Fry Scholarships

If your parent or spouse died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, while serving in the Armed Forces, or was a member of the Selected Reserve who died from a service-connected disability, you may qualify for this benefit. Keep reading to find out if you’re eligible for education benefits through this scholarship.

Am I eligible for Fry Scholarship benefits?

You may be eligible for Fry Scholarship benefits if you’re the child or surviving spouse of:

• A member of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty while serving on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, or
• A member of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty while not on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, or
• A member of the Selected Reserve who died from a service-connected disability on or after September 11, 2001

As the child of a service member

• You can be married or unmarried.
• If you turned 18 or graduated from high school before January 1, 2013, you can get a Fry Scholarship until you’re 33 years old.
• If you turn 18 or graduate from high school after January 1, 2013, you can get a Fry Scholarship at any age over 18 or after you graduate (whichever comes first).
• If your parent was a member of the Selected Reserve and died from a service-connected disability while not on active duty, you can get a Fry Scholarship at any time, no matter how old you are.
• If your parent died in the line of duty before August 1, 2011, you may qualify for both the Fry Scholarship and the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program. But you can use only one program at a time. We cap combined benefits at 81 months of full-time training. 
• If you’re receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), you’ll need to give up those payments when you start to use the Fry Scholarship.

As the spouse of a service member

• If you remarry, you’ll no longer be eligible for the Fry Scholarship.
• You can still get Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payments while using the Fry Scholarship.

Note: If your parent or spouse was “not on active duty,” this means they were a member of the Reserve serving on active duty for training or inactive duty training. This term doesn’t include Army and Air National Guard members who were on State orders (sometimes called “State Active Duty”).

What benefits can I get?

You may be able to get up to 36 months of benefits, including:

• Money for tuition
• Money for housing
• Money for books and supplies