Scholarships & Resources for Student Military Veterans | EduMed.org
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Military veterans have a wide variety of college resources available to them to help pay for their postsecondary educations, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Yellow Ribbon Program, Tuition Top Up, and more.
That said, these sources may not cover all of education costs. Books, fees, living expenses, and other costs may require additional financial aid help.
This guide offers current and future student veterans a valuable starting point to accessing many other financial aid opportunities, including some of the best scholarships available today for military vet college students.
Scholarships & Financial Aid for Student Veterans
Two common types of financial aid are scholarships and grants. These are also known as “gift aids” because neither of them must be paid back, making them among the most popular forms of funding.
And while the terms scholarship and grant are often used interchangeably, they are different. Most scholarships are awarded based on merit, while grants are awarded based on financial need.
Below are a number of top scholarships and grants available to student veterans today.
General Scholarships
Organization
American Veterans
Amount
Up to $12,000
Deadline
April
Eligibility
Must be a U.S. citizen with proof of military service and demonstrated financial need. Applicant must additionally have a high school diploma, be free of criminal convictions, and not be in default on a federal student loan.
How to Apply
Fill out the online application and attach a DD-214.
Organization
Military Order of the Purple Heart
Amount
$1,000 to $5,000
Deadline
May
Eligibility
Applicant must be a Purple Heart recipient, the spouse of a Purple Heart recipient, or a direct relative of an individual killed in action. Additionally, applicant must be accepted as a full-time student at an accredited institution or trade school, and hold a GPA of at least 2.75.
How to Apply
Apply online via the scholarship webpage. Must document academic achievement and extracurricular activities, and include a personal essay and letters of recommendation.
Organization
Army Women’s Foundation
Amount
Typically $1,000 to $2,500
Deadline
January
Eligibility
Open to Army women veterans currently enrolled in a community college or certificate program with a GPA of at least 2.5, or enrolled in a college undergraduate or graduate program with a GPA of at least 3.0.
How to Apply
Submit an online application, DD-214, two letters of recommendation, and essay on why you should be considered for this scholarship.
Organization
APIA Scholars
Amount
$2,500 (one year) up to $20,000 (multi-year)
Deadline
January
Eligibility
Open to undergraduate students of an Asian Pacific Islander ethnic group with a 2.7 or higher GPA. Must additionally demonstrate a low socioeconomic status, be the first to attend college in their family, and show a strong sense of community service and leadership.
How to Apply
Submit application online. Submittals include a letter of recommendation.
Organization
Air Force Aid Society
Amount
$500 to $4,000
Deadline
April
Eligibility
Applicant must be a dependent child of active duty, retired, or deceased Air Force or Space Force member or reservist.
How to Apply
Fill out the online application and attach a copy of DD-214 along with other supporting documentation as listed on the website.
Medical and Health Scholarships
Organization
California Department of Health Care Access and Information
Amount
Up to $25,000
Deadline
October
Healthcare Discipline
Certified Nurse Midwives, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Dentist, Nurse Practitioners, Occupational Therapists, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, Physician Assistants, Speech Therapists
Eligibility
Applicant must be currently enrolled in one of the California Board or Committee approved healthcare programs as listed on the scholarship website. Must be willing to serve for 12 months after graduation in a Medically Underserved Area.
How to Apply
Submit the application online. Instructions on the scholarship website.
Organization
Army Nurse Corp Association
Amount
$3,000
Deadline
Typically March or April
Healthcare Discipline
Nursing or Nurse Anesthesia
Eligibility
Must be an honorably discharged veteran or currently serving in a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces enrolled in an accredited bachelors or advanced nursing or nurse anesthesia program. May not be receiving U.S. Army education funding (including the GI Bill).
How to Apply
Follow the application submittal instructions on the scholarship website.
Organization
Association on American Indian Affairs
Amount
$2,000 per academic year
Deadline
May
Healthcare Discipline
Must be in a field in need in tribal communities of which one is often healthcare.
Eligibility
Must be an enrolled member of a tribe located in the U.S. and a full-time student enrolled in an accredited institution of higher learning.
How to Apply
Fill out an application posted on the organization’s website.
Organization
Imagine American Foundation
Amount
$1,000
Deadline
Ongoing
Healthcare Discipline
Dental assistant, medical assisting, medical billing and coding, nursing
Eligibility
This annual award is earmarked for veterans wanting to expand their career options through vocational training. Applicant must be retired or honorably discharged and plan to enroll at a vocational school or community college.
How to Apply
Create an online account, include all relevant information, and select the school in which you plan to attend. The school will reach out if they need any additional information.
Organization
AMVETS National Service Foundation
Amount
$12,000
Deadline
April
Healthcare Discipline
Non-specific
Eligibility
Open to U.S. citizens enrolled in an eligible program who are Veterans of the Armed Forces and can demonstrate financial need.
How to Apply
Complete the online application and submit the required documentation via the scholarship website.
How to Land Your Scholarship: 5 Keys
Scholarships are popular since they act as essentially free money for college educations, but with that popularity comes competition. As a scholarship applicant, therefore, it’s up to you to ensure that your application shines above all the rest, resulting in the selection committee choosing you for its award.
Below are five tips you can employ to help you in making your application the very best it can be:
- Key #1: It is a numbers game
Apply to as many scholarship opportunities as possible, just be sure that you meet all eligibility requirements and feel you have a good chance of winning. The more scholarships you apply to, the better your chances of landing one (or maybe more). - Key #2: Search scholarships by specific criteria
Scholarships are often open exclusively to specific groups (such as military vets or students in specific majors – or both). By seeking out such scholarships, you likely increase your chances of winning due to smaller pools of applicants. - Key #3: Make your applications stand out
Take the time and make the extra effort to submit the most informative and thoughtful application possible. Most applicants don’t, which is why you can really make a strong impression on the selection committee if you do. - Key #4: Pay close attention to deadlines
All scholarship programs come with clear and absolute application deadlines which you must meet without exception. It’s very simple: When it comes to scholarship contests, miss a deadline and you lose. - Key #5: Use your time wisely
Similarly, if you don’t meet all of the scholarship eligibility requirements, in detail, delete that contest from your list and move on. If you fail to meet a single requirement, you don’t have a chance of winning, no matter how well you meet the other requirements.
College Resources for Student Veterans
Finding and landing great scholarship awards will get your well on your way to making your dreams of a college education a reality, but it’s just a start. Often, college success comes down to locating and taking advantage of other great student resources – academic, social and financial.
Here are several such resources student vets can access online:
Academic & Career
- ACP Veteran Mentoring Program for MOAA Members
American Corporate Partners offers mentoring on a one-on-one basis with a corporate professional in a chosen career field. Participants in this year-long mentorship build a network of contacts, learn about different career/internship opportunities available, and more. - Veteran Affairs Pathway Internship Program
Pathways offers current student veterans internships and employment opportunities at various federal agencies (including Veteran Affairs itself) to supplement their income and gain valuable career experience and education in their chosen field of study.
Social & Networking
- Student Veterans of America Professional Development Community
LinkedIn group whose mission is to introduce, develop and connect veteran students with alumni, mentors, sponsors, employers and career professionals to further the student’s career development training. - Team Red White and Blue
Community of current and veteran military and their families and supporters dedicated to enriching the well-being of its members through programs, events, and more. - Women Veterans Alliance
This website offers a variety of useful resources, including a monthly events calendar that can be tailored by the user to better identify those events of particular interest to them.
Advocacy & Diversity
- Veterans Education Project
The Veterans Education Project seeks to expand academic access for student veterans through research, lobbying and political engagement to ensure the unique needs of veterans in higher education are met. - Toolkit for Veteran Friendly Institutions
From the American Council on Education, this guide offers information and advice on how to set up an education institution to best support military veteran students.
Healthcare Education
- Health Workforce Grants
List of grants offered through the Health Resources & Service Administration in various healthcare tracks including Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Oral Health, Behavioral Health, Geriatrics and Health Careers in general. - Helping Veterans Become Nurses Initiative
Administered by the HRSA and the VA, the Helping Veterans Become Nurses Initiative fast-tracks civilian nursing careers for military veterans by converting medical training into university credits for accelerated BSN degrees. - The Admissions Handbook: An Online Guide for Allied Health Students
Excellent EduMed resource that explains school and program admissions and provides a step-by-step process on how to best apply.
