Veterans Affairs - Educational Benefits
The United States and the UK have different academic frameworks which can cause complications when the Department of Veterans Affairs evaluate and process enrollment certificates. In addition, the Department of Veterans Affairs receive a high volume of enrollment certificates. As a result you may experience a long delay between the University submitting your enrollment certificate (VA Form 22-1999) and the receipt of your funds.
Applications for educational benefits can be made online through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs website.
To receive educational benefits you must be in physical attendance at the University and if you are a taught student you must be in attendance at lectures and seminars. Under governing law the Department of Veterans Affairs cannot pay benefits for distance learning or independent study courses.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has approved for educational benefits the following programs at the University:
- BA in Anthropology and International Development
- BA in Art History
- BSc in Biosciences (with a foundation year)
- BA in International Relations and Development
- BA in Philosophy
- BA in Philosophy & English
- BA in Sociology
- BSc in Zoology
- MA in Conflict, Security and Development
- MSc in Foundations of Clinical Psychology and Mental Health
- MA in Gender and Media
- MA in Global Political Economy
- MA in Human Rights
- MSc Sustainable Development
- PhD in Law Studies
You will need to submit by secure email a scanned PDF copy of your Certificate of Eligibility from the Department of Veterans Affairs to the University’s Financial Aid Administrators once you have accepted an offer of a place at the University of Sussex.
Secure Email Service
The University uses a secure email service called Egress Switch. The easy-to-use encryption ensures that sensitive information is protected, controlled and exchanged securely.
All recipients of Veterans Affairs Educational Benefits will need to use this service to submit all documents and to contact the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office will be unable to accept documents from or correspond with applicants who are not using this secure email service due to data protection restrictions.
To create your free email account please click on the “create it for free” link in the Switch Secure Data Exchange Web Access Sign In web page.
VA Enrollment Certification
The Financial Aid Administrators will need to confirm your enrollment before your educational benefits are released. Confirmation will be sent to the Department of Veterans Affairs via VA Form 22-1999 (Enrollment Certificate) once you are registered and in attendance at the University. Your payment for tuition fees and accommodation fees (if you are in University accommodation) will be sent to the University on your behalf. All other payments will be sent directly to you.
Request for Program Approval
If the program you have accepted an offer of a place on does not appear in the above list you will need to send a secure email containing the following details and documents to the University’s Financial Aid Administrators:
- A scanned copy of your Certificate of Eligibility from the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Your full name
- Your date of birth
- Your social security number
- Your address
- The title of the program which you have accepted an offer of a place on
- A completed, signed and dated Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits Declaration Form [PDF 105.98KB] giving permission for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to inspect your University academic and financial records.
The University will then send a request to the Department of Veterans Affairs for the program to be approved for educational benefits. Please note that it may take approximately three months for the Department of Veterans Affairs to approve or decline a program for educational benefits.
Secure Email Service
The University uses a secure email service called Egress Switch. The easy-to-use encryption ensures that sensitive information is protected, controlled and exchanged securely.
All applicants will need to use this service to submit all documents and information to the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office will be unable to accept documents from or correspond with applicants who are not using this secure email service due to data protection restrictions.
To create your free email account please click on the “create it for free” link in the Switch Secure Data Exchange Web Access Sign In web page.