DoD Instruction 5400.17
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Local Public or Private School
Local Public School
For information regarding enrollment in a local public school, contact the local education council to determine school availability, and enrollment procedures.
Sponsors are eligible for the reimbursement of authorized expenses for education related expenses, (e.g., books, fees, and student transportation expenses) up to the maximum Department of State Education Allowance limit for the sponsor’s duty assignment location, and the dependent’s grade level. Please refer to Expenses and Transportation for more information.
Local Private Day School
For a local private day school, please review Choosing an International School. Use these documents to assist with making an informed decision for your child. While we do not limit your choice of school that best supports your child’s learning, you must select a school which will allow your child to easily progress to the next grade level upon your return to the United States. With limited exception, the NDSP will pay one-time fees once for each assignment/tour of duty. Exceptions include enrollment at a school that does not offer the next higher grade level for a child, or in instances where a school is unable to provide for, or accommodate the educational needs of a child, and the maximum education allowance for the school year has not been exceeded.
Student transportation resources offered or arranged by a school or the U.S. Government (USG):
Transportation resources provided or arranged by either the school or the USG (such as an embassy contracted bus) must be used, if available. For the purposes of this program “available” is defined as any student transportation offered or arranged by either the school, or the USG. If the school or USG does provide a transportation program, but you wish to use an alternate mode of transportation, please contact the NDSP Management team for next steps.
If the school or USG does not offer or provide student transportation resources, the sponsor may elect to use public or commercial transportation resources such as scheduled public transportation, or commercial transportation resources such as taxi services, private car hire (e.g., Uber/Lyft), or the sponsor may elect to drive their children to school, and return, and request reimbursement for Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) mileage.
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)
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.
Visit the Education Allowance page for more information about the Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) education allowance.
- Learn more about authorized and unauthorized expenses for At Post (public and private) schools.
- Learn more about authorized and unauthorized expenses for Away from Post (boarding) schools.
