HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – The Air Force Aid Society is now accepting applications for the Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold Education Grant Program for students attending undergraduate degree programs for the 2020-2021 academic year.
Eligible dependents include children of active duty, Title 10 Reservists on extended active duty and Title 32 Guard members performing full-time active duty, as well as retired, retired Reserve and deceased Air Force members. Spouses of active duty and Title 10 Reservists and widows/widowers are also eligible to apply.
Grants range in value from $500 to $4,000 each and specific amounts correlate to a student’s level of financial need.
“With the average student loan debt in the U.S. at about $30,000, and continuing to increase every year, parents and students should explore every opportunity to seek money to pay for college,” said Kathleen Vaillancourt, Airman and Family Readiness Center acting director at Hanscom.
According to the AFAS website, to qualify for an Arnold Education grant, the dependent or spouse must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0.
“Only one child and one spouse from Hanscom received grant money from the Arnold Grant program last year,” said Vaillancourt. “It would be nice to see more members of Team Hanscom take advantage of this opportunity.”
According to the Air Force Aid Society, overall the organization awarded more than 2,100 grants last year to Air Force dependents.
“I think individuals assume they won’t qualify because of their rank or income,” said Vaillancourt.
A select group of incoming freshmen who complete the Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold Education Grant application with a 4.0 GPA may apply for the AFAS merit-based, $5,000 achievement scholarships. To date, AFAS has awarded 275 merit scholarships totaling more than $1 million. Learn more about the merit scholarship program at the AFAS website.
Eligible students can also apply for up to $1,000 to help fund reimbursable out-of-pocket education expenses.
For more information on eligibility, or to access the Arnold Education Grant application, visit the AFAS website.
The deadline to apply is April 30.