Hey there, I'm a military child and doing my college search. I came across that there are some grants specially for military children. How can I apply for these grants and what things do I need to consider?
Absolutely, there are indeed several scholarships and grants dedicated to children of military service members. Here are a few you might want to look into:
1. Scholarships for Military Children Program: This program is sponsored by the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) and offers $2,000 scholarships. The main requirement is that the student must be a dependent child of an active duty, reserve/guard, or retired military commissary customer.
2. The American Legion Legacy Scholarship: This scholarship is available to children of veterans who have died on active duty after September 11, 2001, or have a combined VA disability rating of 50 percent or greater.
3. AMVETS Scholarships: AMVETS offers scholarships to veterans, active military, guard/reserves, and their children and grandchildren.
To apply for these grants and scholarships, you would generally need to prepare the following:
- A completed application form, usually available on the organization's website.
- Academic records, such as transcripts or standardized test scores.
- Evidence of military service, such as a copy of the Department of Defense-issued ID or a current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES).
- An essay or other written responses to specific questions.
- Letter of recommendations (varies per scholarship).
It's important to be mindful of the deadlines for these scholarships and ensure your application is submitted well before the last date. Also working on your essay responses early is key; you'll want to have time to revise and perfect these crucial aspects of your application.
Remember, these are just a few national opportunities. Many states also have support programs for military dependents, so it's worth investigating those as well. Your high school counselor may also be able to connect you with local scholarships for military dependents. It's also wise to check if the colleges you are applying to have special scholarships or benefits for military children.
Hope this information is helpful in your college journey!
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