) hours a week for each content area.
- Grades 7-12: Four (4) hours per week for each content area.
- Access fees charged by libraries, recreation facilities and schools, which provide resources for home study, PI, or VS students including:
- Libraries (both online and at post) to conduct research for projects and other coursework.
- Recreation facilities for group PE.
- At-post schools that allow students not enrolled in the school to participate in education-related curriculum activities, school athletic or extracurricular teams, school group music activities, school group PE activities, or debate team activities.
- Access to digital learning resources: For a recognized and accredited program of study, an accredited virtual schooling program or other authorized program. The term “digital learning” refers to “any instructional practice that effectively uses technology to strengthen a student’s learning experience and encompasses a wide spectrum of tools and practices,” such as:
- Interactive learning resources that engage students in math, science, languages, and social studies.
- Access to online databases, other primary source documents, and eBooks subscriptions for core curriculum courses.
- The use of data and information to personalize learning and provide targeted supplementary instruction.
- Online and computer-based assessments.
- Electronic devices and other rentals such as a computer, laptop, and/or other electronic devices of curriculum-related equipment, and other items such as band instruments, provided the fee does not constitute a lease to own or purchase of any device or instrument.
- Required testing materials.
- Fees for a needs-based private instructor associated with a recognized and/or accredited home study program. Sponsors are required to request pre-approval by submitting a request which must identify the specific course and the amount of time necessary for the private instructor to teach the content.
Non-Allowable Expenses:
- Computer equipment/accessories, telescopes, furniture/furnishings.
- Training for parents.
- Field trips/school excursions/camps/athletic events regardless of whether the trips are predominantly academic in nature or if participation is mandatory or voluntary.
- Any form of compensation to the sponsor, parent, or legal guardian.
- Travel or transportation costs.
- Personal expenses including, but not limited to, telephone, internet, satellite, cable, or other communication services.
- Fees for museums, culture events, or performances.
- U.S. test/registration fees for SAT/ACT or any other college entrance exams.
- Private and/or specialized lessons for PE, music, and art.
- Membership in gymnasiums, cultural and/or athletic clubs, spas, or other private clubs.
- Competitive, community-based sports/teams.
- Supplies normally purchased by sponsors, parents, or legal guardians.
- Specialty materials/collectable items.
- Items shipped to an end-destination/location not supported by NDSP.
- Transfer fees assessed by banks. Third Party service provider fees (umbrella school/cover schools not providing direct instruction, course, or accredited virtual education)
- Supplemental instruction allowance
- Prekindergarten (PK) enrollment/coursework
Payments and Reimbursements
Payment / Reimbursement Requirements
Submission of Invoices and/or reimbursement requests by the sponsor must adhere to certain formatting criteria for processing by the Resource Management team. It is a sponsor responsibility to assemble the invoice and receipts in a manner and format that clearly identifies the action requested, and, if requesting reimbursement, the correlation of the invoice and corresponding receipt to the Sponsor Claim form document. Formatting should to the maximum extent practicable be presented in a PDF format, or in an Office or similar format. Submitting photographs of (jpg, gif, bmp) receipts and other documents is discouraged, and may delay processing.
Sponsors should be sure to check with the local NDSP Liaison point of contact to determine if there is a preferred practice at your location for the submission of invoices. If in doubt, please contact the NDSP Resource Management Team . Be sure to include the sponsor’s country of assignment in the subject line of your email.
Note: Be aware that the NDSP cannot make payments or process reimbursements until the sponsor and family are present at the overseas assignment location.
Key Points to Remember:
- Claims for expenses incurred should be submitted by the end of each fiscal year (30 September).
- All invoices must be in English or have been translated into English. Active-duty sponsors may request translation services via Military One-Source or by calling (800)342-9647.
- When completing a personal reimbursement claim, please use the exchange rate on the day of service that the invoice was paid.
- Personal reimbursements will be paid in U.S. dollars via the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) using the EFT information you provided at registration.
- For currency conversions, please use the Oanda Currency Converter website to find the conversion rate.
- Allow 30 to 35 business days for processing purposes.
