Scholarships for Military Spouses: What’s Available in 2020?

To recognize the sacrifices that military families have to make, many private and government organizations offer scholarships for military service members and their families. 

Scholarships for military spouses vary greatly. Some are branch-specific, while others are only available to the spouses of veterans who had been injured in the line of duty. Regardless of your situation, you will likely be eligible for at least one scholarship to help pay for your continued education. 

The Scholarships for Service Search Tool

Before getting into the specifics of the different scholarships offered to military spouses, the best place for you to start your search is with the Scholarships for Service search tool. This tool was developed by the Fisher House Foundation and searches through thousands of different scholarships to find the best options for you.

When you go into the Scholarships for Service tool, you’ll be asked several questions and will have the option to identify yourself as a military spouse.

Military-Funded Scholarships for Military Spouses

Some of the best scholarships available to military spouses are sponsored by the military itself. No matter what military branch your spouse is a part of, there are plenty of financial aid and scholarship programs available to help fund your education. 

Some of the most popular include:

• Spouse Education Assistance Program
  This need-based scholarship is funded by the U.S. Army and is for the spouses of Army soldiers who are interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree. 
  
  To be eligible for this scholarship, you must be the spouse of an:

• Active duty soldier.
• Retired soldier.
• A soldier who died while in service.

You must be enrolled in an accredited college or university, and you must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or above. 

Awards for this scholarship range from between $500 and $2,200 per year and you can renew this scholarship for up to four years.

For more information, click here.

• Gold Star Scholarship Program
  
  The U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society funds this scholarship. It is available to both the dependent children and spouses of Navy and Marine personnel who were killed during the line of duty.
  
  Awards from this scholarship range from between $500 and $2,500 per year, and are determined on academic merit and financial need.
  
  For more information, click here.

• Joseph A. McAlinden Divers Scholarship
  
  The U.S. Navy funds this scholarship. It is available to dependent children and spouses of active-duty Navy divers.
  
  To be eligible for this scholarship, you must be enrolled in either:
  
  • An accepted program for advanced diver training, certification, or license
  • A degree program in oceanography, ocean agriculture, or aquaculture

Awards from this scholarship range from $500 to $3,000 per year, and are determined based on academic merit and financial need.

For more information, click here.

• USAA Enlisted Coast Guard Reservist Family Scholarship
  
  The Coast Guard Foundation funds this scholarship, which is available for family members of both enlisted and reservist Coast Guard personnel.
  
  The Coast Guard Foundation awards six $1,000 scholarships each year, which can be used toward books, lab fees, technical equipment, and other related expenses.
  
  For more information, click here.

Federal & State Funded Scholarships for Military Spouses

Each state in the U.S. has a dedicated Department of Higher Education which administers financial aid programs for its residents. Most states also have a Department of Veteran’s Affairs which provides financial and educational assistance to both military personnel and their families. 

Some of these programs include:

• My Career Advancement Account Scholarship Program
  
  The Department of Defense started the Department of Defense Spouse Education and Career Opportunities, which funds the My Career Advancement Account Scholarship Program.
  
  This scholarship provides up to $4,000 per year to military spouses who are enrolled in a program for a license, certification, or associate’s degree in a career field or occupation with portable skills.
  
  For more information, click here.

• G.I. Dependents’ Scholarship Program
  
  The Alabama Department of Veteran’s Affairs funds this scholarship, which is available to both the children and spouses of military veterans. 
  
  To be eligible for this scholarship you must be a resident of Alabama and a child or spouse of one of the following:
  
  • An honorably discharged veteran
  • Veteran who was disabled or killed during service

Students awarded this scholarship may receive funding for up to 10 full semesters.

For more information, click here.

• Veteran’s Tuition Waiver
  
  Through the Veteran’s Tuition Waiver, Connecticut offers the ability for tuition to be waived for any one of the following:
  
  • Veterans
  • Active members of the Connecticut Army and Air National Guard
  • Connecticut residents who are either a dependent child or a surviving spouse of a member of the Armed Forces killed in action on or after September 11, 2001, who was also a Connecticut resident
  • Connecticut residents who are dependent children of a person whom the Armed Forces have declared to be either missing in action or a prisoner of war while serving in the Armed Forces after January 1, 1960.

For more information, click here.

• Veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq Conflict (VAIC) Scholarship
  
  The Maryland Higher Education Commission funds this scholarship, which is available not only to Veterans who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq but also to their dependent children and spouses.
  
  To be eligible for this scholarship, you must be a Maryland state resident and currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at a Maryland state college or university. 
  
  The scholarship award may not exceed 50% of your full tuition costs.
  
  For more information, click here.

Nonprofit & Charity-funded Scholarships for Military Spouses

Many nonprofit and charity organizations see the value in helping military spouses pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, most don’t offer as large of a reward as state and military-funded scholarships.

Some of the best scholarships include:

• Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship
  
  The National Military Family Association (NMFA) funds this scholarship. It was created with the purpose of preparing military spouses for employment. 
  
  To be eligible for this scholarship, you must be:
  
  • A spouse of a member of the seven Uniformed Services with a valid military ID
  • A spouse of an active duty, reserve, guard, retired, medically retired, wounded, or fallen service member (must be a service-related wound, illness, injury, or death, having occurred after September 11, 2001)
  • A dual service military spouse
  • A divorced military spouse who receives 20/20/20 benefits

The average award for this scholarship is $1,000 per year and may be used to pay for vocational training, professional certifications, undergraduate, and graduate degrees.

For more information, click here.

• ThankUSA Scholarship
  
  The ThankUSA charity foundation funds this scholarship, which can provide up to $3,000 in funds to put towards a degree at an accredited college or university.
  
  To be eligible for the ThankUSA Scholarship you must be either a dependent child of a U.S. military service member under the age of 24 or the spouse of a U.S. military service member.
  
  Additional requirements for this scholarship include:
  
  • You must be either a current high school senior or graduate who is planning to enroll or a student already enrolled full-time in an undergraduate degree at an accredited college, university, vocational, or technical school
  • Maintain a minimum of a 2.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA)

Recipients of this scholarship receive $3,000 to use towards their studies.

For more information, click here.

• Folds of Honor
  
  The Folds of Honor Scholarship is funded by the national support group Salute to Spouses and is available to dependents and spouses of service members who meet the following criteria:
  • Killed in action (KIA)
  • Has lost a limb
  • Died during active duty
  • Classified as having a service-connected evaluation that was rated by the VA.

If your spouse is still active duty, they must have received a Purple Heart, or have lost a limb for you to qualify.

You must also be enrolled, or have plans to become enrolled in an undergraduate program that results in a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

It is possible to receive up to $5,000 per year with this scholarship, and no more than $2,500 per term.
For more information, click here.