Scholarships For Military-Affiliated Students

Below is a collection of scholarships specifically for military-affiliated students.  Check KU's Scholarship resource page for more information and opportunities, as well as the Private and State Scholarships page.

We also highly recommend you apply for state and federal (FAFSA) financial aid, as you may be eligible for grants, including grants on top of any VA benefits. FYI, you can apply for state and federal aid beyond the priority deadlines, but it's recommended you meet the priority deadlines for the best chances at receiving any grants:

KU Military-Affiliated Scholarships

Purpose

Thanks to a donation from the Spencer C. Duncan Make it Count Foundation, we offer scholarships to help provide additional money for veterans and military for the purposes of textbooks.

Amount

Up to $250 a semester.

Eligibility

  • Prior-service veterans, Guard and Reserve students

    • If you are using Ch. 31 VR&E, you are not eligible since the VA pays for all your books
    • If you are using Ch. 33 Post-9/11 VA benefits, we will consider expenses that exceed your VA book allowance. Please include receipts that show how you exceed the VA book stipend.
  • Active duty (undergraduates only)
  • ROTC students (only those not receiving any ROTC scholarships)

How to Apply

Applications are now open in AcademicWorks. Applicants will need to provide copies of receipts/proof of purchase.

If you have not applied for a KU scholarship through AcademicWorks before, first complete your General Application to apply.

Review Periods/Deadlines

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis as long as funding is available. Application reviews begin Sept. 1 and end Dec. 1 for the fall semester and begin again Feb. 1 and end May 1 (or until we run out of funding) for the spring semester.

 

Purpose

This is a series of donor-funded scholarships to make college more accessible and affordable for eligible military-affiliated students.

Eligibility  

Open to current KU students on all KU campuses in good academic standing or newly admitted students for the Summer/Fall semester, in one of the following categories: 

  • Honorably discharged service member/veteran  
  • Current service member (Reserves and National Guard members, Active Duty undergrads)  
  • Honorably discharged veteran of the uniformed services with DoD or VA disability rating associated with a combat or hostile-related injury sustained in the line of duty. 
  • Honorably discharged veteran of the uniformed services with a service-connected DoD or VA disability rating of 50% or greater. 
  • Purple Heart recipient, regardless of DoD/VA disability rating. 
  • The primary caregiver of a service member or veteran with a significant service-connected disability. 
  • Spouse/dependent of a veteran with a DoD/VA service-connected disability rating of 100%, especially those not eligible for the Kansas Hero's Scholarship (i.e. those whose veteran parent/spouse is not a Kansas resident). 
  • Surviving spouse or dependent of a service member who died in the line of duty or a service member/honorably discharged veteran who died as a result of service-connected disabilities. 

How to Apply

Applications have closed for the 2023-24 academic year. Please check back in early 2024.

Application

Applicants must provide the following in their application in PDF format. Contact us if you need help creating PDF files.:

  • Resume
  • Personal narrative: Provide a two-page summary discussing your academic goals and your expected time to achieve those goals. Also address how your academic goals align with your professional goals, and how the scholarship's financial gift will assist you in meeting these goals. 
  • Summary of military service: Provide a one- to two-page summary discussing your/your sponsor’s military service (any information not included in your personal narrative). In addition to some background info, please include:
    • If you/your sponsor has a service-connected disability of 50% or greater or a Purple Heart: How the injury/illness occurred and how this has impacted your life (and/or your sponsor's life, if applicable) - only to the level you are comfortable explaining.

      • You may also include information like duties performed, areas where you demonstrated leadership, deployments/duty stations, awards/distinctions, etc.  
    • If there is no service-connected disability of 50% or greater or Purple Heart, include information like duties performed, areas where you demonstrated leadership, deployments/duty stations, awards/distinctions, etc.  
  • One of the following: Personnel record/DD-214/NGB Form 22/DD-1300 “Report of Casualty” (excluding or redacting social security number is recommended) 
  • If applicable: Veteran’s percentage letter or disability rating letter from the VA. 

Types of Scholarships Awarded  

Scholarship amounts vary. Availability of each of these scholarships varies by year. Students will be considered for all that they are eligible for based on their submitted documents and donor intent.

  • Keener Family Scholarship 
  • Paul & Donna Peters Scholarship
  • Heart of America Patriot Foundation Scholarship 
  • Delbert Moore Family Scholarship
  • Bill & Shanthi Eckert Scholarship
  • KAMO Adventures Scholarship
  • Global Social Impact Scholarship
  • First Command Educational Foundation Scholarship
  • Scholarships for wounded, ill, injured and their families – for those with service-connected disabilities, Purple Heart recipients, caregivers, spouses/dependents of those with 100% service-connected disabilities, and spouses/dependents of those who died in the line of duty or who died as a result of service-connected disabilities.
  • Student Veteran Scholarships – for exceptional servicemembers and veterans, with an emphasis on those who are/were junior enlisted. These student veterans possess strength in character, academic excellence and exceptional growth as demonstrated by their military career.       

View our current scholarship recipients

Purpose

Donor funded scholarships to recognize and financially assist spouses and dependents of current military and prior-service veterans.

Eligibility

Open to current full-time KU students on all KU campuses in good academic standing or newly admitted students for the Summer/Fall semester, in one of the following categories (*Post-9/11 GI Bill users at the 100% rate and Kansas Hero's Scholarship recipients are not eligible for this scholarship.):

  • Spouse/dependent of an honorably discharged service member/veteran
  • Spouse/dependent of current service member (Active Duty, Reserves, National Guard)

How to Apply

Applications have closed for the 2023-24 academic year. Please check back in early 2024.

Application

Scholarships are awarded according to academic merit and financial need. Applicants must provide the following in their application in PDF format. Contact us if you need help creating PDF files:

  • Personal narrative: Provide a one- to two-page narrative discussing your academic and professional goals and the extent of your financial need, as well as how your military affiliation has impacted your life, e.g., something you’re proud of, how the military world has shaped your career aspirations, etc. 
  • Resume

Amount

$250

View our current scholarship recipients

The Military-Affiliated Community Advocates, or MACA, program offers service scholarships to military-affiliated students who support and advocate for the KU military-affiliated community in key offices across campus.

Students eligible to apply:

  • Students who identify as veterans, Guard, Reserves, spouses or dependents 

  • Full-time or part-time graduate or undergraduate student

  • Have been at the KU-Lawrence campus for at least one year

  • Will be a KU student for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024

  • Maintain a 2.5 cumulative or KU GPA

We are piloting this program in 2023-24 on the Lawrence campus with 2-3 offices. Priority deadline to apply is June 15, but applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. The program runs Sept. to May.

Learn more/apply to the MACA program.

Outside Scholarships & Financial Aid Resources

All Military Affiliations

Veterans/Military

Spouses

Dependents & Spouses

Dependents

  • The Society of Daughters of the United States Army – Daughter, granddaughter, stepdaughter, or adopted daughter of a career commissioned or warrant officer in the Army who is on active duty, retired after at least 20 years active duty service, was medically retired from active duty, or died while on active duty. March deadline

All Military Affiliations

Veterans/Military

Spouses & Dependents

Dependents

The list of outside scholarships is provided to you as a reference tool and is not an endorsement of any organization.