ThanksUSA Scholarship
The goal of ThanksUSA is to offer appreciation to the men and women that are in the armed forces. The ThanksUSA scholarship program is based on financial need for their spouses and children. The funds can be used to attend an accredited technical or vocational school.
Supplementing with ThanksUSA Scholarships
Some people assume that if they get funds through the GI Bill or other assistance, that they can’t qualify for a ThanksUSA scholarship. That is the case though, and the funds can actually be used to supplement what is also being offered from other resources. This means that it can significantly reduce the amount of out of pocket money that a person will need to come up with in order to complete their educational goals.
ThanksUSA Scholarship Program
All applications for the ThanksUSA scholarship must be received by May 15th annually. Only the first 10,000 applications that are received will be evaluated so it is a good idea to yours completed as soon as you can. Applications won’t be accepted prior to April 1st. Applications can be submitted online and a confirmation will be given or they can be mailed in.
The military scholarships are need based, and that can influence the amount that someone will receive. The maximum amount of the award is $3,000 or the total of the program – whichever is less. The funds can be used for non-degree programs and licensing programs as long as they are accredited. The funds aren’t eligible for a Master’s Degree program or a second Bachelor’s degree.
Linda J. Romero Scholarship from ThanksUSA – New Program!
There has been a separate scholarship added to the ThanksUSA funds, the Linda J. Romero Scholarship. This is going to be offered annually as long as there continues to be enough funding for it. The award amount is $4,000 to a female spouse of an enlisted military husband. Applicants must be enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College
Eligibility
Any spouse or child of someone enlisted in the armed forces can apply for the ThanksUSA scholarships. For children, they must be 24 years of age or younger. There is no age limit for a spouse. Children must be dependent which means if they are over the age of 18 and they are married they no longer qualify. Children must be the biological child, adulated child, or step-child of enlisted military personnel.
All applicants must have a GPA of 2.0 for previous class work including high school and college courses that they have been enrolled in. Other factors that determine award winners including goals, financial need, leadership roles, and community involvement.
The student may be enrolled either part-time or full-time. There are supplemental documents that need to be provided with the application. They include a military ID and the social security number and base location of the enlisted spouse or parent. The most recent tax return is also required in order to look at financial need.
The number of ThanksUSA scholarships for military service is given annually and can vary based on the funds available. The program depends on various private donors and fundraisers to get the money to offer through the ThanksUSA scholarship fund. Everyone that applied will be notified by mail in the late summer about the status of their application.
Those that have been offered a scholarship will be informed of the amount of the award. Checks will be mailed to the recipient and made out to them and to the school that they will be attending. The exception is if the student will be attending Kaplan University who is a sponsor of this scholarship program. If that is the school of choice, then the funds will be dispersed directly to the school on allocated dates.
There is no automatic renewal of these military scholarship funds. However, past winners are encouraged to apply again the following year for the ThanksUSA scholarships if they are still enrolled in college and still have a financial need to help them complete the program.