The living allowance during training

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1. When the allowance starts

Under the Security Assistance Management Manual (SAMM), a living allowance in training status starts the day after arrival at the training location (SAMM C10.13.6). It is planned for every international military student authorized travel and living allowance (TLA). That includes International Military Education and Training (IMET) students, and Regional Defense Fellowship Program students unless the partner directs otherwise. It also includes students on Building Partner Capacity (BPC) cases under either Title 10 or Title 22 funds, and sales cases where an allowance has been approved. Why the allowance exists and how it gets onto a sales case is covered in travel, living allowance and healthcare.

Enlisted students are treated differently (SAMM C10.13.6). They do not receive the full entitlement directly. They are paid a reduced weekly stipend for personal items, and the remainder goes to the implementing agency (IA) to cover laundry, cleaning and subsistence.

2. Two gaps in the payments

The manual lists seven situations in which no living allowance is paid (SAMM C10.13.6.1). Two of them catch students by surprise. Extra travel time is not paid when a student travels by means other than government transportation and the IA’s administrative authority has not approved the extra time. Leave taken by students on orientation tours is not paid either, unless the invitational travel order authorizes it.

Leave between courses works differently for students already drawing the allowance (SAMM C10.13.7). They may be granted leave with living allowance within the continental United States during authorized holidays and between consecutive courses. If a student must keep quarters or pay rent while on authorized leave home, that cost can be reimbursed. The Security Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the IAs are jointly responsible for checking each student’s sequence of courses for gaps that another course could fill, before the travel order is prepared.

3. Advances at the school

Up-front costs can be significant, and most American training locations cannot pay an advance on arrival (SAMM C10.13.8). The pre-departure advance therefore matters, and the school office has a role if it falls short. The International Military Student Office (IMSO) may contact the SCO directly to find out why the full entitlement was not issued, before paying the student the difference (SAMM C10.13.8.2). The aim is to keep the student in the allowance accrual process, whether living on or off base.

Accompanied students living off base at schools where dependents are encouraged may draw an advance on arrival (SAMM C10.13.8.3). It equals the estimated living allowance for the first 45 days at that location. The allowance drawn during training is then adjusted so the advance is fully recovered before the student finishes at that location (SAMM C10.13.8.4). The SCO and IMSO work together so that the advances paid before departure and on arrival do not together exceed the 45-day estimate.

4. Settling up

A student is entitled to a settlement before leaving a training location, so lodging and baggage costs can be paid (SAMM C10.13.9). The IMSO tells the SCO how much was issued on the final travel voucher. That voucher is treated as final unless the SCO finalizes it once the student is home.

Additional costs can still be claimed (SAMM C10.13.9.1). If the IMSO finalized the voucher and the student incurred more allowable cost, the student submits an amendment through the SCO no later than 15 calendar days after returning home. The SCO reviews and approves it and sends the voucher to the nearest American paying agent. Payment is made in local currency at the authorized exchange rate.

5. Baggage beyond the basic allowance

The baggage table sets the basic number of checked pieces by course length, and it does not apply to the regional centers, which set their own amounts (SAMM C10.13.10). One extra piece is allowed for students on American-funded travel in two cases. The first is a student accompanied by authorized dependents at a school where dependents are allowed. The second is flight training or other long courses with special or heavy uniform needs, such as a flight helmet. Students may pay and be reimbursed for surcharges on authorized baggage.

If an airline will not take authorized baggage, the student ships it the cheapest way, such as by parcel carrier or mail, and seeks reimbursement (SAMM C10.13.10). Baggage over the allowance is another matter. It is shipped at the expense of the student or the student’s government, and installation commanders should see it is sent before the student leaves. A student who reaches the port of departure with unauthorized baggage and no time to ship it still travels as scheduled. The traffic representative takes the baggage, gives a receipt, and delivers it to the student’s consulate.

6. The allowance on other kinds of case

On a sales case, both the case and the travel order should state that the allowance is limited to the authorized rates (SAMM C10.13.2.4). Where the allowance is on the offer and the case is financed with Foreign Military Financing, American carriers must be used under the Fly America Act (SAMM C10.13.2.5). The order may let the student fly on military aircraft, with the government reimbursed by direct bill at the non-government rate. The military departments must charge management costs for administering the allowance on sales cases (SAMM C10.13.2.6).

On BPC cases, the IA first coordinates training proposals with the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) and the program managers, so that training is executable before it goes into the memorandum of requirement (SAMM C10.13.3). The IA may then include allowance charges at the authorized rates without DSCA training division approval. Training schedules must respect the program’s limits on months of training. For courses over five weeks with fixed dates, buying a roundtrip ticket can be cheaper (SAMM C10.13.5.1). Such courses are flagged in the training list notes, the SCO confirms with the military department country manager, and the order records it to prevent paying twice.

Key terms

Training status	The period at the training location during which the living allowance accrues.
Reduced stipend	The weekly payment to enlisted students, with the rest of the allowance sent to the implementing agency.
IMSO	The international military student office at the training location.
Final travel voucher	The settlement of a student’s allowance before leaving a training location.
Unauthorized baggage	Baggage above the allowance, shipped at the student’s or government’s expense.

Every statement above links to the document behind it. The full source list for this piece is on the sources page.

This page describes public United States government programs for general information. It is not legal, regulatory or procurement advice, and it does not address the facts of any particular case.

How Sentfore supports this

Students and trainers abroad both depend on practical support. Sentfore works at the delivery end of defense programs in difficult environments, providing secure movement, protective security, facilities and life support. Requirements can be sent through the contact page.