25 Scholarships For Military Spouses (Updated Regularly)

Life is tough but life as the spouse of a veteran can be a little tougher, which is why you need all the help you can get.

And that is why I have assembled this list of scholarships for military spouses.

So whether you’re an aspiring scholar, a dedicated parent, a career-driven go-getter or you just need some help, I’ve got something special just for you.

This list contains 25 scholarships for military spouses and or military dependents alongside their requirements and benefits.

And on that note, let’s get into this list.

Scholarships For Military Spouses

1. Air Force Association Spouse Scholarship

The Air Force Association gives 12 one-time scholarship awards of $2,500 to spouses of active duty Air Force, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard members working to earn an undergraduate or a graduate degree.

This scholarship covers the cost of tuition, books, transportation, and childcare.

2. Air Force Aid Society General George S. Brown Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP)

George S. Brown Spouse Tuition Assistance Program (STAP) gives partial financial assistance of up to $1,500 to spouses living with an active-duty service member stationed outside the U.S. who will be attending a college program.

The key focus of this program is to fund degree or certificate programs that increase the employability of the spouse.

This program offers tuition assistance of 50% of unpaid tuition charge per course with a maximum of $1,500 per academic year.

3. Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA) Scholarships

This is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation established to provide financial assistance for the college-level education of spouses of the Army Aviation Association of America, Inc. (AAAA).

The scholarship is awarded based on the academic achievement, leadership, volunteer service, work experience, and essay responses of the spouse. It also ranges from $1,000 to $12,000.

4. Army Emergency Relief: Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program

The Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program (SEAP) is an education assistance program for spouses of active duty Army Soldiers in the U.S., including widows(ers) who died while on active duty.

SEAP provides these individuals with financial assistance in pursuing educational goals that will increase their chances of being employed.

If you fall into this category but somehow don’t pay tuition, you can apply for assistance for fees, supplies, or books for classes you are enrolled in.

However, bear in mind that SEAP can only pay a maximum of $2500 maximum per academic year.

Check out more about the Stateside Spouse Education Assistance Program.

5. Chief Petty Officer Scholarship Fund

The CPOSF is for non-uniformed spouses who are registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) and whose partners are either Active Duty, Retired, Honorably Discharged, Reserve or deceased Chief in US Navy, Senior Chief, or Master Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy.

This scholarship can cover anything from tuition, Fees, Books, and Room to Board, as long as the expense runs through your student bursar account. Learn more about the scholarship here.

6. Folds of Honor Foundation

The Folds of Honor Foundation educational scholarships for military families give up to $5,000 but do not exceed $2,500 per term, and a minimum payment of $100.

Anyone applying for this scholarship who is attending a post-secondary institution must complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be eligible for a majority of scholarships/grants through their institution like this one.

7. Hope for the Warriors

The Spouse / Caregiver Scholarship Program by Hope offers these scholarships – Honorary Scholarship, New Beginnings Scholarship, Restoring Family Scholarship, Restoring Hope Scholarship, and Restoring Self Scholarship.

To be eligible as a spouse you must be able to show that your partner (who has to be a post-9/11 service member or veteran) sustained a war-related injury and/or has a 100% permanent and total VA disability rating.

Please note that this scholarship is for U.S. colleges and universities only.

8. National Military Family Association (NMFA) Military Spouse Scholarship Program

The NMFA military spouse scholarship program is for spouses of Uniformed Service members, doesn’t matter their rank and branch or if they are on active duty, retired, survivors, or in the National Guard and Reserve.

Scholarships normally range from $500 to $1,000 and may be used for tuition, fees, and school room and board.

Learn more about this scholarship on their site.

9. National Military Family Association Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship Program

The Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship is awarded to spouses of all uniformed Services. Its funds can be used to pay for tuition, fees, and school rooms.

It can also be used for any type of education – GED or ESL, Vocational training, Professional certification, Post-secondary, Graduate school, In-class or online, and Full-time or part-time.

10. Scholarships for Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans and Service Members

As the name implies, this scholarship is for only spouses of deceased veterans who have not remarried.

To be eligible for this scholarship, you and your partner have to have been married for a year or more, and you can only apply for the scholarship within 5 years of your partner’s death.

Find out more about the scholarship on their site.

11. Tillman Military Scholarships – VeteransScholarships

The Pat Tillman Veterans Center Scholarship takes care of direct study-related expenses, and that includes tuition, fees, books, and living expenses.

However, all these are available for those pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or professional degrees as full-time students at a public/private, U.S.-based accredited institution.

To be considered for the Tillman Scholarship you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

12. Dolphin Scholarship Foundation

The Dolphin Scholarship Foundation issues a yearly grant of $2,600 to full-time undergraduate students in two-year colleges and $4,000 to those in four-year colleges. This also includes those seeking trade/vocational certification.

To be eligible you have to be committed and excellent in school and community activities.

You must also plan to be enrolled as a full-time or part-time student with a minimum of 12 credit hours per year to collect your degree or certificate from an accredited institute.

13. Army Nurse Corps Association Scholarship

The purpose of this scholarship is to support the nursing education of worthy students who are US citizens in either an accredited baccalaureate, graduate nursing, or anesthesia program.

Some of the eligible educational programs are; Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), registered Nurse to BSN, Accelerated Nursing Degree programs, Graduate Certificate in Nursing, Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN), Anesthesia and Nursing Doctoral programs, and Graduate degree in related healthcare fields like Public Health.

14. MyCAA Scholarship Program

The primary purpose of the MyCAA Scholarship Program is to assist military spouses in pursuing education and training programs that can lead to portable and in-demand careers.

It aims to help military spouses overcome educational and career challenges that can arise due to the frequent relocations associated with military life.

Eligibility is typically limited to spouses of active-duty service members in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps, as well as activated Reserve and National Guard members.

Eligible spouses must be pursuing education or training programs at an accredited institution that leads to a portable career in a high-demand field.

15. Wings Over America Scholarship Foundation

The Wings Over America Scholarship program’s aim is to support the educational goals of spouses of U.S. Navy personnel, including active-duty, retired, and honorably discharged members.

It provides spouses with financial assistance that can include tuition, fees, books, and other educational expenses.

The WOASF also provides some additional scholarships that each have their specific requirements and eligibility – USS Abraham Lincoln Scholarship, USS Carl Vinson Scholarship, USS George H. W. Bush Scholarship, USS Gerald R. Ford Scholarship, USS Harry S. Truman Scholarship, USS Nimitz Scholarship, USS Ronald Reagan Scholarship, USS Theodore Roosevelt Scholarship, Maritime Patrol Association Scholarship, Theodore Roosevelt Association Scholarship, and VAW/VRC Merit Scholarships.

Read up about each scholarship and find which suits you best.

16. National University Scholarship

The National University scholarship is designed to cut the cost of tuition expenses for Veterans and their spouses who are not using or don’t have access to the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship.

This scholarship can be used alongside the Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) or with the Montgomery GI Bill® (Chapters 30, 1606, or 1607) when the servicemember is no longer actively serving.

Visit their site for more info.

17. AMVETS Scholarships

The AMVETS Spouse Scholarship offers a $4,000 scholarship to the spouse of an Honorably Served Veteran or Active-Duty member.

The spouse must be a United States Citizen, provide a high school diploma or GED before the award acceptance, and use the scholarship to pursue a full-time study at a four-year undergraduate college or university in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree.

The $4000 is distributed in $1,000 increments within 4 years.

18. Spouse Education Assistance Program (EAP)

This program is for the spouses of those who are assigned to Europe, Korea, Japan, or Okinawa.

An Army Emergency Relief offers the spouse a grant to assist with the costs associated with pursuing their education, and this is usually a maximum of $350 per term.

Learn more about the Spouse Education Assistance Program.

19. Patty Shinseki Spouse Scholarship Program

The Mrs. Patty Shinseki Spouse Scholarship Program is a need-based scholarship program designed to help Army spouses acquire an undergraduate degree or similar professional certification.

Spouses can receive assistance for either four academic years of full-time study or eight academic years of part-time study.

Unlike other scholarships in this list, the funds given vary each year due to the: Number of applicants, Total approved scholarship budget, Applicant’s Expected Family Contribution, and Average cost of attendance to attend a college or university in the United States.

20. Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program

This program offers scholarships that range from $500-$3000. The scholarships are determined by the FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) and tuition costs.

Only spouses of active duty or retired Sailors and Marines are eligible and they must be pursuing either a Career & Technical Education, Associates degree, Bachelor’s degree, or Master’s degree.

The funds are given directly to the institution to pay for tuition, books, room, and board.

21. Fleet Reserve Association

The FRA awards up to $5,000 to students affiliated with members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard pursuing trade school, community and four-year college, and graduate degrees.

The FRA offers a variety of military-dependent scholarships for current FRA members in good standing.

Each with its requirements. Some of the scholarships are the Glenn F. Glezen Scholarship, Robert W. Nolan Scholarship, Joseph R. Baranski Scholarship, etc.

22. Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship)

The Fry scholarship is for military spouses and children of Veterans who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, while serving in the Armed Forces.

Or veterans who were members of the Selected Reserve who died from a service-connected disability.

The Fry scholarship can give you 3 years of benefits, which include: money for tuition, housing, books, and supplies.

23. Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance

This is called the DEA program and it’s a scholarship for military spouses of a Veteran or service member who is either dead, captured, missing, or with disabilities.

This program helps pay for College or graduate degree programs, Career-training certificate courses, Educational and career counseling, Apprenticeships, and On-the-job training.

Spouses benefit from this program once they qualify, or on the day their partner dies and the benefits can last for 10 years. If the veteran is disabled, the benefits will be received 3 years after they are discharged and will last for 20 years.

24. Corvias Foundation Scholarships for Active Duty Military Spouses

To benefit from this scholarship you have to attend a community, technical, or 4 year school as a graduate or undergraduate student.

You also need to be the spouse of an active duty service member stationed at one of the following: Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Meade, Maryland; Fort Polk, Louisiana; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Rucker, Alabama; and Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

This scholarship can award up to $5,000 and it can be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, equipment, and even childcare required for your classes.

25. The Patriot Education Fund

The Patriot Education Fund is a scholarship for military spouses of an E1-E5, Post-9/11 military member.

To receive this fund the spouse has to be eligible to receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, be accepted into a program, and demonstrate financial need.

The PAF can be used for undergraduate 4-year degrees, bachelor’s degrees, certificate programs, trade programs, vocational programs, and other adequate accredited occupational programs.

Scholarships For Military Spouses

Please note that these scholarships for military spouses change their eligibility and requirements frequently, so be sure to check their websites for more up-to-date information.

Also, a majority of these military spouse scholarships are closed for 2023, so you may have till next year to apply…

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