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

Apply for the scholarship here.

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  

Full-time KU military-affiliated students on all KU campuses in good academic standing or newly admitted students for the Summer/Fall semester, in ONE of the following categories: 

Military/veterans:

  • 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. 

Dependents/spouses:

  • Dependents/spouses NOT using Post-9/11 VA education benefits.
  • 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 are closed for 2024-25. Check back in early 2025.

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/connection: Provide a one- to two-page summary discussing how your/your sponsor’s military service has impacted you (any information not included in your personal narrative). This summary is to be written by the student. 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/your sponsor's life, if applicable - only to the level you are comfortable explaining.
      • Military/veterans: you may also include information like duties performed, areas where you demonstrated leadership, deployments/duty stations, awards/distinctions, etc.  
      • Dependents/spouses: you may also include how your military affiliation has impacted your life, e.g., how many places you've lived, something you’re proud of, how the military world has shaped your career aspirations, etc. 
    • If there is no service-connected disability of 50% or greater or Purple Heart, include information like:
      • Military/veterans: duties performed, areas where you demonstrated leadership, deployments/duty stations, awards/distinctions, etc.  
      • Dependents/spouses: how your military affiliation has impacted your life, e.g., how many places you've lived, something you’re proud of, how the military world has shaped your career aspirations, 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.

  • Bill & Shanthi Eckert Scholarship
  • Centonzio Family Military and Veteran Scholarship
  • Delbert Moore Family Scholarship
  • First Command Educational Foundation Scholarship
  • Global Social Impact Scholarship
  • Valor Foundation Scholarship
  • KAMO Adventures Scholarship
  • Keener Family Scholarship
  • Paul & Donna Peters Scholarship
  • SCOR Scholarship for Veterans
  • 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.
  • Military Family Scholarships – dependent/spouses of current or former military who are not using Post-9/11 VA education benefits        

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 both Fall 2024 and Spring 2025

  • Maintain a 2.5 cumulative or KU GPA

We have partnered with 3 offices for 2024-25. Priority deadline to apply is May 1, 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

  • General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant – Air Force dependents of active duty, Title 10 Reservists on extended active duty, Title 32 Guard performing full-time active duty, retired, retired Reserve and deceased Air Force members, as well as spouses of active duty and Title 10 Reservists, and widows/widowers. Applications due by April 30, 2024.

  • Navy Wives Club of America – Up to 30 scholarships awarded annually, with eligibility for spouses/dependents of the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. Applications due by March 31, 2024.
  • Combined Scholarship Fund of Greater Fort Riley – Applications due by March 10, 2024.
  • UDT Seal Association scholarships – Dependents of members. Applications due by February 16, 2024.

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. Applications are currently closed.

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.