AUP: Top Overseas School for US Veterans’ Tuition Support in 2020

The American University of Paris is proud to support veterans of the US armed forces and their families. In the 2020 calendar year, students at AUP received more support via tuition abatement through the Post 9/11 GI Bill than those at any other overseas institution accepting American applicants. Last year, 36 AUP students benefitted from GI Bill benefits, totalling more than €400,000 in tuition payments.  

Recently approved as a member of the Yellow Ribbon Program, AUP accepts both the Post 9/11 GI Bill and the VA Survivors and Dependents Education Assistance Program from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Qualifying students are eligible for financial assistance through tuition abatement as well as other fees and resource costs. The Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) can, in addition, significantly decrease the annual costs of living in Paris. US military service members can also transfer Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to a child or spouse. 

The University also provides its own scholarship for veterans or current military dependents who qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill and who can produce a VA Certificate of Eligibility. Applicants will receive an additional €2,500 per semester or €5,000 annually. Yellow Ribbon Program funding, in combination with the University’s own Veterans Scholarship, results in financial aid that covers almost all of the cost of AUP’s full tuition fee. 

When Erin Flanagan applied to AUP’s MA in Global Communications, she was looking to pivot to a more creative career after her military service. “The program provided a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skills that allowed me to transition careers while living in an international environment,” she explains. It was important to Erin to avoid graduate student debt, and she was pleased to discover that her program would be nearly entirely covered by her Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits and AUP’s Veterans Scholarship. “I'm immensely grateful,” she says. “I can fully engage with my education without worrying about the financial side of things.” 

In 2018, David Binker was looking to attend a business school in France. When AUP accepted his application, he found it easy to make use of the GI Bill thanks to AUP's knowledgeable admissions counsellors. “I basically just have to worry about my classes and AUP takes care of the rest,” he says. Though veterans' assistance wasn’t the only factor in his decision to come to AUP, he views it as an important plus. “AUP's Veterans Scholarship really helps, especially as the GI Bill doesn’t cover 100% of tuition outside the US.” 

For more information about veterans' support at AUP, check our Admissions webpages.