Scholarships For Military-Affiliated Students


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

Also apply for state and federal (FAFSA) financial aid, as you may be eligible for grants. You can fill out the FAFSA beyond the priority deadlines, but it's recommended you apply early 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

The Spring 2025 application is open until May 1 through the UKASH portal. Look for the "Spencer Duncan Make It Count Military & Veteran Book Scholarship."

Review Periods/Deadlines

Spring applications will be accepted until May 1 or until we run out of funding. 

 

Purpose

A series of donor-funded scholarships to make college more accessible and affordable for military-affiliated students.

Eligibility  

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:

  • Ch. 35 Dependents Educational Assistance-eligible students, especially those not eligible for/receiving the Kansas Hero's Scholarship (e.g.. those whose veteran parent/spouse is not a Kansas resident). 
  • 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. 

How to Apply

The application is open until April 15 through the UKASH portal. Look for the "Warhawk Family of Scholarships."

Application

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

  • Resume
  • Summary: Provide a two-page summary discussing:
    • Your military/military-affiliated background
    • Your academic and career goals
    • Other than financial reasons, why is receiving this scholarship important to you?
  • 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. (This gets you considered for more scholarships)
  • You must also have a FAFSA on file with KU for the 2025-26 school year. 

Types of Scholarships Awarded  

One application gets you considered for all our donor-funded scholarships. Donors help set the criteria and scholarship amounts. Special thanks to all the donors who support our scholarships. 

  • Bill & Shanthi Eckert Scholarship
  • Centonzio Family Military and Veteran Scholarship
  • Delbert Moore Family Scholarship
  • Global Social Impact Scholarship
  • KAMO Adventures Scholarship
  • Keener Family Scholarship
  • Paul & Donna Peters Scholarship
  • SCOR Scholarship for Veterans
  • Valor Foundation Scholarships for Ch. 35 DEA-eligible students
  • Military Family Scholarships – dependent/spouses of current or former military who are not using Post-9/11 VA education benefits        
  • 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 service members 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

Donate to support our scholarships

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

Dependents

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.