College Grants for Military
Below you will find free college money opportunities for members of the five branches of the U.S. military and their families, followed by some information that will be helpful to all branches of service. Remember to look into the chance to for military and their families to take free College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests through the College Board. This will allow the chance to earn college credit and skip some entry-level college classes.
Air Force Grants and Scholarships
The General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant is for members of the Air Force, their spouses and children. It is a $2,000 need-based grant. Scholarships are available from the Airmen Memorial Foundation (AMF) and the Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA). These awards range from $500 to $3,000 and are for the children of active-duty or retired enlisted Air Force personnel. The Air Force Association has a list of several scholarships for present and retired Air Force personnel and their family members. These include the Michael Wilson Scholarship of $15,000, the Pitsenbarger Awards ($400 one-time college grants), the Lt. Col Romeo and Josephine Bass Ferretti Scholarship, the Captain Jodi Callahan Memorial Schoarship, Spouse Scholarships, and a Full Scholarship to Grantham University.
Army Spouse Education Assistance Program
The Spouse Education Assistance Program is for spouses of U.S. Army personnel and offers $350 every academic term.
Coast Guard Mutual Assistance
Active-duty members (E-3 to E-9 ranks) of the Coast Guard can qualify for college grants of $250 and $500 per calendar year. Also, there information from the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) Education Grant and Loan Programs. CGMA helps the active and retired Coast Guard members and their spouses and children with educational assistance in the form of college grants and loans.
Marine Corps Education Programs and Scholarships
U.S. Marines can benefit from several programs to help them pay for college: the Enlisted Commissioning Program, Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP), and Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program (MECP) or the Meritorious Commissioning Program (MCP). The grants are for $2,000 per year. For those accepted into one of the above programs, there is also the Admiral Mike Boorda Seaman-to-Admiral Loan Program which offers loans in the range of $500 to $3,0000 per academic year. For questions you can call the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society’s Education Division at (703) 696-4960 or e-mail them at education@nmcrs.org.
The Marine Deployed Education Program aims to help Marines earn an undergraduate education. Courses are through Park University and Central Texas College. Qualified marine instructors teach the courses and the students attend class depending upon their schedule of deployment. There are tuition assistance funds available to help with the costs and students at Camp Pendleton rent the book while those at Cherry Point purchase the books to take with them prior to deployment. Since class sessions are flexible, in the event of an emergency they can be stopped instantly.
There also scholarships for the children of Marines awarded by the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation
Navy Education Programs
The Spouse Tuition Aid Program (STAP) is for the spouses of Navy personnel. Grants range from $300 to $1,500 for undergraduate studies while grants for graduate school range from $350 to $1,750, for each year of studies. The Admiral Mike Boorda Seaman-to-Admiral Loan Program which offers loans in the range of $500 to $3,000 per academic year. For questions you can call the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society’s Education Division at (703) 696-4960 or e-mail them at education@nmcrs.org.
Children of Deceased Veterans
The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) is for children of deceased U.S. military veterans who died in Iraq or Afghanistan while serving after September 11, 2001. The eligible college student should have been 23 years of age or less at the time when veteran parent or guardian died.
Reserve Officers’ Training Corp (ROTC)
During the participants’ college years, the ROTC members are involved in military training several hours per week. Candidates can become officers in the Army, Air Force, or Navy. Those who wish to become Marine Corps officers could do so through participation in the Naval ROTC.
There are ROTC scholarships available. Most of them are for four-year scholarships for high school seniors via a nationwide competition. Roughly 4,000 are selected each year. The peculiar thing to remember about the ROTC scholarships is that when you apply, you will already be applying within a particular field of study and must be accepted into the college in that field of study. Engineering scholarships are granted and the student must be accepted into the engineering school. A commitment to the military is an additional requirement of the ROTC scholarship. For example, the Army ROTC scholarships require a minimum of eight years of commitment, either in active duty, the reserves, or the National Guard – or a combination of the above.
The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA)
The AFCEA is a non-profit association that has an Educational Foundation that awards many scholarships, fellowships, and grants. They have awards for excellence and merit, and a Professional Development Center. They can help military servicemen and women pay for college for themselves and their dependents.
Student Veterans of America
There are many opportunities for finding a grant for the members of the US military and their families. Studentveterans.org has a pdf file which is full of great information to help.
It is also a good idea to learn more details about military grants for spouses and the Pell Grant. If making the transition from military to civilian life, it is a good idea to plan ahead when seeking information about how to pay for college. Often grants for military veterans apply within a certain time limit from the time of discharge from active military duty. Overall, military personnel will find that their branch of service offers several possibilities to help them and their families pay for college.
