Best scholarships for veterans and military families in 2026

If you are planning a degree or career credential after military service, start with veteran scholarships that match your applicant category and education goal—not the largest advertised award. This guide compares national programs, explains where to find state and school aid, and gives you questions to ask before combining a scholarship with GI Bill® benefits.

You can use the VeteranDegrees Scholarship Finder to identify additional leads, then verify each opportunity on its provider's own page.

1. How we chose these scholarships

This is not a ranking. “Best” means a possible match for your circumstances. National programs, state benefits and school awards serve different applicants and education plans.

The same criteria apply to every entry:

• Applicant: Veteran, service member, spouse or child; required military relationship and service status.
• Education: Degree level, credential, eligible institution and required attendance.
• Expenses: Tuition-only support versus books, required materials or living expenses.
• Application: Documents, essays, financial information and submission process.
• Limits: Closed cycles, restricted expenses, renewal conditions and exclusions.

Provider pages inform these summaries; providers decide awards. Amounts and deadlines are omitted without current-cycle confirmation. Recurring annual schedules are not treated as dated deadlines.

2. Scholarships for veterans and service members

1) Tillman Scholars: full-time study with a service purpose

Who qualifies: U.S. veterans and service members, plus eligible military and surviving spouses, pursuing full-time bachelor's, master's or professional degrees at accredited U.S. institutions. The Pat Tillman Foundation considers leadership, service and education purpose—not military status alone.

What it covers: Tuition, fees, books and living expenses, alongside leadership programming. How to apply: Follow the foundation's application portal when a cycle opens; prepare service records, financial information, essays and a character recommendation. Essay instructions on the page conflict; follow the live cycle's application requirements.

Source: Pat Tillman Foundation, 2026 Pat Tillman Scholarship Application, checked October 2026. Applications for the 2026 class are closed.

What to look for:

• Eligible degree and full-time schedule.
• Education linked to future service.
• Current-cycle recommendation requirements.

2) VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero: remaining tuition and fees

Who qualifies: U.S. citizens who are retired, honorably discharged, active duty, Guard or Reserve; have completed basic and follow-on training; separated at or currently hold rank E-5 or below; demonstrate financial need; and attend or are accepted into an eligible VA-approved postsecondary program.

What it covers: Tuition and fees paid directly to the accredited school—not living expenses. How to apply: Use the application link on VFW's page and submit the requested military, education and financial information. Confirm the semester in the portal; the page's recurring application windows do not establish a dated deadline for a particular cycle.

Source: Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Student Veteran Support, checked October 2026.

What to look for:

• Rank, status and training.
• Remaining tuition or fees.
• Semester and use-by conditions.

3) AMVETS Caccomo Memorial Scholarship: documented financial need

Who qualifies: U.S. veterans or National Guard and Reserve members who are U.S. citizens, demonstrate financial need, have a high school diploma or GED, and are enrolled or accepted into an eligible program. Additional conditions include federal student-loan status and permission to publicize an award.

What it covers: AMVETS describes its scholarships as filling education funding gaps after available federal and state grants or scholarships. Ask which expenses the Caccomo award permits before counting it toward your budget. How to apply: Gather service documentation, transcripts, tax records, FAFSA information, enrollment evidence, expenses and a resume; contact AMVETS for the current form and submission instructions. The checked pages do not identify a current-cycle deadline.

Sources: AMVETS, Scholarships and Dr. Aurelio M. Caccomo Memorial Scholarship, checked October 2026.

What to look for:

• Documented financial need.
• Secure submission instructions.
• Expenses and payment timing.

4) Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship: additional VA benefits

Who qualifies: Eligible veterans and service members using Post-9/11 benefits, and dependents using the Fry Scholarship, in qualifying undergraduate science, technology, engineering or mathematics programs, certain clinical training, or teaching certification. Each pathway has additional requirements; VA generally requires six months or less of the relevant benefit remaining.

What it covers: Up to 9 months or $30,000 of additional benefits, whichever comes first, under VA's rules. This is a federal education benefit, not a general private scholarship. How to apply: Use VA's online STEM application, VA Form 22-10203, linked from the program page. If approved, give the decision letter to your school certifying official.

Source: VA, Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship, updated September 16, 2026; checked October 2026.

What to look for:

• Program, credits and remaining entitlement.
• No graduate degrees.
• No VA Yellow Ribbon match.

3. Scholarships for military spouses

5) NMFA Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarship

Who qualifies: Eligible spouses of members of the uniformed services. NMFA's eligibility page refers to service after September 11, 2001, and a valid military or uniformed-services ID, or eligibility to hold one; check your sponsor's exact category with NMFA. There is no minimum GPA or full-time study requirement, which makes this worth comparing for a part-time education plan.

What it covers: Degrees, course and program fees, licensing, certifications, professional examinations and other approved career expenses. Tuition reimbursement is excluded even though some professional-expense reimbursements are possible. How to apply: Follow the scholarship application link, complete the written responses and Required Forms Application, and upload supporting documents. NMFA recommends waiting until you have program acceptance; applications are rolling, with a new application required each scholarship year.

Sources: National Military Family Association (NMFA), Spouse Scholarships + Careers and Spouse Scholarships FAQs + Eligibility, checked October 2026.

What to look for:

• Sponsor status and relationship.
• Approved course or expense.
• Direct payment versus reimbursement.

Also compare Tillman Scholars and the family programs below where eligible. The guide to transferring GI Bill benefits to a spouse or child explains a separate process; scholarship eligibility does not establish transfer eligibility.

4. Scholarships for dependent children and qualifying families

6) Scholarships for Military Children: eligible undergraduates

Who qualifies: Unmarried military dependent children under age 23 with a valid Uniformed Services Identification card, whose sponsor is active duty, Reserve/Guard, retired or deceased in a listed military branch. Students must plan full-time undergraduate study toward a bachelor's degree or a qualifying transfer program, and meet the provider's academic requirements.

What it covers: Undergraduate scholarship support; confirm permitted charges in the cycle's instructions before treating it as living-cost assistance. How to apply: The student completes the online application, essay and transcript submission, validates dependent status, and selects a commissary. The student need not live at an installation.

Source: Fisher House Foundation, Scholarships for Military Children, checked October 2026. The 2026–2027 application period is closed; the page announces reopening in December 2026 for 2027–2028, without an exact opening day.

What to look for:

• Sponsor and dependent ID.
• Student-category academic threshold.
• Student-completed application.

7) Folds of Honor: specific military family circumstances

Who qualifies: Eligible spouses and children pursuing higher education or technical/trade study. The linked eligibility document includes families of service members killed in action or the line of duty, veterans with VA ratings of 70% or higher, certain deceased veterans, and active-duty Purple Heart recipients. Documentation rules differ by category.

What it covers: Approved education expenses such as tuition, most fees and required textbooks, paid to the institution. How to apply: Use the Folds of Honor online portal and submit relationship, service and other required evidence. Reapply each year; the provider does not accept application documents by ordinary mail or email.

Sources: Folds of Honor, Military Scholarships and its linked Military Higher Education eligibility requirements, checked October 2026. The linked document is dated 2025; confirm whether newer cycle instructions replace it before applying.

What to look for:

• Exact qualifying circumstance.
• Current evidence requirements.
• Unmet costs and renewal.

8) General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant: branch-specific aid

Who qualifies: Eligible Air Force and Space Force dependent children and spouses under the Air & Space Forces Aid Society (AFAS) rules. Children must remain under 24 during the award year; sponsor categories include qualifying active-duty, retired and deceased members. Spouse categories cover qualifying active-duty and surviving spouses—not all retired spouses. Applicants need full-time undergraduate study, at least a 2.0 GPA and financial-aid dependency; veterans cannot apply for their own study.

What it covers: Need-based help with tuition, books, fees and curriculum-required materials—not room and board. How to apply: Complete the AFAS education portal application with sponsor-status documents, student identification, transcripts and the FAFSA Submission Summary. Awards are not automatically renewed.

Sources: AFAS, General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant and 2026–2027 Application Process and Instructions, checked October 2026. Applications for 2026–2027 are closed; the provider announces reopening in January 2027, without an exact day.

What to look for:

• Spouse or child sponsor category.
• Full-time enrollment and dependency.
• Complete FAFSA documents.

The Chapter 35 benefits guide explains a separate federal pathway. Eligibility does not automatically extend to private scholarships.

5. How to choose and coordinate your benefits

Check state benefits before assuming a national award is enough

State tuition exemptions, waivers and grants are not private scholarships. Ask your official state veterans agency about residency, service, dependent eligibility and federal-benefit coordination.

For example, the Texas Veterans Commission's Hazlewood Act page, checked October 2026, describes up to 150 credit hours of tuition exemption, including most fees, at Texas public institutions for eligible veterans and family members. It excludes living expenses, books and supplies, and has specific Texas-service and residency requirements. Follow the agency's instructions and submit the application packet to the institution; moving to Texas alone does not establish eligibility.

Outside Texas, consult your own official state veterans agency.

Ask the school about awards that national directories miss

Ask the school's veteran services and financial aid offices about military-affiliated, departmental and foundation scholarships. State your military relationship, degree or credential, and enrollment plan.

Request the current eligibility rules, permitted expenses, application route and renewal conditions. Ask whether you need admission, a particular major, full-time study or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). An admissions advertisement is not proof of an award.

Build a budget before accepting overlapping tuition support

Read the GI Bill benefits guide for background. Bring award terms to financial aid and the school certifying official, who reports enrollment and charges to VA.

Ask them:

• Is the award restricted to tuition and fees or usable for other expenses?
• Will it change the charges reported to VA or other aid in my package?
• When does payment arrive, and who receives it?
• What happens if I change programs, reduce enrollment or withdraw?

Do not assume a tuition-only scholarship adds its full face value to money available for books or living costs. Get the treatment of each award confirmed before committing to charges.

Leave with an application plan

Record eligibility, expenses, cycle, documents and submission route for each option. Prioritize expenses you need covered; put closed cycles on a future checklist. Save confirmations and budget around confirmed support—not pending applications.

6. FAQ

Which veteran scholarships should I apply for first?

Start with scholarships whose applicant, education and expense rules match your situation. Compare Help A Hero for eligible tuition needs, Tillman Scholars for eligible full-time degrees in an available cycle, and school-based awards for your program. Do not count a closed application cycle as available funding.

Can I use a scholarship with GI Bill benefits?

You may be able to use both, depending on the scholarship terms and your VA benefit rules. Ask the financial aid office and school certifying official whether a tuition-restricted award changes charges reported to VA or other aid. Get that answer before assuming the award adds its full value to your budget.

Are there scholarships for military spouses studying part time?

Yes, NMFA's spouse scholarship has no full-time study requirement, although sponsor status and expense rules still apply. Its support includes degrees, certifications and other approved professional expenses. Check acceptance and documentation requirements before applying.

Does being a veteran's child make me eligible for every military scholarship?

No, each provider defines eligible sponsor relationships and student requirements differently. Scholarships for Military Children has dependent-ID and undergraduate rules; Folds of Honor requires specific documented military circumstances. Check the student's eligibility separately from the parent's service history.

How do I find school-based veteran scholarships?

Ask the school's veteran services and financial aid offices about military-affiliated, departmental and foundation awards. Request the current eligibility rules, permitted expenses, application route and renewal conditions. Confirm whether spouses and children can apply, rather than assuming a veteran award includes dependents.

What should I do when a scholarship's application cycle is closed?

Keep it on a future-cycle checklist and use the provider's own page for reopening announcements. Do not reuse an old deadline or count a pending application as confirmed support. Meanwhile, check your school's awards and your official state veterans agency's education benefits.