|
G. I. Dependents' Scholarship
Program
This nationally renowned program was created by Act 633 and approved October
1947 by the Alabama Legislature. It is administered by the Alabama
Department of Veterans Affairs and is governed by the Code of Alabama 1975,
Section 31-6-1.
The veteran must meet the following qualifications to establish eligibility of
his/her dependents. A dependent is defined as a child, stepchild, spouse or
the un-remarried widow (er) of the veteran.
Military Service: The veteran must have honorably served at least 90 days of
continuous active federal military service during wartime, or honorably
discharged by reason of service-connected disability after serving less than 90
days of continuous active federal military service during wartime.
The ADVA will recognize the following periods of wartime service:
-
April 6, 1917 - November 11, 1918 (World War
I)
-
December 7, 1941 - December 31, 1946 (World
War II)
-
June 27, 1950 - January 31, 1955 (Korean War)
-
February 28, 1961 - May 7, 1975 (Vietnam War)
-
August 2, 1990 - Today (Operation Desert
Shield/Desert Storm/Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan)
Disability Requirements: The veteran must be rated 20% or more due to
service-connected disabilities or have held the qualifying rating at the time of
death, a former prisoner of war (POW), declared missing in action (MIA), died as the result of a service-connected disability, or died while on active military service in the line of
duty.
Residency Requirements: The veteran must have been a
permanent civilian resident of the State of Alabama for at least one year
immediately prior to (a) the initial entry into active military service or (b)
any subsequent period of military service in which a break (1 year or more) in
service occurred and the Alabama civilian residency was established.
Permanently service-connected veterans rated at 100% who did not enter service
from Alabama, may qualify after establishing at least five years of permanent
residency in Alabama prior to filing of an application or immediately prior to
death, if deceased.
Entitlement: Five standard academic years or part-time equivalent at any Alabama
state-supported institution of higher learning or a prescribed course of
study at any Alabama state-supported technical school without payment of any
tuition, required textbooks or instructional fees for eligible dependents
initially enrolling in school on or after Fall 2009. Dependents who enrolled in
school prior to Fall 2009 receive four academic years of scholarship benefits.
The entitlement applies to the following
dependents:
-
A spouse or widow (er) of a veteran
who meets the residency requirements and is rated 20% - 90%
due to service-connected disabilities, and who initially enrolls in school on or
after Fall 2009, are entitled to three standard academic
years without payment of tuition, required textbooks and instructional fees or a
prescribed technical course not to exceed 27 months of training. A spouse
enrolled in school before Fall 2009 receive two academic
years of scholarship benefits. Note:
Widow (er) forfeits benefits upon remarriage. Spouse forfeits benefits upon
divorce from veteran in which the spouse derived their eligibility.
Age Deadline: The child or stepchild must initiate training prior to their 26th
birthday. Age 30 deadline may apply in certain situations.
There is no age deadline for submission of the application by the spouse or
un-remarried widow (er). Step-children must be under the age of 19 at the time
of the current marriage between the eligible veteran and the
step-child's parent.
Application Assistance: The department maintains an office in each county of the
State which can furnish information and assist in filing your application.
To find the office nearest you, click here.
To download the Alabama G.I. Dependents' Scholarship Pamphlet, click here.
|
