Patriot Foundation Scholarship: Supporting Military Families Through Education

The Patriot Foundation is dedicated to supporting the educational success of America’s youth, specifically focusing on the families of service members impacted by post-9/11 conflicts. These families have firsthand knowledge of service and sacrifice, as service men and women face untold hardships and experience complications from training, deployments, and war. Recognizing the challenges these families face, the Patriot Foundation provides educational scholarships to help fund schooling or training for their sons and daughters.

Understanding the Need

Since 2001, many service members have lost their lives or been severely injured while defending the nation. This has resulted in countless families grappling with tragedy, whether through the loss of a loved one or the challenges of coping with wounds, injuries, or illnesses. The Patriot Foundation steps in to alleviate some of the financial burden associated with pursuing higher education, acknowledging that "THERE IS A PRICE FOR OUR FREEDOM".

The Impact of Scholarships

The Patriot Foundation Scholarship ensures that the spouse is not forgotten. One recipient shared that the scholarship allows them to start their civilian life on a strong foundation after "stumbling off the ruck march of military life." It affirms the recipient's voice in academic conversations and acknowledges the critical perspective formed by their experiences as a military spouse. The scholarship provides a sense of belonging and connection to a broader family of military support, uniting individuals in their dedication to fight for each other.

Scholarship Programs

The Patriot Foundation administers two scholarship programs through North Carolina legislative funding:

NC Patriot Star Family RECOVERY Scholarship Program (Recovery Program)
NC Patriot Star Family Scholarship Program (Star Program)

These scholarships are available to the children and spouses of fallen service members or disabled veterans, children of injured active-duty service members, and qualifying disabled veterans. Applicants must be North Carolina residents and accepted to or attending North Carolina postsecondary institutions. Disabled veterans, as the sponsor or applicant, must have a VA disability rating of at least 50%.

Recovery Program

The Recovery Program is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, administered by the NC State Legislature, to assist with relieving the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility for the Recovery program includes that the applicant’s household income cannot exceed 350% of the federal poverty level. The Department of Health and Human Services determines a household’s income level for the Recovery scholarship program. Recipients of the Recovery Scholarship can be awarded up to $6,700.00 per semester.

Important Update: The Recovery Program is no longer accepting new applicants. It will continue to support existing Recovery recipients through the conclusion of the program with Spring 2027 awards, or until degree completion, whichever comes first. Existing recipients must continue to meet the program's eligibility criteria and reapply each academic year. The Recovery Program will end in December 2026 with the awarding of Spring 2027 awards.

Star Program

The Star program is made possible through the annual funds from the NC State Legislature. The Star Program will continue to be open to new applicants for upcoming application cycles.

Common Eligibility Requirements

Both programs are designed to assist NC military and veteran families attend NC post-secondary institutions. The two programs have the same eligibility requirements, except the Recovery program has specific income criteria.

General Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for one of the Patriot Foundation's scholarships, several criteria must be met:

Institution Requirements

The school must be a post-secondary institution located in North Carolina. Eligible institutions include:

A constituent institution of The University of North Carolina.
A community college under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Community Colleges.
A junior college, senior college, or university that meets specific requirements:
- Operated and governed by private interests not under the control of the federal government, the State, or any local government.
  
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- Has a main permanent campus, as defined in G.S. 116-280(4), located within the State of North Carolina.
- Does not operate for profit.
- The curriculum is primarily directed toward the awarding of associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degrees.
- Meets one of the following requirements:
  - Is a private educational institution as defined in G.S.Post-secondary institutions include universities and colleges, as well as trade and vocational schools.

Enrollment Status

Applicants do not have to be full-time students. However, they must be at least half-time in their program to be eligible.

Age Limit

Eligible children cannot have reached 26 years of age by a specified date related to the application cycle. The specific date will be available on the application.

Residency

If the service member/veteran is living and not currently residing or stationed in North Carolina, then the eligibility criteria is not met, unless the service member/veteran was a North Carolina resident at the time of entrance into the Armed Forces.

Selective Service Registration

Federal Law requires nearly all male US citizens and male immigrants, 18 through 25, register with Selective Service. If you are male and not yet 18 years of age at the time you apply for our scholarship programs, then you will not be required to submit documentation of Selective Service registration.

Cost of Attendance (COA) and Qualifying Expenses

Funds for both programs can be applied up to the cost of attendance (COA). Applicants must have qualifying expenses not met by other grants, stipends, or scholarships. COA is the amount it will cost a student to go to school. Schools will calculate the COA for a program, so the COA can vary by school, program, etc. Check with your school’s Financial Aid Office to learn more about the COA for your program.

If you’re attending school at least half-time, the COA is the estimate of tuition and fees, cost of room and board (or living expenses), cost of books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and miscellaneous expenses (including a reasonable amount for the documented cost of a personal computer), allowance for childcare or other dependent care, costs related to a disability, and reasonable costs for eligible study-abroad programs (Office of US Department of Education).

As long as your scholarship award, when combined with all other grants, stipends, and scholarships, does not exceed the cost of attendance, the overage on your account can be issued to you, by your school, and be used to assist with cost of living, books, transportation, etc. You must work with your school’s Business Office/Bursar’s Office/Cashier’s Office to facilitate this process.

Application Process and Timeline

Applicants will use the online application provided by Patriot Foundation. The NC Patriot STAR Family Scholarship Program application cycle for the 2026-2027 academic year will be March 1-31, 2026. The application form for the 2026-2027 cycle will be available when the cycle opens March 1, 2026.

Applicants will be notified of their scholarship award once the application cycle has closed, by the beginning of June for the fall semester and the beginning of November for the Spring semester.

The timeline can vary based on the student and institution. Once awards decisions are made, Patriot Foundation works with the a fiscal agent which distributes the awards to institutions. The process of institution certification may take several weeks. Each school will be notified of the award recipient(s) at the beginning of June. The school must certify that the student is enrolled, and is at least half-time status within their program, and must approve that the award amount does not exceed the cost of attendance. Once an award is certified by the school, funds will be disbursed to the school. The school then must apply the funds to a student’s account.

Scholarship Disbursement

Scholarships are only awarded for Fall and Spring terms. The academic year scholarship is disbursed on a semester basis, so only half of the scholarship is awarded each semester. For example, you do not enroll for the Spring term but you enrolled for the Fall term, you would receive the Fall term award (half of the yearly scholarship), but you will not receive the award for the Spring term.

If you are awarded a scholarship for the academic year but you do not enroll for one of the two semesters in that academic year, you are only eligible to receive the portion of scholarship assistance for the semester in which you are enrolled.

Renewal of Scholarship

It is Patriot Foundation’s goal to follow students through their degree programs; however, recipients must re-apply for scholarship assistance for new academic years.

Additional Scholarship Resources for Military Families

Beyond the Patriot Foundation, numerous organizations offer scholarships and financial aid to veterans, active-duty service members, and their families. Here are a few examples:

Air Force Aid Society General George S.
Air Force Aid Society General Henry H.
American Legion Scholarship - American Legion Auxiliary Scholarship for Non-Traditional Students.
AMVETS Scholarships - Annually awards scholarships to Veterans/active military, their sons, daughters or grandchildren.
Army Women’s Foundation - The Army Women’s Foundation Legacy Scholarship Program provides grants to women soldiers, past and present, and their lineal descendants to help them attain their educational goals. The Legacy Scholarship Program offers financial support in four areas: Certificate programs, Community College coursework, Undergraduate Degrees, and Graduate Degrees. Scholarships are awarded only for coursework from accredited institutions. Scholarships are based on merit, academic potential, community service, letters of recommendation, and need. Community College and Certificate Program Legacy Scholarships will be awarded up to $1,000.
Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation - fallenpatriots.org/ - Providing college scholarships and educational counseling to military children who have lost a parent in combat or accidents.
Digital Workshop Center - digitalworkshopcenter.com/ - The Digital Workshop Center Veterans Tech Skills Scholarship is for active or retired military service members and their families interested in pursuing a certificate program at Digital Workshop Center.
Housing Scholarship - Provides students with an affordable living option. Recipients will live in a home-like setting where they work in cooperative partnership to purchase and prepare meals and assume responsibility for household tasks. Recipients are responsible for their fair share of household expenses such as food and utilities.
Liberty University’s Heroes Fund Scholarship -Provides scholarship assistance for qualifying disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipients, and spouses of veterans killed in action.
Marine Corps League - Scholarship Program - mclfoundation.org/scholarship - Over three hundred scholarship grants are given annually to applicants. The foundation has started a blocked scholarship fund to build a trust to assist in the funding of its regular scholarship program.
Marine Science Scholarship - Applicant must demonstrate financial need and academic excellence.
MOAA Scholarship Fund - moaa.org/education- Our Education Assistance Program, offered through The MOAA Scholarship Fund, provides scholarships, grants, and interest-free loans to students with veteran or active-duty military parents from all ranks and branches.
Navy League of the United States.
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Programs.
NBCC Foundation - The NBCC Foundation Military Scholarship Program is designed to encourage Service Members and Veterans to pursue careers in professional counseling.
NVBDC/Denny’s HFE Scholarship In 2024, Denny’s HFE scholarship program is partnering with NVBDC to award scholarships to deserving high school and college students for their ideas on bringing communities together. *All applicants must be high school seniors active in the JROTC program.
Paralyzed Veterans of America Scholarship - Paralyzed Veterans’ Educational Scholarship Program was established in 1986 to help members and their immediate Families gain post-secondary education from accredited colleges and universities across America.
Rosewood Family Scholarship - Applicant must be a direct descendant of Rosewood Families affected by the incidents of January 1924. Initial Student Florida Financial Aid Application is required for verification. Applicant must not owe a repayment or be in default under any state or federal grant, loan, or scholarship program unless satisfactory arrangements to repay have been made. Tuition and fees up to $4,000. Scholarship awards are $5,000 to be made co-payable to the scholarship recipient’s institution for payment of tuition, books and supplies and may be reapplied for up to four years for a maximum of $20,000.
Scholarships for Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans and Service Members - The Scholarships for Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans and Service Members (CSDDV) provides scholarships for dependent children or un-remarried spouses of Florida Veterans or Service Members who died as a result of service-connected injuries, diseases, or disabilities sustained while on active duty or who have been certified by the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs as having service connected 100% permanent and total disabilities. CSDDV also provides funds for dependent children whose parent is classified as a prisoner of war or missing in action by the Armed Forces of the United States or as civilian personnel captured while serving with the consent or authorization of the United States Government during wartime service.
Scholarships for Military Children - The Scholarships for Military Children Program was created to recognize the contributions of military Families to the readiness of the fighting force and to celebrate the role of the commissary in the military Family community. If your mother or father is active duty, reserve/guard, or retired military personnel or you are the survivor of a deceased member, and you have a military dependent I.D.
Tailhook Education Foundation - tailhook.org/Foundation - must be a high school graduate and the natural, step, or adopted son, daughter or grandchild of a current or former Naval Aviator, Naval Flight Officer, or Naval Aircrewman.
TFS Scholarships - tuitionfundingsources.com - Veterans should use scholarship funds like “gap insurance” to pay for any tuition, housing, fees or books not covered by their benefits. Dependents of veterans may or may not be covered by the benefit programs making scholarship funds even more important for them.
The Women’s Army Corps Veterans Association Scholarship Established to recognize relatives of Army Service Women. This scholarship is based upon academic achievement and leadership as expressed through co-curricular activities and community involvement.
Tillman Military Scholarships - VeteransScholarships - To support educational opportunities for Veteran and active Service Members and their dependents (children and spouses).
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Scholarship Programs - The Veterans of Foreign Wars has several scholarship programs across the nation.
Wings Over America Scholarship Foundation - wingsoveramerica.us - To provide college scholarships to dependent children and spouses of all US Navy - officer and enlisted - active duty, retired or deceased who served within Naval Air Forces.
MOAA President Vice Adm. "We believe this is an effective way MOAA can help those families who have been and will continue to be affected by the loss of a parent while serving in our Armed Forces," says MOAA President Vice Adm. The amount and number of grants awarded to students is based on the amount of money raised each year. Because of our generous donors, over 45 students whose parent died while in Active service or were severely wounded are receiving a $5,000 grant for the 2019-2020 school year. To qualify, a student must be a child of a member of the Uniformed Services who died while in Active service or was severely wounded (as defined as Traumatic SGLI). They must be under the age of 24 at the time of application. The maximum age for students who are serving or have served in the Armed Forces before completing college will be increased by the number of years served, for up to five years of service or 29 years of age. The MOAA Scholarship Fund is a non-profit, charitable organization incorporated in Virginia and declared tax-exempt by the Internal Revenue Service under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Its tax identification number is 54-1659039.

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