Scholarships For Military-Affiliated Students

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.

All Military Affiliations

• AFCEA Scholarships – Various scholarships for multiple military affiliations.
• AFSA International Auxiliary Education Grant Program – For AFSA Auxiliary members seeking to enhance skills for joining the workforce. Applications are due by March 31.
• Air Force Association scholarships – Military, veterans, spouses, dependents.
• AMVETS – Veterans, active duty, Guard/Reserves, children, and grandchildren of veterans. 
• Army Aviation Association of America – For AAAA members and their families. Application deadline is December 15.
• Army Nurse Corps Association's Scholarship program – Eligible nursing students serving/previously served in any branch of a component of the U.S. Army or who are closely related to someone who has. Applications are due in the spring.
• Army Women's Foundation scholarships – Women who have served/are serving in the Army, Army Reserve, Army National Guard and their children. Applications due by January 21.
• Coast Guard Foundation Scholarships – Various scholarships for all affiliations with the Coast Guard.
• Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Opportunities – Various grant and aid opportunities via the education tab for Coast Guard-affiliated students.
• CollegeScholarships.org – Provides links to numerous scholarship opportunities based on military service or dependent status.
• Council of College and Military Educators (CCME) – Military, veterans, spouses. Applications due mid-October.
• Fleet Reserve Association Education Foundation – Those affiliated with the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard through your own service or that of your spouse, parent, grandparent or great-grandparent. Applications due in the spring.
• Military Officers Association of America Education Assistance – Grants and interest-free loans. Applications open Nov. 1 and close March 1.
• Purple Heart Scholarship Program – For recipients of a Purple Heart who are members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart as well as their direct descendants and spouses. Application window is from March to June.
• Student Veterans of America Scholarships – Various opportunities for military-affiliated students, some with major-specific awards.
• Tillman Scholars Program – For active duty service members, veterans, and military spouses. Application window from December 1 to February 1.
• Tutor.com – Free on-demand, 24/7 online tutoring for DoD service members, civilian personnel, ROTC students and all dependent family members.
• United States Submarine Veterans Scholarship – For members of the USSVI in good standing or their direct descendants.
• Women Marines Association Scholarship – Women who served in the Marine Corps, have a family member who served in the Marine Corps, or have participated in a Marine Corps JROTC program. Applications are generally due in March.
• VII Corps Desert Storm Veterans Association Scholarships – for those who served with the Army VII Corps in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm or Provide Comfort or on support base activities and their immediate family members.

Veterans/Military

• Digital Workshop Center – For veterans pursuing a career in tech who have no other GI Bill or VRRAP benefits remaining.
• Harold & Muriel Berkman Foundation scholarships - For veterans of all majors/areas or study. A couple of different scholarships - one open April 10-July 15 yearly; one open May 1-Aug. 31 yearly.
• Hill & Ponton Veteran Scholarships – For veterans who plan to enter a career field that would, in turn, help other veterans. Applications due late spring.
• Military.com Educational Assistance Programs information -- This website has multiple different types of financial aid and scholarship opportunities for veterans and their families.
• Raytheon Patriot Scholarship – Any eligible U.S. Army student veteran. Applications are currently closed.
• VFW "Sports Clips Help A Hero Scholarship" – E-5 or below military/veterans, given twice a year. Applications for the fall semester are accepted Jan. 1 to April 30, and applications for the spring semester are accepted Aug. 1 to Nov. 15.
• Wells Fargo Veterans Emergency Grants – Grants for veterans in college who are experiencing unexpected financial hardship.
• Women's Overseas Service League – Eligible women who are committed to advancement in the military or other public service careers. Applications due early spring.  

 Spouses

• Blackhorse Association Scholarship – For spouses of 11th ACR Active Duty Soldiers training with the Army at the National Training Center. Applications due by April 1.
• Coast Guard Mutual Assistance – Loans and grants for a degree, license or certification
• Corvias Foundation scholarships – Has a database with multiple different types of scholarships available for service members and their families.
• FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship Program – Current spouses or surviving spouses of a uniformed service member; Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve, or retirees entitled to DEERS card possession or eligibility.
• Military One Source Spouse scholarship database -- This website has a collection of scholarships available for Military Spouses and their families.
• National Military Family Association Spouse scholarships – Available for several different types of degrees. Applications accepted year-round.
• Shannon Kent Special Forces Spouse Scholarship – For wives of Green Berets pursuing higher education. Applications are open year-round.
• Tillman Military Scholars – Eligible for service members, veterans, and spouses. Applications open Dec. 1 to Feb. 1.

Dependents & Spouses

• Army Scholarship Foundation – Application window is January 15 - April 15 for the next academic year.
• Blinded Veterans Association Kathern F. Gruber - available to spouses, dependent children, and grandchildren of blind and low vision veterans to assist them with their higher education tuition.
• Combined Scholarship Fund of Greater Fort Riley – Applications due early spring
• 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 in the spring.
• 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 in the spring. 
• Screaming Eagle Foundation – For relatives of members of the 101st Airborne Division Association.
• UDT Seal Association scholarships – Dependents of members.

Dependents

• Chief Warrant and Warrant Officers Association Scholarships – For dependent children of members of the Coast Guard. Applications due by February 1.
• Gamewardens Association Vietnam - For son, daughter, grandchild, or greatgrandchild of a member of Gamewardens. Deadline for submissions is July 15th of the current year.
• Navy Seabee Foundation Scholarships – For children and grandchildren of service members connected to the Naval Construction Force
• 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.
• Special Forces Association Scholarship – For dependents and grandchildren of Special Forces Association members. Applications window is in June.

All Military Affiliations

• Air Force Aid Society – Scholarships, grants, loans for veterans, spouses, dependents.
• Allied Van Lines Military Scholarship – For active-duty, veterans, spouses, and dependents studying Logistics.
• American Legion Auxiliary Non-Traditional Student Scholarship – Veterans, spouses, dependents who are Legion members. Applications due by March 1. 
• American Legion Scholarships – Page of scholarships largely for high school students.
• Dolphin Scholarship Foundation Scholarships – Various scholarships for military-affiliations within the Navy. Applications close in the Spring.
• Navy League Foundation Scholarship – For high school seniors who are veterans, active duty sea service members, Naval Sea Cadet Corps members, and their direct descendants.
• Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society – Interest-free loans and grants for veterans, spouses, dependents. Applications due in the spring.
• Military Benefit Association – MBA members who are veterans, Guard or Reserve and their spouses and dependent children under the age of 26.
• Women Marine Corps Association scholarships – Marines and their dependents and siblings, or those who were in Marine Corps JROTC. Applications due in the spring.
• 82nd Airborne Division Association Education Fund – For Former Troopers, their dependent children, and active duty Association life members. Application due by October 15 for the current term.

Veterans/Military

• AAPG Military Veterans Scholarship Program – Veterans in geoscience programs. Applications open early spring.
• AFCEA War Veterans Scholarship – Veterans actively pursuing certification or licensure to teach STEM subjects. Applications due in the spring. 
• Kansas Board of Regents Military Service Scholarship – Kansas-resident students who served in any military operation for which they received hostile fire pay. Priority deadline is May 1 each year. This is a restricted scholarship that pays tuition/fees directly, so if a student is Post-9/11 VA benefits eligible at the 100% rate or Ch. 31 VR&E, there is no need to apply for this when using VA benefits.
• Study.com Nursing Scholarship for Military & Veterans -- Applications due in the spring.

Spouses & Dependents

• ALA Member Loyalty Scholarship – For traditional college students who are Junior members of the American Legion Auxiliary and have been members for the past three consecutive years. Applications due by March 1.
• Army Emergency Relief scholarships – Two scholarships available, one for spouses and one for dependents. Dependent scholarship applications are open in the spring.
• Chief Petty Officer Scholarship Fund – spouses/dependents of former/current Navy Chief, Senior Chief or Master Chief Petty Officers. Applications due in the spring.
• Coast Guard Foundation scholarships – Scholarship is specifically for spouses of Enlisted service members. Applications due in the spring. 
• Spirit of Youth Scholarship – For high school seniors who are Junior members of the American Legion Auxiliary and have been members for the past three consecutive years. Applications due by March 1.
• Study.com Military Spouse Scholarship -- Application due late spring.

Dependents

• AFSA/CMSAF/Airmen Memorial Foundation Scholarships – Various scholarships for dependents with age, GPA, and sponsor requirements. All applications due by March 31.
• Airborne Scholarship Association Merit Scholarships – For dependents of veterans, active duty, and army civilians from units within the 18th Airborne Corps who served after September 11, 2001. Applications due by April 1.
• Blackhorse Association Scholarship Program – For children of present and former members of the Blackhorse Troopers Regiment. Applications are due April 1.
• Children of Warriors Presidents' Scholarship – For high school seniors who are direct dependents of veterans who are eligible for membership in The American Legion and were honorably discharged. Applications due by March 1.
• Corvias Foundation scholarships – Has a database with multiple different types of scholarships available for service members and their families.
• Daughters of the Cincinnati Scholarship – For daughters of career commissioned officers who are current high school seniors. Application deadline is February 15.
• Fisher House – Any military child whose parent(s) are serving or have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Applications generally due early- to mid-February.
• Gilman-McCain Scholarship – Children of current active-duty military member. Used for credit-bearing study abroad or intern abroad programs. Applications are currently closed.
• Legacy Educational Scholarships – For children and grandchildren of members of the National Fourth Infantry Division Association in good standing. Application deadline is June 15.
• Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation – Dependents of active/reserve/veteran Marines and Corpsmen attached to Marine units.
• Navy Wives Club of America – Dependents of active duty, retired or deceased enlisted Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard. Applications due in the spring.
• Patriot Legacy Fund Scholarships – For dependents of veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating of 10% or higher.
• Scholarships for military children – Check in December of each year for program details. This website serves as a database with a collection of scholarships for military children/dependents.
• Society of the 1st Infantry Division scholarship – Children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of 1st ID veterans. Applications due by late spring.
• Study.com Scholarship for Military Children -- Application due by late spring. 

• Kansas application for a waiver of tuition/fees for dependents and spouses of disabled or deceased military personnel (undergraduate students only) -- Look for the Hero's Scholarship section near the middle of the page. The 2025-26 application will open in January and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Blackhorse Association Scholarship Program – For children of present and former members of the Blackhorse Troopers Regiment, with priority given to those whose parents were killed or incapacitated by wounds. Applications are due April 1.
• Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation – Scholarships and educational resources to military children who have lost a parent in the line of duty.
• E. R. Smith Memorial Scholarship – For children of soldiers of the Fourth Infantry Division who died while serving with that Division in Iraq, Afghanistan, and/or the War against Terror since September 11, 2001. Must be under 25. Application is always open.
• Folds of Honor scholarships – Spouses and dependents of America's fallen and disabled service members. Applications open early spring.
• Folded Flag Foundation scholarships – Spouses and dependents of U.S. military and government personnel who died as a result of hostile action or in an accident related to U.S. combat operations.
• Freedom Alliance Scholarship – Children of military personnel killed/permanently disabled in an operational mission/training accident.
• Heroes' Legacy Scholarship – Unmarried children under 23 of 100% disabled veterans or deceased military members. Applications due early spring.
• Hope for the Warriors Scholarships – For spouses and caregivers of a post-9/11 service member or veteran with a combat-related injury or an unemployable disability rating.
• Paralyzed Veterans of America scholarships – PVA members and their immediate family members. Applications open early spring.
• Patriot Foundation Scholarship – For children of members of the 18th Airborne Corps Soldiers who were killed, wounded, or injured while serving in the Armed Forces since September 11, 2001. Application due by April 1.
• Patriot Legacy Fund – Dependents under age 23 of a veteran with a VA service-connected disability of 10% or greater.
• Veterans United Foundation Scholarship – Surviving spouse or child of a deceased service member from a service-related death or a veteran with a 100% service-connected disability. Applications are open usually the month of March.
• No Greater Sacrifice scholarships – for children of fallen/wounded servicemembers. Applications due each spring.
• Purple Heart Scholarship Program – For spouses, widow(er)s, and direct descendants of members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart who were killed in action or died of wounds. Application window is from March to June.
• Katherine F. Gruber and Thomas H. Miller scholarships – Spouses, dependents and grandchildren of blinded veterans. Applications due in the spring.
• 1st Marine Division Association Scholarship – For children of Marines or Navy Corpsman who are attached to the Blue Diamond Division and are deceased or disabled.
• The 2nd Infantry Division Association's Bill Creech Scholarship – Children, grandchildren, or great-children of members of the Association who have been in good standing for at least 3 consecutive years prior to applying. Applies to those whose family member was killed in action while serving with the 2nd Infantry Division. Application due by May 31.

• Air Force Heath Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)
• Air Force ROTC scholarships
• Army Reserve Minuteman scholarship
• Army Medical Scholarships, including HPSP
• Army ROTC scholarships
• DoD SMART Scholarship Program – Pays full tuition and provides housing stipend, health insurance, supply allowance, supplies, summer internships and employment placement at DoD facilities upon degree completion.
• Marine Officer Navy ROTC scholarships
• Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)
• Navy ROTC scholarships