Scholarships for Military Children applications now being accepted through Feb. 11 for 2026-2027 academic year

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FORT LEE, Va. - Fisher House Foundation's Scholarships for Military Children program is accepting applications for the 2026-2027 academic year, now through Feb. 11.

The program, entering its 26th year, recognizes the contributions of military families to the readiness of America's fighting force and celebrates the commissary's role in enhancing military quality of life.

Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping service members, veterans and their families, administers the program. The program has awarded $25,126,000 in scholarships over the last 25 years, selected from a pool of more than 128,550 applicants.

"As we begin our 26th year of working with Fisher House Foundation to support the Scholarships for Military Children program, it truly remains an honor to us at the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) to work with a foundation so dedicated to the military community and families," said Todd Heasley, DeCA's scholarships program liaison. "The positive impact of these scholarships on so many families over the years cannot be overstated."

"Each scholarship does more than ease the cost of education, it reinforces our belief in the incredible promise these students carry," said Marshall Banks, director of community relations at Fisher House Foundation. "We urge all eligible students to apply and embrace this chance to move confidently toward their goals."

For the 2026-2027 academic year, 500 scholarships valued at $2,000 each will be awarded. At least one recipient will be selected at each commissary location where qualified applications are received. Additional awards are allocated on a prorated basis, meaning commissaries with larger applicant pools can have more than one recipient. The selection process begins immediately following the deadline.

Who can apply?

The Scholarships for Military Children program is open to unmarried military dependent children under the age of 23 who possess a valid Uniformed Services Identification (USID) card. They must be enrolled or planning to enroll in a full-time undergraduate program leading to a bachelor's degree or a community/junior college designed to allow for a direct transfer into a four-year program.

In addition, a student's parent(s) or sponsor(s) must be one of the following: active duty, reserve/guard, deceased, or retired from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Space Force. Applicants or sponsors do not need to live at an installation with a commissary - simply select the commissary where you shop or the one nearest to you.

How to apply

The Scholarships for Military Children Program requires that the student complete the application themselves and attest to that when submitting it. Applicants must perform the following steps:

• Create an account through https://fisherhouse.org/programs/scholarship-programs/scholarships-for-military-children/ that you can return to later.
• Complete all tabs of the form - a green checkmark indicates completion.
• Write a short, 500-word essay - the essay topic is available to applicants at the scholarships-for-military children application page.
• Submit transcripts: High school applicants - transcript indicating a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale (unweighted). Current college applicants - transcript indicating a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale (unweighted).
• Validate your eligibility as a military dependent by entering the benefits number found on the reverse of the Uniformed Services Identification (USID) card. If you qualify for an ID card but do not have one you should immediately schedule a visit to a military personnel office and bring proper documentation.

Applicants who are awarded a full scholarship to attend a college or university or who receives an appointment to one of the service academies or affiliated preparatory schools are not eligible to receive funds from this program. A full scholarship is usually defined as one that provides for payment of tuition, books, lab fees and other expenses.

All rules and requirements for the Scholarships for Military Children program, as well as links to frequently asked questions are available at militaryscholar.org.

"I've seen firsthand how these opportunities transform lives, and I strongly encourage every eligible military family to apply," said Navy Command Master Chief Mario Rivers, senior enlisted adviser to the DeCA director. "This program truly embodies our dedication to supporting service members beyond their active duty - it's an investment in the next generation of leaders."

Fisher House Foundation also has a free, easy-to-use custom scholarship search engine tailored to military families called "Scholarships for Service," available at militaryscholar.org.

The Scholarships for Military Children program is managed by Scholarship Managers, a national, nonprofit organization. If students have questions about the scholarship program application, they should call Scholarship Managers at 856-616-9311, or email them at [email protected].

No government funds are used to support the Scholarships for Military Children Program. Commissary vendors, manufacturers, brokers, suppliers and the general public donate money to fund the program. For the 22nd consecutive year, Charity Navigator has awarded Fisher House Foundation 4 out of 4 stars and rated the Foundation with a perfect score of 100 points.

-DeCA-

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees, disabled veterans and other authorized patrons and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which supports the costs of building, modernizing and sustaining commissary facilities. A core military family support element and valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America's military services and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.