Tuition and fee assistance for eligible veterans and service members pursuing postsecondary education.
The August 2026 national announcement confirms applications for spring 2027 are open. This is a national application program; it does not require a local essay competition.
U.S. citizens who are retired, honorably discharged, on active duty, or in the Guard or Reserve; have completed basic and follow-on training; and separated at or currently hold E-5 or below. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and attend, be accepted to, or enroll in an eligible VA-approved program at an accredited institution.
Prepare military service verification and school/financial-aid information. The linked FAQ requests a DD214, or a commanding officer’s statement of service for current active/Guard/Reserve members, and current FAFSA aid documentation. Its older terminology says “Student Aid Report”; ask HelpAHero@vfw.org which current FAFSA document to use. Complete all requirements shown in the official online application. No verified essay length or full cycle-specific upload checklist was available from the public page.
Apply online through the official national scholarship page. Paper applications are not accepted. If the application control is unavailable, ask HelpAHero@vfw.org for the current secure application link and document checklist. Post, district, and Georgia judging stages do not apply. Do not send financial or service documents to this site.
Up to $5,000 for tuition and fees, paid to the school. One award per family per semester; an award must be used for its designated semester. Selection is not guaranteed.
Apply directly to the national organizer. No Post acceptance or judging stage applies. All calendar dates below use America/New_York; a cutoff time is shown only when the source publishes one.
The national VMS program update confirms August 1–November 15, 2026 for spring 2027 applications. No time zone or cutoff hour is published; this is a date reminder in Eastern time. Confirm the portal cutoff with VFW and submit early.
Official stage deadline ↗These summaries help you prepare; read the complete official rules before entering.
Last verified: 2026-09-09.
Information is reviewed manually. Check the organizer’s current information before making plans or submitting.
