20 Scholarships for Military Veterans
Many potential students in active duty military have expressed a form of uncomfortableness upon returning or entering college life. Because of this, these service members often have difficulty staying engaged with the social aspect of college campuses. While the GI Bill dramatically benefits these veterans, they believe it isn’t enough on its own to make school experiences worthwhile. “What it is is a readjustment benefit. Allowing them to do something constructive for their mind and body gives them a mission and allows them to move forward in life.” However, if the former military personnel feel the college experience isn’t worthwhile, then these active duty service members won’t stay.
The Best 20 College Scholarships for Military Veterans
Military veterans have a shallow graduation rate considering the financial aid they receive for attending college post-service. While some schools like San Diego State University offer good support for military veterans and have above-average graduation rates, many more colleges don’t give veterans, let along those in active duty the proper support needed outside of monetary value to give them a fighting chance at graduating. There are many two-year colleges where military veterans who receive the GI Bill benefits have a less than 1% likelihood of graduating. “At nearly a third of the 20 two-year schools that enrolled at least 100 veterans receiving GI Bill benefits and who are eligible for degrees, none of them got one.” This is shown clearly in a study done in 2014, which only included two-year colleges due to the reluctance these 4-year institutions have in releasing these veterans’ graduation rates. Whether it’s military service members from the national guard, marine corps military families or active duty members of the air force aid society, or whatever other eligible applicants the likelihood of them having a peaceful college education is not high.
Military Student Debt Grant
This grant is for any military veteran who has student loans that they wish to be able to pay off. This can also be used as a scholarship for those wishing to pursue a college degree but don’t have the full tuition benefits from certain military branches. This grant is also intended to help aid in the mental health of these veterans.
- Award Amount: $2,015
- Deadline: August 7, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: August 31, 2022
Peter T. Buecher Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is aimed at students within Minnesota who wish to use their knowledge to ‘enrich’ the lives of those who share their community. This is a scholarship that military veterans with good character who live within Minnesota are recommended because it’s an opportunity to communicate with their community.
- Award Amount: $1,000
- 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: May 1, 2023
- Winners Announcement Date: June 1, 2023
David L. Burns Memorial Scholarship
A memorial scholarship that is meant to support those in Missouri who are dedicated to helping those who have struggled with a sense of addiction. Students who are entering fields focused on assisting the physical and mental health of others are eligible to apply. “These fields could be nursing, counseling/mental health, social work, or other similar careers.”
- Award Amount: $2,550
- 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: November 1, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: December 1, 2022
Michael J. Burns Military Children Scholarship
While this scholarship is aimed more at military children, it is still beneficial to look if you are a veteran looking to attend college. Especially if you were an army child before joining the service, then this scholarship is perfect for you.
- Award Amount: $1,000
- 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: September 1, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: September 30, 2022
Veterans Writing Group of San Diego Ernie Pyle Award
“The Veterans’ Writing Group of San Diego was started…as a way for veterans of all ages and all sorts of military experience to test their memories and writing skills in hopes of seeing the value of their works in print.” This scholarship is for veterans who wish to see their value outside of the workforce and are intent on expressing themselves creatively, such as in writing. The applicant must reside in California and have a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- Total Award Amount: $2,000
- 300-2500 Word Essay Deadline: October 30, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: November 11th, 2022
Ethel Hayes Destigmatization of Mental Health Scholarship
This scholarship is for those who have struggled with their mental health or know someone who has worked with mental health. This makes it a suitable scholarship for applicants who are veterans and are comfortable speaking about their mental health.
- Award Amount: $10,200
- 200-100 Word Essay Deadline: June 14, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: July 13th, 2022
A Voice for Mental Health and Addiction Awareness Scholarship
This scholarship is for high school or undergraduate students in North Dakota battling mental illness and drug and alcohol addiction. This is perfect for military veterans who are seeking therapy or have acknowledged any forms of mental issues they are being forced to endure.
- Award Amount: $3,000
- 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: June 15, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: July 15, 2022
Bold Mental Health Awareness Scholarship
“The Bold Mental Health Awareness Scholarship will support one student who is struggling with mental health or is passionate about helping others who struggle with mental health.” This does not require the applicant to take specific mental health and psychology courses. Still, for any military veterans interested in the field, this is an excellent scholarship to apply for.
- Award Amount: $500
- 250-300 Word Essay Deadline: June 24, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: July 24, 2022
Shawn’s Mental Health Resources Scholarship
“This scholarship aims to support the mental health of those pursuing higher education by relieving some of the financial stress of college.” For veterans, this is a mental health scholarship that makes the applicant think about how they approach their mental health and allows them to gain new ideas on how to take care of themselves.
- Award Amount: $2,000
- 400-6000 Word Essay Deadline: June 30, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: July 25, 2022
Mental Health Matters Scholarship
A scholarship for students of any educational level with a 2.5 GPA or higher who have a history of combating mental health issues and have proven themselves to be leaders within their communities. For those vocal veterans who are educated in matters of mental health and wish to share their knowledge with those around them, this is an excellent scholarship to apply for.
- Award Amount: $500
- 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: September 1, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: September 30, 2022
#FinancialFreedom no-essay Scholarship
A scholarship that doesn’t require an essay to be submitted is for ambitious students who don’t have the financial means to pursue their ambition even though they have the drive to do so. “The scholarship is open to all high school, undergraduate, and graduate school students and non-students from any field of study.”
- Award Amount: $500
- Deadline: October 30, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: November 30, 2022
Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship
This scholarship is for those of any educational level in any field as long as they have had some form of personal experience with mental health, whether it be their mental health or the mental health of a friend. “Students applying to the scholarship will be required to write an essay about how their experience with mental health has influenced their beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations.”
- Award Amount: $500
- 500-1000 Word Essay Deadline: October 30, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: November 30, 2022
“A Daring Path” No-Essay Scholarship
This is a no-essay scholarship for students willing to take chances and won’t allow their fears to control them in pursuing their dreams. If the applicant is a bold person who wishes to get the most out of life, this is the scholarship. “The scholarship is open to all students and non-students from any field of study.”
- Award Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: October 30, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: November 30, 2022
First-Year College Students: Jennie Gilbert Daigre Education Scholarship
This scholarship isn’t for admission, but rather it’s for undergraduate students who want help in purchasing their textbooks. This is especially useful for military students because all their benefits don’t apply to written materials. The average cost for all undergraduate students is over $1,200 a year. “Undergraduate students at 2-year or 4-year institutions are eligible to apply.”
- Award Amount: $500
- 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: September 1, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: September 30, 2022
The Gist Women’s Sports Business Scholarship
“The GIST is your witty, sports-obsessed friend, perfect for anyone interested in working in sports or the business of sports, particularly women’s sports.” This newsletter scholarship rewards applicants for reading the newsletter and sharing it with their friends. It’s a good newsletter for those interested in women’s sports, and it is most beneficial due to how simple the application process is for this scholarship.
- Award Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: July 1, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: July 1, 2022
Ida Nickelson 104 Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is for any low-income female student in New York City. Whether in high school or undergraduate, they are eligible to apply for this scholarship, making it a good option for many black female athletes to consider, especially if they are local to the New York area.
- Award Amount: $500
- Deadline: September 1, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: September 30, 2022
Frantz Barron Scholarship
This is a scholarship for any low-income, male, black, first-generation college student. This scholarship supports male students who need financial assistance to continue their education. Due to this, it’s a need-based scholarship that works well for military veterans living in New Jersey. “Any first-generation, low-income, high-achieving, male, high school senior in New Jersey may apply for this scholarship.”
- Award Amount: $1000
- 400-600 Word Essay Deadline: September 1, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: September 30, 2022
ProjectGiveBack Scholarship for Black Women
This scholarship is designated for black women in particular. It’s about giving back to the black community, so if the applicant has any volunteering or work experience, they have a good chance of actually earning the scholarship. Many veterans come out of service wishing to help those in their community, and this is an excellent scholarship for black women coming out of service who want to do so. “…To apply, please submit a 2-minute video discussing how your goals/aspirations align with the spirit of ProjectGiveBack.”
- Award Amount: $2,000
- 500-1000 Word Essay Deadline: July 26, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: August 26, 2022
Women’s History Scholarship
This scholarship is inspired by the struggles that many historically great women have experienced. As such, it is a pretty easy scholarship to apply for with there not being an essay to write. “Any high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student who identifies as female may apply for this scholarship.”
- Award Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: August 31, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: September 7, 2022
Bold Future of Education Scholarship
This scholarship is for those passionate not only about improving the education level received today but also those passionate about making sure future generations have access to better education. This scholarship is open to students of any education level in any field of study. Applying involves writing about a “change to education you believe would positively impact future generations.”
- Award Amount: $500
- Developer Portfolio Deadline: June 25, 2022
- Winners Announcement Date: July 25, 2022
About Scholarships for Military Veterans
Many military scholarships are beneficial because they give lots of support towards paying off one’s tuition fees. The main benefit comes from the fact that many military departments, such as the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), will offer scholarships that you can also pair with the GI Bill if you qualify. And the requirements for being eligible for the GI Bill are not related to academics in any way, shape, or form. Eligibility to the GI Bill is only associated with your honorability during service times.
What Are Scholarships for Military Veterans
Scholarships for military veterans are either scholarships dedicated to military veterans with the desire to attend a higher form of education or they are general scholarships designed to make the college experience easier. Military veterans typically have a hard time adjusting to college life and college prohibitive cost during their first few years of college. This can lead veterans to leaving college after the first few years which is what these scholarships are attempting to help prevent.
What Qualifies Students for Military Scholarships
To qualify for a military focused scholarship the student must be able to provide evidence of their activity within the military force. Military scholarships can only be granted to those who are currently enlisted in the military or have completed their service.
Types of Military Scholarships
In the military, there are some full-tuition scholarships that not only pay for the full tuition of college but, in some cases, can also pay for food for college. But military scholarships are not full-ride scholarships that potentially remove any cost of attending college. Many of them are tied to specific military branches such as the marine corps scholarship foundation. There scholarships tied to the families of the military family community such as the military children program. There is still the cost of materials and other supply costs that won’t be relieved even for a full tuition scholarship which isn’t likely, to begin with.
Then there are independent scholarships that aren’t related to a specific military branch. These are scholarships given by independent parties that aim to provide more general opportunities for veterans to apply for smaller scholarships that can add up over time and help relieve military students who can only receive a partial scholarship.
How to Find Military Scholarships
Due to the number of people who complete their military service and don’t know what their future entails, you can find military scholarships on several private college sites. Or, you can look at other scholarship services that value leadership qualities and experiences with community service which fit military students.
While there aren’t an infinite amount of military scholarships, there is a good quantity of them, which is important considering the large number of students that can apply for them, whether they are beginning college or returning to resume their college education.
Only applying to specific scholarships can lead to disappointment with how much competition there is for military scholarships.
Tips on Winning Military Scholarships
When it comes to military scholarships that apply to undergraduate and graduate students a tip to winning these scholarships is being able to share some experiences in the military that display your leadership abilities. Writing about these reasons in an essay that varies between 200 to 1000 words is a great way to win a scholarship.
Frequently Asked Questions About Military Scholarships
Scholarships that apply to military students are abundant but often aren’t very clear. It isn’t easy to find them or understand what scholarships apply to former military members or military children. These are some answers to some commonly asked questions for military scholarships.
Are our Military scholarships legit?
Military-focused scholarships are accurate and based on a relation to the military either through other family members or your own personal connections. Often military scholarships are given to those who have already participated in military service.
How can I improve my chances of winning Military scholarships?
You can improve your chances by taking your time with your essays. Also, you can improve your chances of winning a scholarship program by including a cover letter showing your service experiences.
How many Military scholarships can you get?
There is no limit to the number of scholarships. You can apply for as many as there are available. You can apply for multiple scholarships at once. You can receive funding from various scholarships.
Are Military scholarships taxable income?
Military scholarships are taxable depending on the funds for room and board, optional materials, and travel. If the scholarship is used for tuition, assigned books, etc, it is not taxable.
What’s the best way to apply for Military scholarships?
By checking the requirements for the scholarship and making sure that you have the best essays, do your research on who is funding the scholarship. If the person sponsoring the scholarship has specific preferences in who they give it to, that’s also something to account for.
