Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship: Eligibility, Benefits, and Application
The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship) provides educational benefits to the children and surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001. Although often referred to as a scholarship, it essentially provides the same benefits as the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. This article details the eligibility requirements, benefits, and application process for the Fry Scholarship.
Eligibility Requirements
You may be eligible for Fry Scholarship benefits if you’re the child or surviving spouse of a service member or member of the Selected Reserve who died on or after September 11, 2001, and who fits one of the descriptions listed here.
One of these must be true of the service member or member of the Selected Reserve:
- The service member died in the line of duty while serving on active duty.
- The member of the Armed Services died from a service-connected disability within 120 days of being discharged from active duty or released from duty.
- The member of the Selected Reserve died in the line of duty other than active duty. Note: If your parent or spouse was a member of the Selected Reserve who died in the line of duty “other than active duty,” this means they were a member of the Reserve serving on active duty for training or inactive duty training.
- The member of the Selected Reserve died from a service-connected disability.
Children are eligible as of their 18th birthday, unless they have already graduated high school. A child may be married or over 23 and still be eligible.
Fry Scholarship Benefits
If you're eligible for the Fry Scholarship, you can receive several key benefits:
Read also: Qualifying for the NMSC Scholarship
- Full Tuition and Fees: Payment is made directly to the school for all public school in-state students.
- Private and Foreign Schools: For those attending private or foreign schools, tuition and fees are capped.
- Monthly Housing Allowance: A monthly housing allowance is provided.
- Stipend for Books and Supplies: A stipend is provided for books and supplies.
Fry Scholarship vs. DEA Benefits
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. However, you can use only one program at a time, and combined DEA and Fry Scholarship benefits are capped at 81 months of full-time training.
If your parent died in the line of duty on or after August 1, 2011, you may use both the Fry Scholarship and DEA only if you qualify for DEA under a different event. You can still only use one program at a time.
When applying, you will be required to make an irrevocable election between the Fry Scholarship and the Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program to receive benefits. If you elect to receive DEA, you cannot receive the Fry Scholarship in the future. Or, if you elect to receive the Fry Scholarship, you cannot receive DEA in the future. Once you submit your choice, it cannot be changed.
Time Limits for Using the Fry Scholarship
If your parent was a service member who died before January 1, 2013, you’re eligible for the Fry Scholarship until you’re 33 years old. If the spouse became eligible before January 1, 2013 they are limited to 15 years to use the benefit. The time limitation is removed if the spouse became eligible on or after January 1, 2013.
Benefits for Surviving Spouses
If you remarry, you’ll keep your eligibility for the Fry Scholarship if you qualified for this education benefit through your previous marriage. If you had unused Fry Scholarship benefits that expired, the VA may restore those benefits for you to use anytime after January 2, 2025, even if you’ve remarried.
Read also: Full Scholarship Details
Surviving spouses can use the Fry Scholarship for 15 years from the anniversary of the service member's death or until they remarry.
Surviving spouses are eligible to receive Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) while using the Fry Scholarship.
How to Apply for the Fry Scholarship
You can apply in 1 of these 2 ways.
Option 1: Apply online using the VA website.
Option 2: Complete and submit a VA Form 22-5490, Dependents Application for VA Education Benefits. A parent or guardian must sign the application if the child is under age 18. Send it to the Regional Processing Office with jurisdiction over the state where you will advance your education and training.
Read also: Applying for Graduate Scholarships
After you apply, tell the certifying official at your school that you applied for VA education benefits. If you have started your educational program, take your application to your school or employer. Ask them to complete VA Form 22-1999c, Enrollment Certification, and send both forms to VA. They can submit an Enrollment Certification electronically using Enrollment Manager.
Additional Information
- Yellow Ribbon Program: Recipients of the Fry Scholarship may use the Yellow Ribbon Program.
- Approved Programs: Make sure that your selected program is approved for VA training. There are many schools with approved programs that you can use under the Fry Scholarship. Make sure the program you’re interested in at the school you’d like to attend is approved.
- In-State Tuition: You are eligible to attend any GI Bill-approved school in the country and have your in-state tuition fully covered. You do not have to be a resident of that state to qualify for in-state tuition.
Example: JMU Fry Scholarship Information
JMU requires several documents to finalize setting up the benefit for your first semester:
- Copy of your Certificate of Eligibility showing your eligibility for the Fry Scholarship.
- JMU Request Form - Complete and submit online.
- Let JMU know if you are out of state for tuition as determined by the Admissions Office.
- If you receive any additional scholarships from outside of JMU sources, documentation regarding what charges each scholarship is allowed to cover is needed.
- Complete your FAFSA to see if you qualify for the Iraq and Afghanistan Pell Grant, if you do not qualify for the pell grant based on financial qualifications.
Payments at JMU are handled as follows:
- Tuition/fees are paid directly to JMU, covering up to the fulltime instate tuition rate each semester.
- Housing is paid monthly and in arrears to the student/family. If you live on campus, Full room/board charges must be paid upfront to JMU each semester.
- Books are a stipend paid directly to the student/family, up to $1,000 per academic year at $41.67 per credit.
tags: #fry #scholarship #requirements
