The American Legion Legacy Scholarship: An Opportunity for Higher Education
Preparing for college can be an exciting yet financially demanding endeavor. Military families have access to a number of scholarship options to help offset some of the out-of-pocket college expenses. The American Legion Legacy Scholarship stands out as a significant resource, offering needs-based financial aid to children of post-9/11 fallen servicemembers and disabled veterans. This article delves into the eligibility requirements, application process, and benefits of this scholarship, providing a comprehensive guide for prospective applicants.
Understanding the American Legion Legacy Scholarship
The American Legion Legacy Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship designed to fulfill a financial gap remaining after all federal and state educational grants/scholarships available to an eligible applicant have been utilized. It is specifically designed to support the children of military members who died while on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, as well as the children of post-9/11 veterans having been assigned a combined disability rating of 50 percent or greater by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The American Legion, an organization built on a promise from men and women who swore to defend the United States through military service, continues its service to the community, state, and nation by investing in future leaders through various educational support programs.
Eligibility Requirements: Who Can Apply?
To be eligible for the American Legion Legacy Scholarship, applicants must meet specific criteria related to their parent's military service and their own academic pursuits. The Legacy Scholarship is for the child of a parent who lost their lives while honorably serving on active military duty on or after 9/11, or the child of a post-9/11 veteran with a combined Department of Veterans Affairs disability rating of 50% or higher.
Here's a breakdown of the key eligibility requirements:
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- Parent's Military Service: The applicant must be a child (or legally adopted child, child of a spouse by prior marriage, or dependent child as defined by the United States Armed Services) of an active-duty United States military member, National Guard member, or military reservist who was federalized and either died on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001, or received an injury while on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001.
- Academic Status: The applicant must be a high school senior or a high school graduate currently accepted to or attending an accredited institution of higher education within the United States.
Financial Need and Scholarship Amount
The American Legion Legacy Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship, meaning that the amount awarded depends on the applicant's financial situation. The scholarship aims to cover the gap between the cost of education and the financial aid already received from other sources.
The Legacy Scholarship provides up to $20,000 for children of the fallen and up to $5,000 for children of the disabled for higher learning. Recipients will have a year to use the grant and may reapply to The American Legion Legacy Scholarship up to six times.
The Application Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
The American Legion Legacy Scholarship application is available online. A 100 percent online application system is a more efficient way to handle submissions, ensure their security, and make verifications and submissions more accurate. The process is more environmentally friendly.
Here's a step-by-step guide to the application process:
- Create an Account: Applicants will create user accounts and passwords on legion.org, which will allow them to return to the application at any time.
- Gather Required Documentation: Applicants must provide the following documentation:
- Official military death certificate (Form DD1300) or VA (Veterans Affairs) disability paperwork.
- FAFSA Summary showing Student Aid Index (SAI).
- Complete the Online Application: Fill out all sections of the online application, providing accurate and complete information.
- Submit the Application: Once the application is complete, submit it electronically through the online portal.
When you finish entering all of your information into the Legacy portal application, you will immediately see if you are eligible for the need-based scholarship. You will know immediately if you are eligible for the need-based Legacy Scholarship once you enter all the financial information in the new portal.
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Important Considerations for Applicants
- Parent's Death or Disability: Where children of the fallen are concerned, their parents must only have been serving on active duty during the post-9/11 era. However, an official military death certificate (Form DD1300) MUST be provided. The paperwork showing the VA disability rating must be included in order to be considered for the award. The American Legion will only accept an official disability rating from the Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Eligible Expenses: These expenses may include tuition, fees, books, program costs, meal plans and housing, up to $5,000 for disabled and $20,000 for Fallen Heroes. The Legacy Scholarship will not be used to pay for loans, pay off debt, provide furniture costs, car payments, mortgages, personal hygiene etc. The Legacy Scholarship is to cover educational needs only!
- Accreditation: You must ensure that you are attending an institution at which The American Legion Legacy Scholarship awards are allowed to be used. The only restriction on post-secondary institutions is that they not be for-profit and/or only nationally accredited. (This means a nonprofit school with ONLY national accreditation is also not able to receive funds from The American Legion Legacy Scholarship.)
Selection Process and Award Usage
The American Legion’s Committee on Youth Education selects the Legacy Scholarship recipients during the organization’s annual Spring Meetings in May.
There are restrictions on how recipients spend their award. First, you must ensure that you are attending an institution at which The American Legion Legacy Scholarship awards are allowed to be used. The only restriction on post-secondary institutions is that they not be for-profit and/or only nationally accredited. Additionally, only “qualified educational expenses” will be considered valid, needs-based expenses. These expenses may include tuition, fees, books, program costs, meal plans and housing, using expenses up to $5,000 for disabled and $20,000 for Fallen Heroes.
Other Scholarship Opportunities for Military Families
While the American Legion Legacy Scholarship is a valuable resource, it's important to explore other scholarship opportunities available to military families. Military families have access to a number of scholarship options to help offset some of the out-of-pocket college expenses. Two scholarships, in particular, are designed specifically for military teens. The Fisher House Foundation administers the Scholarships for Military Children Program and the Heroes’ Legacy Scholarship.
The Scholarships for Military Children Program was created to recognize military families’ contributions to the readiness of the fighting force and to celebrate the commissary’s role in the military family community. At least one $2,000 scholarship is awarded at every commissary location that receives qualified applications. 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. Approximately 500 scholarship grants are awarded each school year, and more than one scholarship per commissary may be available based on the response and funding.
The Heroes’ Legacy Scholarship honors those who fell in battle and all who died or became disabled through their active military service since Sept. 11, 2001. Students may apply to both the Scholarships for Military Children Program and Heroes’ Legacy Scholarships as long as they meet the criteria for both.
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While the Scholarships for Military Children Program and the Heroes’ Legacy Scholarship are available to military-connected teens from any service branch, there are dozens of additional scholarships available through service-specific departments and other military-affiliated organizations such as American Legion, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, Military Youth of the Year, DECA scholarships for emerging leaders, and branch aid organizations like Air Force Aid Society and Army Emergency Relief. School liaisons can help with overall college, career and military readiness - including standardized test preparation, test scheduling, and scholarships and financial aid information.
Other awards include scholarships for Legion Baseball players, National Oratorical Contest finalists, Eagle Scouts, Junior Shooting Sports champions and ANAVICUS scholars. Each program reflects The American Legion’s commitment to youth, education, and citizenship.
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