Unlocking Educational Opportunities: A Guide to Air Force Aid Society Scholarships
The Air & Space Forces Aid Society (AFAS) stands as a beacon of Education Support, dedicated to assisting the children and spouses of Airmen and Guardians in their pursuit of higher education. Beyond the AFAS Merit and Grit Scholarships, the society offers a range of avenues to help finance college, making dreams of academic advancement more attainable. The General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant application process serves as the platform for both the Merit Scholarship Program and the Supplemental Education Loan Program.
The General Henry "Hap" Arnold Education Grant
The Air Force Aid Society’s General Henry “Hap” Arnold Education Grant is a cornerstone of AFAS education support. It offers scholarships ranging from $500 to $4,000 to eligible Air Force dependents annually. Each grant is uniquely tied to an individual or organization that has demonstrated exceptional service to the USAF, providing recipients with inspiring biographical information.
Eligibility for the Arnold Education Grant
The Arnold Education Grant is available to dependent children and spouses of the following:
- Active Duty Air Force and Space Force members.
- Title 10 Reservists on extended active duty.
- Title 32 Guard members performing full-time active duty.
All members must maintain active duty status through December 1 of the academic year for which the grant is awarded. For a student applying as a stepchild of a sponsoring member to be considered a “dependent”, student must either reside with the sponsoring member, or sponsoring member must provide more than half of student’s financial support.
Application Requirements for the Arnold Education Grant
To apply for the General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant, applicants must complete an online application. Supporting documents are required to verify eligibility and academic standing. These documents include:
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- Front and back copies of the student’s military ID card.
- Copy of assignment orders to present duty station for Active Duty members.
- Copy of extended active duty orders showing active status through December 1, for Title 10 Guard/Reserve members.
- Orders/contracts showing performance of full-time active duty through December 1, for Title 32 Guard members.
- Copy of military retirement orders for retired members.
- The most recent transcript (unofficial acceptable) including any completed coursework through the Fall 2022 semester and reflecting the most recent cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. If the student has never attended college, a high school transcript should be submitted.
- Copy of the full Student Aid Report (SAR) generated from the 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Merit Scholarship Program
The Merit Scholarship Program, accessible through the Arnold Education Grant application, awards 10 or more $5,000 merit scholarships to incoming freshmen. These scholarships recognize outstanding academic achievement, primarily based on grade point average. Students who have been vetted through the Arnold Education Grant application process will be evaluated for the Merit Scholarship based on their cumulative GPA.
Key Dates
Those students ultimately chosen to receive a Merit or Grit Scholarship are announced in July each year.
Supplemental Education Loan Program
The Supplemental Education Loan Program offers no-interest loans to Air Force families, helping to cover incidental college expenses. This program, like the Merit Scholarship, is accessible through the Arnold Education Grant application.
AFAS Merit and Grit Scholarships
The Air & Space Forces Aid Society provides Education Support for children and spouses of Airmen and Guardians and can help pay for college in many ways in addition to the AFAS Merit and Grit Scholarships. Actually receiving an Arnold Education Grant is not a pre-requisite to receive a Merit or Grit Scholarship.
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