RS 00205: Student Benefits
TN 15 (01-03)
A. Definitions
1. Foreign school
One which is outside the 50 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
2. Foreign Educational Institution (EI)
One which is either:
part of the elementary or secondary school system in that country; or
a facility approved or authorized by the educational authorities in that country to provide elementary or secondary education.
B. Procedure-contacts with schools outside the United States
Ask the student to get evidence of school attendance. (See RS 00205.755 for special instructions on verifying FTA at schools in Mexico and the Philippines.) However, if the case or special instructions necessitate it, contact the school outside the United States as follows:
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IF THE SCHOOL IS: |
CONTACT THE SCHOOL THROUGH: |
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operated by the Department of Defense (DOD), |
the servicing Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) as explained in GN 00904.220. |
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in the British Virgin Islands, Canada or Samoa (formerly Western Samoa), |
the FO servicing the school's address. |
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in Taiwan, |
the American Institute in Taiwan (as explained in GN 00904.210). |
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any other foreign school, |
the servicing FBU (as explained in GN 00904.220). |
C. Procedure-evidence of Full-Time Attendance (FTA)
1. General
Use a Form SSA-1372-BK-FC, Student's Statement Regarding School Attendance Outside the United States, to verify all periods of FTA at schools outside the United States. See RS 00205.735 for a description of the SSA-1372-BK-FC.
Include the following information when requesting development through an FO or an FBU:
the student's school identification number if he or she has one;
the student's father's full name and his or her mother's full maiden name if the school is in a Spanish-speaking country. Double surnames are used to maintain all records (including those of "American" students) and the information is needed to locate the student's record;
the level at which the student is attending if the school operates on more than one educational level.
NOTE: Failure to include this information can result in delayed or incomplete responses.
2. Alternative evidence of FTA
Use other evidence of FTA if it shows the same information as the SSA-1372-BK-FC. This other evidence can be:
a signed statement by a student accompanied by a separate statement from a school official on the school's own form or letterhead;
a statement by an FO or FBU employee based on a personal or telephone contact with the student and a school official. Document the file to show how the information was obtained.