The Scholarships for Military Children Program is funded through commissary purchases. For every commissary location, a minimum of one $1,500 scholarship is awarded. The scholarships pay for tuition, books, lab fees and other educational expenses. Unmarried dependent children under age 23 seeking enrollment in a four-year undergraduate degree program are eligible. Applicants must possess an unweighted high school GPA of at least 3.0, complete an application form and write a short essay. You do not need to live near a commissary to be considered for an award.
An important aspect of the federally funded GI bill, the DEA program offers surviving children of those veterans killed during combat, permanently disabled, or MIA up to 100 percent tuition coverage and up to 45 months of a full-time degree or certificate program, apprenticeship or on-the-job training. Children must be between the ages of 18 and 26 in most circumstances.
This nonprofit organization provides financial assistance to low-income families of active and retired Navy and Marine Corps personnel through two programs. The Travers Loan program offers interest-free school loans ranging from $500 to $3,000 per academic year to eligible children under the age of 23. The Gold Star program also offers academic grants based on financial need only to children of deceased Navy and Marine Corps personnel.
This organization, dedicated to expressing gratitude towards members of the U.S. military, awards 1,000 scholarships each year to children of active-duty military personnel, activated reservists and soldiers killed or wounded in combat. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000 and are applied towards undergraduate tuition costs at any accredited two- or four-year college. Eligible applicants must have at least a 2.5 GPA. Award decisions are based on criteria such as financial need, academic merit and community service.
Through this nonprofit organization, The General Arnold Education Program provides $2,000 annually in grants dedicated to helping eligible child dependents of active-duty, retired and deceased members of the U.S. Air Force receive higher education. This program is highly competitive and need-based, weighing factors such as cost of education and family income levels. Students must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA and must reapply each year.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill allows service members to transfer unused education benefits to child dependents. The service member must have completed at least 10 years of service before a child is able to use the benefit. The child must be between the ages of 18 and 26 and must have a high school diploma or equivalent.
The Veterans Affairs department provides a work-study allowance to students in a college degree, vocational or certificate program. VA selects students based on factors such as disability of the student, proximity to local VA offices and length of service of parents. VA gives the highest priority to a child of a disabled veteran.
The number of awards is based upon the availability of VA-related work at your school or at local VA facilities. Through this program, students earn either the federal or state minimum wage, whichever is greater. Types of work include processing VA paperwork, performing outreach services with other VA members or performing services for VA medical facilities or national cemeteries.