Free Tuition Assistance Military Dependents Can Receive

There are a variety of tuition assistance opportunities available to your military dependents. Some of these money saving opportunities, like the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance program, are offered directly through the military. Other opportunities are offered through civilian organizations and private foundations in the form of scholarships.

Although scholarships for military dependents are open only to children of active duty or retired military professionals, there is no guarantee that your children will qualify for or win one of the scholarships. However, there are steps you and your family can take to increase the chances of your dependents winning college scholarships.

To start, types of scholarships your children can apply for include:

• Heroes Legacy Scholarships – This scholarship if funded with money generated from the sale of President Barack Obama’s book titled, Of Thee I Sing.
• Scholarships for Military Children – These scholarships are administered through the Fisher House. Applications for the scholarship are available at area commissaries. Minimum amount of the scholarships is $1,500.
• Airmen Memorial Foundation Scholarship – Open to children of active duty or retired Air Force members.

Individual colleges and universities also offer scholarships to military dependents. Check with financial aid counselors at accredited colleges and universities your children are considering attending to see if they administer scholarships your children can apply for.

Applying for Military Dependent Scholarships

As your children start applying for college and university scholarships remember to:

• Encourage them to read through the guidelines and instructions completely
• Ensure they submit scholarship applications by or before the due date
• Write down names and contact information of scholarship administrators in case you have questions
• Read over your child’s scholarship essay, offering suggestions for improvement
• Make sure your child gets required reference letters from community leaders and school officials
• Let your child know that reputable scholarships generally do not charge reading or application fees

When considering the tuition assistance options that you and your family have as the time for your children to enroll in college draws near, remember to look into scholarships. Each scholarship has its own eligibility and application guidelines. However, your dependents will generally have to complete and submit an essay and prove that they have been active in the community in order to win scholarships.

As it is with accredited colleges and universities, scholarship providers want to ensure that your dependents have received a balanced education, that they possess strong social skills and that your dependents give back to the communities they live in. You can help your children prepare to secure college scholarships by encouraging them to start participating in extracurricular activities at school, supporting others in the community, reading educational and entertaining books over the summer and by taking them to museums and other places of learning that are also fun on weekends.