Scholarships for Veterans

Those who have served their country, and helped to ensure the safety and freedom of their fellow citizens, have much of which to be proud. Upon returning home, they must begin the job of reintegrating into civilian society, and one way to do that is to begin college. Veterans are also looking for options for the education of their children. There are a multitude of scholarships available for veterans, and their families.

Federal Financial Aid – While not a scholarships, grants such as the Pell Grant are available to those who qualify. Grants do not have to be repaid, and should be the first step when looking for money for college.

AmVets National Scholarship program - This is a scholarship of $1000 per year for a four year education. Applicants must be full-time students pursuing an undergraduate, graduate degree, or a degree from a technical or trade school. They must be a U. S. citizen, a U. S. veteran, demonstrate financial need, and agree that AmVets may publicize their award, if selected. For information and to apply, go to http://www.amvets.org/pdfs/programs_pdfs/scholarship_application_veteran.pdf.

AFCEA Educational Foundation – This offers merit based scholarships of $2000 to those on active duty, honorably discharged veterans, disabled veterans, and the children and spouses of veterans. Veterans may be enrolled as a freshman, on a part-time basis, or at a two-year institution; all others must be enrolled full-time at a four year university, and must be a second year student at the time of application. Candidates must also be majoring in certain fields. Those are: electrical, aerospace, systems or computer engineering; computer engineering technology; computer network systems; information systems security; computer information systems; information systems management; technology management; electronics engineering technology; computer science; physics; or mathematics. For more information, visit their website at
http://www.afcea.org/education/scholarships/undergraduate/military.asp

The American Legion - The American Legion Legacy Scholarship is designed for children whose parents have been killed while serving their country. The amount of aid and number of awards varies, and applicants may reapply each year. Those eligible must be the child of a veteran who was killed while on active duty, whether as a member of the armed services, National Guard, or a military reservist who was federalized and called into service after September 11, 2001. The applicant must be a high school senior or high school graduate in order to apply, and must study at an accredited institution of higher education. Visit their website at http://www.legion.org/scholarships/legacy

Air Force Aid Society – The General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant Program provides $2000 grants to the children or spouses of active duty, retired, or deceased Air Force members. Children must be dependent students. All applicants must enroll full-time in an accredited program, and must maintain a 2.0 grade point average. Visit http://www.afas.org/Education/GrantAppEligibility.cfm  for more information.

The Army Scholarship Foundation – The Army Scholarship Foundation awards one year scholarships ranging from $500 to $2000 to qualified students. Applicants must reapply each year. Awards depend on scholastic performance and community service. Applicants should be the children of those currently on active duty in the Army, or of those in the Army Reserve. Children of National Guard U.S. Army members are also eligible. In addition, the children of Army members who were killed in the line of duty, or who have received a medical or honorable discharge are eligible. The spouses of currently enlisted Army soldiers may apply as well. Please see their website at http://www.armyscholarshipfoundation.org/

The Mike Nash Memorial Scholarship Fund - This fund is intended to honor Vietnam War veterans, and is offered through Vietnam Veterans of America. An applicant must be a VVA member, a spouse, child, or grandchild of a VVA member, or a spouse, child, or grandchild of a missing in action, killed in action or deceased Vietnam veteran. Applicants are chosen on the basis of their application, including an essay on “What a Veteran Means to Me,” financial need, and their grade point average. An application and complete list of required documentation is on their website at http://www.vva.org/scholarship.html

While this list has mostly been comprised of scholarships available to those attending any accredited college or university, it is important to note that many scholarships for veterans and their families are available at the state or local level, and there are numerous programs available at specific universities. Students who know which school they plan to attend should look directly on their potential school's website, and investigate scholarships available in their specific state and in their communities. There are a wide variety of opportunities available to assist veterans and their families in their pursuit of higher education, and one should seek them out.

For more information, check out our Scholarships & Grants Guide for a listing of hundreds of scholarship opportunities.

Military Education Benefits for College
I purchased this book, and my eyes were opened..its amazing how many benefits are out there! David Renza brings these benefits to light..good author too!!....I spent 20 years in the military and you just dont get told about the information contained in this book! I cant wait to go to college now, and get my Bachelors Degree! Thank you!!

I am a Veteran and this book helped a lot. With everything in the Government cutting through the RED TAPE is overwhelming at times and this shows you what are qualified for and how to get there. The Authors are very Knowledgeable. I am going back to school now and loving every minute.