Why Should You Join MOAA?
The more voices we have, the better we'll be heard. Become a member today.
The online application for the 2022-2023 school year is now closed. If you submitted supporting paperwork in the semifinalist round, please check your email for a notification of your status. Notified finalists must complete the emailed instructions by July 31 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
If you would like to renew your Education Assistance for the 2022-2023 school year, please complete this form and upload it here along with an updated transcript (official or unofficial).
If you are in repayment and have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, complete a deferment.
Already receiving assistance? Check out our renewal and repayment options.
Applicants for our programs must be attending an accredited college or university as full-time students during the 2022-2023 academic year. All loans, scholarships, and grants are for students seeking their first undergraduate degree and are awarded for no more than five school years. No loans, scholarships, or grants are available for graduate-level studies.
General Eligibility: Applicants must be under 24 years old. Applicants must have a parent eligible for MOAA membership or be children of active duty, Reserve, National Guard, or retired enlisted military personnel. If the applicant served in a uniformed service before completing college, his or her maximum age for eligibility will be increased by the number of years he or she so served, up to five years. Applicants must have a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher. Children attending U.S. military academies and academy prep schools are not eligible. If selected for any Educational Assistance program, the sponsoring parent must have a paid MOAA membership (if parent is a military officer) throughout the college years and, if applicable, until the loan is repaid. Male applicants are encouraged to register for the Selective Service.
Selection Criteria: We evaluate students based of their scholastic ability (1/3), extracurricular activities (1/3), and financial need (1/3). The applicant provides this information in the online application.
Process: We notify semifinalists in mid-March, and they must submit supporting documentation. We notify finalists in early June, and they must submit proof of MOAA membership as appropriate and a fully executed promissory note.
Interest-Free Loans: This is our main program. The interest-free loans are renewable annually for up to five years of full-time undergraduate study. The interest-free loan program currently provides a $7,000 loan per student each year. Students selected as loan recipients and their sponsoring parent must sign a promissory note before receiving funds. We disburse funds electronically in two increments: one-half in early August and one-half in mid-December.
American Patriot Scholarship: Limited to students who qualify for the interest-free loan program and whose military parent has died on active service or is receiving Traumatic Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (T-SGLI) payments. Currently, students receive scholarships of $7,000 each school year.
Designated Scholar Program: We consider all loan recipients for this program. Students chosen receive a $6,500 interest-free loan and a $500 grant named by the donor. Students must correspond with the donor or their designee each fall.
Senior Grants: We notify current loan recipients entering their final year in college of these grants in January of their junior year. Students who believe they are eligible for these grants and who do not receive an emailed link to the application should email edassist@moaa.org for additional information. Recipients of Senior Grants become ineligible for further Educational Assistance programs. The number of grants awarded varies from year to year.
General John Paul Ratay Educational Fund Grants: These grants are limited to children whose military parent retired and subsequently died. Students qualifying for a loan who meet the criteria of a Ratay grant are automatically considered. Students who believe they are eligible for these grants and who do not receive a request for supporting documentation should email edassist@moaa.org. Funding for this grant is limited, so we might not award these annually.
We disburse scholarships and grants in early August. Students may only receive one type of Educational Assistance each school year.
For more information about the scholarship program, including how to donate, visit www.moaa.org/scholarship.
Click here for other financial aid resources, and click here for more information about MOAA member-only discounts on programs to prepare for college entrance exams such as the SAT and ACT.
The more voices we have, the better we'll be heard. Become a member today.