Postsecondary Education Scholarships for Veteran's Dependents

To provide eligible veteran's dependent undergraduate postsecondary students with non-need based grant assistance to help meet educational expenses.

The student must be an eligible veteran's dependent whose parent or guardian was a member of the Armed Forces of the United States and died as a result of performing military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001. At the time of the parent or guardian's death, the student was less than 24 years of age or enrolled at an institution of higher education. The applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens and have a high school diploma, or a GED. Applicants must apply annually using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To be eligible, the applicant must meet all IAS Grant eligibility requirements, and must not have a Federal Pell Grant eligible Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Eligible veteran's dependent undergraduate students, and students pursuing a teaching certificate that are U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens. Students must be: regular students in an eligible program and enrolled in institutions of higher education, making satisfactory academic progress. Incarcerated students, except those incarcerated in local penal facilities, are ineligible. Students must sign a statement of educational purpose, not owe a refund on a Title IV grant, and not be in default on a Title IV loan. Eligible males that are at least 18 years old and born after December 31, 1959, can receive aid only if they have registered with the Selective Service. The eligible veteran's dependent student cannot receive both an Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant and Federal Pell Grant during the same award year.

The student must be an eligible veteran's dependent whose parent or guardian was a member of the Armed Forces of the United States and died as a result of performing military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001. At the time of the parent or guardian's death, the student was less than 24 years of age or enrolled at an institution of higher education. The student must also be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen who has been accepted for enrollment in and is making satisfactory academic progress at an eligible institution of higher education. Eligible schools may be public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education, (such as colleges, universities, vocational-technical schools, hospital schools of nursing), and for- profit institutions (proprietary). Eligible males who are at least 18 years or older and born after December 31, 1959, can receive aid only if they have registered with the Selective Service. Graduate students and students who have already earned a bachelor's degree are not eligible for assistance, except those enrolled in an eligible program leading to a professional certification in teaching.

Students are able to receive one IASG award during any award year (July 1 through June 30). Funds for the IASG award are usually disbursed at least twice during an award year. Beginning with the 2017-2018 award year, students can receive an IASG award funds for up to 150 percent of the student's IASG scheduled award for an award year. To be eligible for the additional IASG funds, the student must be otherwise eligible to receive IASG funds for the payment period and must be enrolled at least half-time in the payment period(s) for which the student receives the additional IASG funds in excess of 100 percent of the student's IASG scheduled award. Students may only receive an IASG award until they have received a bachelor's degree. Beginning with the 2024-2025 award year, eligibility for non-need-based grants to students whose parent or guardian was a member of the Armed Forces and died in Iraq or Afghanistan as a result of performing military service after September 11, 2001, which were previously given through the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants (IASG) program, will be folded into the Pell Grant program. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer.

Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Student completes a "Free Application for Federal Student Aid" and submits it to the processing agency specified on the form. Students may apply using a paper application, an electronic application, or via the Internet. The Department of Education calculates the student's financial eligibility for assistance and returns a notification to the student of his or her eligibility for assistance. The student submits this notification to the institution of his or her choice in order to have his or her award calculated.

Grants are awarded to postsecondary education students based on the provisions of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Public Law 110-315; Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV, Part A, Subpart 1, as amended.

Institutions act as disbursing agents for the Department of Education. The institution that the student attends calculates and disburses the IASG. The Secretary shall award grants under this section in the same manner, and with the same terms and conditions, including the length of the period of eligibility, as the Secretary awards Federal Pell Grants, except that the award rules and determination of need applicable to Federal Pell Grants shall not apply to grants under IASG. The amount of the IASG award is the same as the maximum Pell Grant for the award year, adjusted for the student's enrollment status and cost of attendance.

Eligibility is determined annually.

An institution may adjust on a case-by-case basis a student's FAFSA data elements used to calculate his or her EFC and cost of attendance due to unusual circumstances documented by the institution.