A $5,000 scholarship available to dependent children and spouses of active duty and retired service members who demonstrate outstanding academic potential based on GPA. Students who have already been vetted through the General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant application process will be evaluated based on cumulative GPA, high school transcripts and video essays on a specified topic.

Students chosen to receive a Merit Scholarship are announced in July each year. Funds will be disbursed directly to their college or university in August each year, and are limited to use for tuition, fees, books, and curriculum-required materials.

A minimum of 10 scholarships are awarded annually.

Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) education support and tuition assistance is available to dependent children of Retired Reserve with 20+ satisfactory service years creditable for retired pay and placed on the Air Force Reserve Retired List (no other retired classifications are considered eligible); deceased member who died while on active duty or in retired status; and surviving spouses of Air Force members who died while on active duty or in retired status that demonstrate outstanding academic potential based on GPA.

Each year, Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) awards a minimum of 10 Merit Scholarships. These $5,000 scholarships are available to dependent children and spouses of active duty and retired service members who demonstrate outstanding academic potential based on GPA.

Incoming college and university freshmen students who have already successfully completed the General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant application may be considered for a Merit Scholarship.

A student can be awarded a Merit Scholarship without receiving the needs-based General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant.

Selection

Students who have already been vetted through the General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant application process will be evaluated based on cumulative GPA, high school transcripts and video essays on a specified topic.

Submitting an Application for the AFAS Merit Scholarship and General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant:

1. Student answers eligibility questions and registers as a user on the Air Force Aid Society’s Education Grant Portal.
2. Applicant enters student and sponsoring member/other parent data, completes all application sections, and submits the application including all required documentation by the deadline.
3. ALL applicants must submit:

• Front and back copies of the student’s military ID card
• Copy of sponsoring member’s qualifying documentation, with all but the last four of SSN blacked out, as follows:
  • Children of Active Duty – Attach copy of assignment orders to present duty station. Title 10 Guard/Reserve attach copy of extended active duty orders showing active status through December 1 of the academic year. (All Active Duty members sponsoring spouses for grants must be on active duty status through December 1 of the academic year).
  • Children of Title 32 Guard Performing Full-time Active Duty- Attach orders showing performance of full-tune active duty through December 1 of the academic year.
  • Children of Retired- Attach DD Form 214 Statement of Service with reason for separation listed as “retirement”.
  • Children of Retired Reserve (Not age 60/not receiving retired pay) - Copy of sponsoring member’s retirement order (DD Form 214 Statement of Service); notice of eligibility for retired pay at age 60 showing assignment to Retired Reserve Section and placement on the USAF/USSF Reserve Retired list, or retired pay order showing retired with pay on 60th birthday or later.
  • Children of Deceased – Attach a copy of DAF Form 1613, Statement of Service or Death Certificate.

• Spouses of Active Duty, Title 10 and Title 32 Reservists on extended active duty - Copy of regular Active Duty member’s assignment orders to present duty station or Title 10/Title 32 Reservist’s extended active duty orders showing active duty status through December 1st of the academic year.
• Spouses of Title 32 Guard performing full-time active duty - Copy of sponsoring member’s Title 32 orders/contract showing performance of full-time active duty through December 1st of the academic year.

• • Spouses of Deceased members (widows/widowers) - Copy of deceased member’s DAF Form 1613 Statement of Service or State Death Certificate
• Copy of the most recent transcript (unofficial acceptable). Must include any completed coursework, student’s name, school name, grades, credit hours for each course, and reflect the most recent cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale.
  • If student never attended college, submit high school transcript.
  • Students who are homeschooled are required to provide standardized test results (SAT, ACT, GED) or state-issued documentation of high school completion as proof of meeting 2.0 GPA requirement.
  • If the student has any previous college credits, submit transcripts from all colleges or vocational technical schools attended
• Copy of full FAFSA Submission Summary and Student Aid Index (SAI) from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Note: Confirmation or acknowledgement pages for submitting the FAFSA are not acceptable.
• Students applying as a fifth year undergraduate must provide verification of enrollment in a five-year degree program (fifth year required for all students in degree program/major).

4. Submit the application and all required documentation to AFAS Education Assistance Department. Application deadline is April 30 of the current academic year.

In June, students being considered for a Merit Scholarship will be contacted by AFAS with details on submitting their end-of-year high school transcripts and video essays on a specified topic. Students ultimately chosen to receive a Merit Scholarship are announced in July each year. In August, funds are disbursed directly to the student’s college or university, and limited to use for tuition, fees, books, and curriculum-required materials.

For additional information or questions see the Application Instructions Handout or contact AFAS Education Department by email at Education@afas-hq.org, or call (703) 972-2647.

Air Force Aid Society (AFAS)
https://afas.org/how-we-help/afas-merit-scholarship/