For members of the Army National Guard, the high price of tuition does not need to stand in the way of a great education. The Army National Guard provides financial assistance to students who wish to attend college and commission in the Guard with three major scholarships for full-time students: the Dedicated Army National Guard (DEDNG) scholarship, the Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) scholarship and the Minuteman (MM) Scholarship.
To receive one of these scholarships, students must be involved in the Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) with a National Guard unit while in school and have a letter of acceptance from a local Guard unit stating it will accept the student in an SMP status. Following graduation, Cadets begin a new Military Service Obligation (MSO) contract and serve eight years in the National Guard, which includes training.
Dedicated Army National Guard (DEDNG) Scholarship
Recipients receive full tuition, plus up to $1,200 for books, and are paid a monthly allowance in the following amounts: $350 during sophomore year, $450 during junior year and $500 during senior year. Grad students can also apply if they have only two years remaining until they graduate.
In addition to a monthly allowance, students can also receive the drill pay of a sergeant—approximately $225 per month—when they participate in the SMP.
Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (GRFD) Scholarship
Similar to the DEDNG scholarship, the GRFD scholarship is mainly for students entering their junior year of college with a GPA of 2.5 or higher. They also must join the SMP of a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) unit on their campus. GRFD recipients (dedicated or not) can choose either full tuition and fees or room and board, and receive $1,200 for books. They are given an ROTC allowance for 10 months of the year at $420 per month. As a member of the Guard, they will also receive drill pay.
Minuteman (MM) Scholarship
Minuteman Scholarships can be either two-year GRFD scholarships or DEDNG-GRFD scholarships that cover up to four years. They guarantee that Cadets who commission as Army officers will serve in the Guard. A Minuteman Scholarship requires a nomination letter as part of the scholarship packet and offers either full tuition and mandatory fees or a room and board flat rate of $10,000 per year, covering up to four years (or eight semesters) of benefits. Minuteman Scholarship recipients also receive a $1,200 annual book allowance and a monthly stipend of $420 for 10 months of the academic year. Minuteman Scholarship Cadets must participate in the SMP while attending college, which means they will also receive pay for attending a drill one weekend per month and a two-week annual training in a local Guard unit. In return for these scholarship benefits, a Minuteman Cadet will serve as a Commissioned Officer in the Guard in a drilling status for eight years after graduation.
Supporting Tomorrow’s Leaders: Additional Education Funding Resources
Minuteman Scholarship Cadets can be nominated for a scholarship by The Adjutant General (TAG) from any State or any Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) in lengths of two years, up to four years. These scholarships are limited each year, and applications require a nomination memo with a handwritten signature from the nomination source. For more specific information and to learn how to apply, follow this link: https://www.cadetcommand.army.mil/arng.aspx
Requirements
To qualify for these scholarships, students must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Have a minimum high school GPA of 2.5
- Have a minimum score of 920 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or 19 on the American College Test (ACT)
- Complete the ROTC Basic Course requirements or Basic Combat Training
- Be medically and morally qualified
Article Supplied by NationalGuard.com
