Guide

Can international military students attend classified training?

Updated 27 September 2026Checked against the SAMM: 26 September 2026

Yes, but only on a need-to-know basis and case by case. Each request is decided under the National Disclosure Policy, the military department's regulations and the security agreements between the United States and the country. The student's government must certify in writing, among other things, that the student holds a valid security clearance and that the information will not be passed to another nation without U.S. permission.

Can international military students attend classified training?

Attendance in classified courses or blocks of instruction is on a need-to-know basis. Each classified training request is subject to case-by-case approval based on National Disclosure Policy (NDP-1), MILDEP implementing regulations, and existing security agreements between the U.S. and the country.

SAMM C10.3.4 — Attendance in Classified Courses.

Classified information may be released to foreign nationals only when authorized under the provisions of the National Disclosure Policy (NDP) and Department of Defense Directive (DoDD) 5230.11, Disclosure of Classified Military Information to Foreign Governments and International Organizations (Not for Public Release). Release of classified material must be in accordance with the policy in Chapter 3. When classified instruction is requested, the IA determines the classification of the material to be released during training based on the need-to-know, and disclosure agreements with the requesting country. The foreign government must affirm via written statement to the SCO the following: the government sponsors the International Military Student (IMS) to attend the classified courses; the IMS has been subjected to a security screening; the IMS is in possession of a valid security clearance at the appropriate level granted by the sponsoring government; the IMS does not constitute a security risk to the USG; the information obtained during the training will not be released to another nation without the specific authority of the USG; the classified information will be provided the same degree of security afforded it by the USG; and any involved proprietary information must be protected. When this certification is obtained, the applicable statement is checked in Block 11 of the Invitational Travel Order (ITO) (See sample of ITO in Figure C10.F5.) In general, an IMS is a U.S. citizen or citizen of the foreign government, with military or civilian status of that government, who is receiving education or training or is visiting USG activities under the sponsorship of the security assistance training program (SATP).

Synced 26 September 2026 · View on samm.dsca.mil

References

Drawn exclusively from publicly available authorities.

SAMM

SAMM C10.3.4 — Attendance in Classified Courses.

GuideWhat is the National Disclosure Policy?GuideWhat is an invitational travel order?GuideWhat is technology security and foreign disclosure (TSFD)?

Can international military students attend classified training?

Can international military students attend classified training?

References

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