Navigating Coast Guard Foundation Scholarships: A Comprehensive Guide
The Coast Guard Foundation offers various scholarships to support Coast Guard members and their families in their pursuit of higher education and professional development. These scholarships aim to ease the financial burden of education, enabling recipients to achieve their academic and career goals. This article provides a detailed overview of the Coast Guard Foundation scholarships, including eligibility requirements, application processes, and available programs.
Overview of Coast Guard Foundation Scholarships
The Coast Guard Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1969. It supports Coast Guard members and their families through various programs, including scholarships. Since the program first began in 1990, the Coast Guard Foundation has awarded more than 2,700 scholarships totaling $9.2 million. These opportunities are made possible through the generosity of scholarship donors who help ease the financial burden of education for Coast Guard families. Each year, the Foundation hears directly from graduates about the impact of this support.
General Scholarship Program
Eligibility
Annual scholarships are available for children of Coast Guard members, including graduating high school seniors and students already enrolled in college or trade school. The scholarship program supports college-aged dependents of active-duty Coast Guard members, reserve members serving on active duty for at least 180 days, and retired Coast Guard members. Applicants must be dependents of enlisted members or commissioned officers and may attend a community college, four-year university, or trade school. Eligible students may apply for up to four years, provided they continue to meet all program requirements.
Scholarship Details
Scholarships are awarded annually in amounts of $2,500 or $5,000 and are paid directly to an accredited college, university, trade school, or training program. Scholarship funds may be used for tuition, room and board, fees, books, and other necessary education expenses. Scholarships are not limited to traditional four-year degrees. The Coast Guard Foundation also supports students pursuing trade school and technical training programs. Career paths in areas like aviation maintenance, maritime trades, construction, culinary, and cosmetology provide a hands-on route into the workforce.
Application process
The Coast Guard Foundation will begin accepting scholarship applications on February 1. Applications will be accepted through April 1. Applications must be submitted online through the scholarship portal.
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First-time applicants must complete basic bio data, provide details on your community service and extra-curricular involvement, write an essay, and upload details from your FAFSA form. A letter of recommendation, transcript, and Coast Guard dependent status are required and are submitted directly by your schools and your Coast Guard sponsor, respectively. If you received a Coast Guard Foundation scholarship in the last three years and are currently enrolled in college or trade school, you may apply for a scholarship as a returning student. This application requires basic bio data, an update on your community service and extra-curricular involvement, an essay, and a FAFSA report.
Impact on Graduates
Among scholarship recipients surveyed in 2025, 48% graduated completely debt-free. Those with student loans reported owing an average of $21,153, below the national average of $29,500. Graduates are now moving forward into full-time careers, graduate school, military service, and other professional paths.
Layne O’Connell, a William & Mary graduate with a double major in English and music, completed her degree with zero debt and is now attending law school to study international public interest law. The Foundation’s scholarship, she said, “enabled me to explore opportunities like study abroad that I otherwise would have had much more difficulty making happen.”
Daniel Goldsmith, a Penn State graduate with a degree in early childhood education, is pursuing a master’s degree in educational leadership while working as a substitute teacher in the same Philadelphia school where he completed his student teaching.
Dylan Ornot, a three-year Coast Guard Foundation scholarship recipient who graduated from the University of Central Florida with no college debt, shared this advice for students applying this year: “Apply for everything that you can! You never know the opportunities that you can receive just from simply applying. Whether you are applying for scholarships, school programs, or internships or study abroad, just apply. You will learn so much through applying for different opportunities, and it can open so many doors for your future."
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Specific Scholarship Programs
ADM Robert J. Kramek Scholarship
The ADM Robert J. Kramek Scholarship is open to children of enlisted members and commissioned Coast Guard officers.
Eight Bells Scholarship
The Eight Bells Scholarship is provided through the generosity of maritime historian and author William H. White. It is open to the children of commissioned Coast Guard officers. Applicants must complete biographical data, provide details on your community service and extra-curricular involvement, write an essay, and upload details from your FAFSA form. A letter of recommendation, transcript, and Coast Guard dependent status are required and are submitted directly by your schools and your Coast Guard sponsor, respectively.
CAPT Ernest W. Fox Scholarship
The Fox family established this annual perpetual scholarship to honor the memory of their late son and brother Captain Ernest W. Fox, and to show their appreciation to the people who work at the Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center. This scholarship is open to qualified active-duty Coast Guard, civil service employees or their dependents (child or spouse) at the Coast Guard Aviation Logistic Center. The scholarship may be used for preparatory, collegiate, postgraduate, professional, and vocational education, formal, or informal training that develops the talents and potential of the beneficiary. Applicants must complete basic bio data, provide details on your community service and extra-curricular involvement, write an essay, and upload details from your FAFSA form.
Coast Guard Foundation USAA Enlisted Reserve Scholarship
The Coast Guard Foundation USAA Enlisted Reserve Scholarship program delivers education support to Coast Guard reservists and their families. With the generous support of USAA, the foundation awards eight $1,000 scholarships each year.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must:
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- Be an enlisted Coast Guard reservist (Selected Reserve or Individual Ready Reserve) or their dependent. Dependents must be registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) under their Coast Guard Reserve sponsor.
- Be enrolled in, or accepted by, an accredited degree granting college or an accredited technical/vocational training school, and be pursuing a first associate, bachelor, master, or doctoral degree or a technical/vocational certificate.
- Maintain the minimum grade point average required by the college or school.
Application Requirements
Applicants must include a signed, one-page cover letter confirming all eligibility requirements are met. If applying as a dependent, the sponsor must also sign the letter. Include a one-page typed essay describing an accomplishment (Coast Guard or civilian career, extra-curricular, or volunteer) the applicant is proud of and how their experience with the Coast Guard Reserve enabled or inspired that accomplishment. An official transcript from the college-level academic year is required. If the applicant is newly accepted and doesn't have a transcript yet, provide proof of enrollment (e.g., acceptance letter). Important: Only transcripts from institutions of higher education are accepted; do not send high school transcripts. Each application must include a command endorsement from the reservist's current command. If the applicant is a dependent, the endorsement is still required and must come from the dependent's sponsor's command. This endorsement must state the reservist is compliant with all readiness and participation standards and has no disciplinary actions within the last two years. The Commanding Officer or Officer in Charge (OIC) must sign the endorsement.
Application packages and official transcripts must be received no later than August 15, 2025. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. The Coast Guard Foundation will select scholarship winners who will be announced via ALCOAST in September 2025.
Coast Guard Foundation Delta Dental Spouse Grants
Through a generous grant from Delta Dental to the Joint Military Coalition, the Coast Guard Foundation awards ten $2,000 grants to applicants working towards a degree or certification related to oral health, medical, nursing and wellness professions. The Coast Guard Foundation Delta Dental Spouse Grants are intended to assist non-military spouses of Enlisted Coast Guard members in ranks E1 - E9 pursuing professional development courses, licensing courses, certificates, certifications, and college and graduate level degrees from a nationally or regionally accredited institution.
Coast Guard Foundation Spouse Grants
The Coast Guard Foundation Spouse Grants are intended to assist non-military spouses of Enlisted Coast Guard members in ranks E1 - E9 pursuing professional development courses, licensing courses, certificates, certifications, and college and graduate level degrees from a nationally or regionally accredited institution. The program awards $1,000 grants to cover tuition, fees, supplies, and related education expenses incurred during the calendar year. Grants are limited to one payment per calendar year.
Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund
The Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund (Fallen Heroes) was established by John and Delinda Statts in memory of Mr. Statts’ parents, Captain Frederick Statts and his wife Sara. Captain Statts graduated from the CG Academy in 1936 and served with distinction for 30 years. He retired as Commanding Officer of the Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey. This scholarship benefits dependent children of CG members (enlisted and commissioned officers) who lost their life in CG land, air, or sea operations.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online through our scholarship portal.
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