College applications, scholarship submissions, and senioritis. All three are things that come along with changing leaves and the cool, fall weather. This timeless tradition is no different for military families. With that in mind, there are millions of dollars in scholarships allocated for military kids each year. This post details 10 scholarships exclusively for military kids that will help you prepare for the upcoming application season.
How can military kids take advantage of these funds? Apply!
American Legion Legacy Scholarship
“The American Legion’s Legacy Scholarship provides college funding to children of post-9/11 veterans who died on active duty, or those who have a combined VA disability rating of 50 percent or greater.”
- Application Timeline: January 1-April 1 2024
AMVETS Children/Grandchildren Scholarships
“This application is specific to graduating high school seniors (child or grandchild) of an Honorably Served Veterans, Active Duty and Guard/Reserves.”
- Application Timeline: January 15 – April 30 2024
Fischer House Scholarships for Military Children
“The Scholarships for Military Children program is open to unmarried military dependent children under the age 23 who possess a valid Uniformed Services Identification (USID) card. In addition, a student’s parent(s)/sponsor(s) must be one of the following: active duty, reserve/guard, deceased, or retired from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Space Force.”
- Application Timeline: Opens mid-December 2023
Army Scholarship Foundation
“Applicants must: Be sons or daughters of regular active duty, active duty Reserve, or active duty National Guard U.S. Army members in good standing, OR Be spouses of serving enlisted regular active duty, active duty Reserve, or active duty National Guard U.S. Army members in good standing, OR Be sons or daughters of former U.S. Army members who received an honorable discharge or medical discharge, or who were killed while serving in the U.S. Army. Be high school seniors, high school graduates, or registered as undergraduate students at an accredited college or post high school vocational/technical institution.”
- Application timeline: January 15-April 15 2024
Coast Guard Foundation Scholarships:
“Support for education is a cornerstone of our commitment to the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard and their families. Our scholarships are one of the ways we thank our brave men and women for their steadfast service to our nation, while also ensuring their family members can afford to reach their higher education dreams.”
- Application timeline: February 1 – March 15 2024
- Link: https://coastguardfoundation.org/scholarships
Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation
“The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation was established to honor the service and sacrifice of Marines and their families. That’s why we are grateful for your tax-deductible donations. As our Nation’s oldest and largest provider of need-based scholarships to military children, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation helps cover the cost of attending post-high school, undergraduate, and career and technical education programs. Every gift has a significant life-changing impact. With your support, we can make sure that no Marine family is left behind.”
- Application timeline: Opens on January 1, 2024
- Link: https://www.mcsf.org/
The Folds of Honor Higher Education Scholarship
“We ensure that families who’ve sacrificed so much for our country and communities receive the education and opportunities they deserve. Whether it’s K-12th grade or higher education, we believe the cost of pursuing their academic dreams should not be an additional burden.”
- Application timeline: Opens February 1, 2024
- Link: https://foldsofhonor.org/scholarships/
Navy League of The United States Scholarships
“College should never be out of reach for a family member of the sea services. The Navy League Foundation guarantees this support by awarding scholarships to high school seniors who will attend college in the fall. Navy League Foundation scholarships are available to children and grandchildren of veterans or active duty sea service men and women, as well as members of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps.”
- Application timeline: Application closes March 2024
- Link: https://www.navyleague.org/programs/scholarships/
Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship
“It is important to acknowledge the sacrifices of our service members who preserve our freedom, but that is not enough. The sacrifices of the children of those who served should also be honored. Providing funds to assist these children so they can pursue higher education is a concrete way of showing how much we, as a nation, care.
The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors the Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship to support the children of our warriors. These scholarships are awarded to 15 students annually who excel in academics and volunteer in their communities.”
- Application timeline: Closes March 1, 2024
- Link: https://www.legion-aux.org/Scholarships/Children-of-Warriors
Wings Over America Scholarships
“Wings Over America Scholarship Foundation annually sponsors 50 scholarships to further the post secondary education of Navy dependents from the aviation community. Most scholarships are $5,000 and some are renewable.
Scholarships may be used for trade school certification, community college or four-year university/college undergraduate study and cover tuition only at an accredited institution.
If an applicant’s tuition is fully covered by other scholarships from their institution, ROTC, or Post 9/11 Bill/Yellow Ribbon benefits, they are ineligible to receive a scholarship. Students attending service academies are also ineligible.”
- Application timeline: Opens October 1, 2023
Those are just 10 of the abundant selection of scholarships for military kids and dependents. Here are a few resources for students as the college application season progresses:
Busting the Myths About Scholarships – Military.com
https://www.military.com/education/money-for-school/learn-how-to-find-scholarships.html
Scholarships for Military Dependents and Families
https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/military-dependents-scholarships/
References:
Mullinix, Heather. “Scholarships for Military Dependents and Families: BestColleges.” BestColleges.Com, 17 Jan. 2023, www.bestcolleges.com/resources/military-dependents-scholarships/.