Hello! I heard something about grants the military provides to students already in college. Could anyone help me understand more about this? What do I have to do to qualify?
There are several grants and scholarships provided by the U.S. military for students already in college. These typically fall under three categories: Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Scholarships, Montgomery GI Bill, and Post-9/11 GI Bill.
1. ROTC Scholarships: These provide money towards tuition and educational fees along with a living stipend. To qualify, you have to join your university's ROTC program and commit to serving in the military after graduating for a certain number of years based on your scholarship duration.
2. Montgomery GI Bill: It is intended for active duty and veterans, so you generally have to have served before you can benefit. However, certain Reservists and National Guard members may also qualify.
3. Post-9/11 GI Bill: Provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service after September 10, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. Benefits are tiered based on the number of days served on active duty.
All of these options have a service commitment attached, so it would be worth speaking directly with a program representative or your university's military office to get more specific information about eligibility and terms of commitment. It is worth noting that some of these benefits can be transferred to dependents of servicemembers, so if either of your parents served, you could potentially be eligible without serving yourself.
I hope you find this overview helpful!
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