Veterans, military service members, and their families have access to a variety of services, scholarship search sites, and paid government and private college resources and programs. It’s just a matter of where to look. The list we’ve compiled below is just a starting point for finding the services and funding you need to attend college.

The Maison Fisher Foundation

The Fisher House Foundation offers military and veteran families a place to stay for free when a loved one is in the hospital. The foundation also administers the Military Children Scholarship Program, which provides college funding to service members and their families. The scholarship program is open to students who possess an identity card and uniformed service privilege and whose parent (s) have served in the military. The foundation offers 500 scholarships of $ 2,000 each year. Applications for the 2021 program will open in December.

The Fisher House Foundation also offers a scholarship finder this could be useful if you or a family member is in the military.

General scholarship search engines

When using scholarship research sites such as scholarships.com, include “military” as one of your search words. You’ll find dozens of options that you can then present to a veterans service organization, a local college financial aid office, or your student’s high school to ask which are the best to apply for.

National Association of Military Families

The National Association of Military Families help with everything from scholarships to child care for military spouses. The association’s mission is to help the entire military family and is an excellent resource for finding financial assistance. In particular, the NMFA offers scholarships for military spouses that can be used for both education and employment activities. The average price is $ 1,000 and can be used for college degrees, licensing, and business expenses.

Veterans and military service organizations

Veterans and military service organizations help military members, veterans, and their families apply for benefits and may offer their own scholarships and grants to pay for their education. The Organization of Veterans and Military Service The directory contains over 70 pages of organizations and listings of government offices. Organizations may specialize in serving veterans or military personnel and their families by war or specific ethnicity. Others serve most of the military and veterans. Contact those who best meet your needs and those of your family.

Federal Student Aid and Military Family Grants

The US Department of Education lists common military scholarships for having participated in the Reserve Officer Training Corps of the Navy, Army or Air Force (ROTC). Requirements for the scholarship vary. For example, the Air Force ROTC is looking for students pursuing foreign or technical language training. Whenever you are considering a military scholarship, consider the details of the engagement. Be sure to ask if the scholarship is separate from enlistment bonuses and if you need to join the military to be eligible for assistance and, if so, for how long after graduation.

Grants for children of deceased veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan

If your parent or guardian died while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, you may be eligible for additional assistance. You could get a bigger Pell scholarship for example, if you are eligible for the grant. If you are not eligible for the Pell Grant, you may receive Service Grants in Iraq and Afghanistan. The maximum amount of the service grant is the same as that of the Pell grant: $ 6,345 for the 2020-2021 academic year.

The Fry scholarship

The John David Fry Naval Gunnery Sergeant Scholarship grants dependents or spouses of veterans who died in the line of duty on September 11 or after their own education benefits similar to those in the post-September 11 GI bill.

To apply, log into your VA Administration account the same way you would apply for the Survivor and Dependent Education Assistance (DEA) program. You might be eligible for both and then choose based on the benefits granted. If your parent or spouse died before August 1, 2011, you don’t have to choose one program over another. You cannot use both at the same time. You will then benefit from 81 months of full-time study benefits.

There are several eligibility rules to follow to be eligible for the scholarship:

• Spouses are not allowed to use the benefit if they have remarried
• Anyone over the age of 18 or who graduated from high school after January 1, 2013 is eligible. If you were 18 or graduated from high school before January 1, 2013, you may be eligible until the age of 33.
• If you receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), you will forgo any further payment once the Fry scholarship payments begin.

The yellow ribbon program

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs offers Yellow Ribbon Program, which can help veterans, spouses and eligible dependents pay up to half of tuition and remaining fees beyond what is offered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill for Schools private or for higher education. He also helps the recipients of the Fry scholarship.

To be eligible, you must meet one of these conditions:

• Served at least 36 months in active service
• Received a Purple Heart on or after September 11
• Served for at least 30 consecutive days on or after September 11 and was released after 60 days with a service-related disability
• Are a dependent child of a veteran who would have been qualified, or you became a Fry Fellow on or after August 1, 2018

Award amounts vary, but science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors don’t always receive the most matching dollars. At Harvard University, dental school students can receive up to $ 5,000, of which $ 5,000 comes from the school and $ 5,000 from the VA. Students at the Graduate School of Design, however, can receive an unlimited dollar amount.

Final result

Government and private entities can be a great resource for military and veteran families when it comes to paying for college and educational advice. Be prepared when you start contacting organizations and applying for scholarships to describe your family’s role in the military. You may need copies of your honorable discharge documents or your Uniform Services ID card. Start as early as possible so you don’t miss the scholarship deadlines.