Military children have access to scholarships designed especially for their situations.
Children of active duty military members may need scholarships that defray the cost of a college education. Different states and the Defense Commissary Agency have developed scholarship funding programs, enabling eligible high school and college students to gain access to scholarships designed especially for children whose parents are in the military or who have died while on active duty.
Application Requirements
All applicants must be planning to enroll (or be enrolled) in a full-time undergraduate program at an accredited university or college in the United States. Unmarried and dependent children under 23 years of age with parents on active duty, retired from the military or in the reserves or National Guard are eligible to apply for a scholarship intended for military children. Children who are dependents of a public health employee, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other federal or military related agencies employee, along with Department of Defense civilian employees are not eligible for these scholarships unless they meet any of the previous requirements, according to the Military Scholar website.
Eligible applicants need to ensure they are enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System and that their military dependent ID card is current. DEERS is used to verify eligibility for these scholarships.
Defense Commissary Agency
The Defense Commissary Agency assists in funding college scholarships for eligible military children who are either preparing to enter or are already in college. This program was developed to recognize the contributions of military families to our military forces.
Suppliers and manufacturers are responsible for helping to fund scholarships awarded to eligible military children. One $1,500 scholarship is awarded at each commissary where qualified applications are received. Based on the level of funding, more than one scholarship per commissary may be awarded, according to the Military Scholarships website. Scholarships are intended to defray tuition, lab fees, books and related expenses.
Minnesota State Children of Deceased Veterans Program
This scholarship provides tuition-free attendance at all Minnesota campuses except the University of Minnesota for all college applicants who qualify. The applicant must hold residency status in Minnesota for two years before applying for a scholarship and his deceased parent should have been a resident of the state at the time active duty began, according to College Scholarships.
The Minnesota State War Orphans Education Program helps to provide an additional $350 to help with other school-related costs.
Iowa War Veterans Scholarship
Children of military personnel who died while on active duty during certain time periods qualify for the Iowa War Orphans Scholarship. The time periods include April 16, 1917, to June 2, 1921; Sept. 16, 1940, to Dec. 31, 1946; June 25, 1950, to Jan. 31, 1955; Aug. 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975; or on Aug. 2, 1990.
The award will not be higher than $600 annually. Eligible students are allowed to reapply, but cannot receive more than $3,000 total during their college education.
To qualify, applicants must have lived in Iowa for at least two years; age and income are not considered in granting scholarships, according to College Scholarships.
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