The Foreign Service Journal, June 2017

96 JUNE 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT about the difference between the educational travel benefit (DSSR 280) and the transportation component related to attending an “away from post” boarding school (DSSR 270). The latter falls under the education allowance. One cannot claim both the education allowance and educational travel benefit for the same child at the same time. In fact, there is no need to use the educational travel benefit for a student attending boarding school, because the “away from post“ education allowance rate discussed earlier includes the cost of travel to and from the boarding school. This built-in travel cost is sometimes referred to as the “Education Allowance transportation component” to distin- guish it from “Educational Travel.” For example, a student might use the educational travel benefit when travel- ling from a foreign post to an accredited full time college or university, either inside or outside the United States. FLO: Is there anything else readers should know about the Office of Allowances? ALLOWANCES: Education and educational travel are just two of the many allowances or benefits provided for in the DSSR. Our office also works with each post to evaluate and set rates for the post (hardship) dif- ferential, post allowance (cost-of-living allowance) and overseas per diem, to name a few. The DSSR and how it applies to a par- ticular situation can be complicated at times, but we have an excellent collection of FAQs on our website (https://aoprals. state.gov). The website also has useful links to other offices and resources such as Overseas Schools, Medical Services Continued from page 84 Education and educational travel are just two of the many allowances or benefits provided for in the DSSR.