Scholarships for Navy Veterans & Their Dependents

Financing postsecondary education can be expensive. Students may have to factor in room, board, travel, books and tuition into their budgets when choosing a school. There are numerous loans and scholarships offered to help with college costs, ranging from federal programs, such as Pell grants, to fellowships from nonprofit organizations. For veterans of the United States Navy or their dependents, there are unique scholarships and grants available.

Nonprofit Organizations

Charitable organizations dedicated to supporting military personnel, veterans and their families can be a funding resource. There are several exclusive to the Navy and Marines. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society provides a wide range of services, including education assistance, to Naval personnel, veterans and their families. Programs include no-interest loans and scholarships. Applicants must enroll full time in a college, university or vocational school and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. For example, the Centennial Scholarship is awarded to wounded veterans of the Iraq or Afghanistan missions who wish to study for a teaching career. The award amount as of publication is $3,000.

Veteran Service Organizations

Veterans service organizations dedicated to the military veteran community can be a source of educational support. The American Legion, established in 1919, is the largest veterans service organization in the United States. The Samsung American Legion Scholarship is awarded to the children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren of Korean War veterans. The scholarship can be used to pay for room, board, fees, books and tuition. In 2010, 10 scholarships of $20,000 each and 88 scholarships of $1,000 each were awarded. Though not Navy specific, dependents or decedents of Navy veterans who served in the Korean War can benefit.

Submarine Veterans

Navy personnel who have served on submarines can take advantage of foundations established to support the submarine community. The Dolphin Scholarship Foundation was created in 1960 and as of publication has provided scholarships to over 1,000 students. Eligible applicants must be the unmarried children or stepchildren of members or veterans of the Submarine Force who have served for at least eight years or Navy personnel who have supported submarine operation for at least 10 years. Dependents must be under 24 and attending high school or college.

The G.I. Bill

The G.I. Bill provides educational assistance to military personnel both active and retired. The G.I. Bill offers Survivors and Dependents Assistance, allowing the dependents of a veteran who died or is permanently disabled due to military service to receive educational assistance. Dependents must be 18 to 26 and not themselves a member of the Armed Forces on active duty. The funding can be used for degree or certificate programs as well as apprenticeships and on-the-job training. Again, this is open to all branches of the armed forces, including Navy veterans.