Scholarships available for veterans' children
By Dennis Hill
Published in News on September 5, 2011 1:46 PM
RALEIGH -- As families participate in the annual ritual of back-to-school preparedness, the N.C. Division of Veterans Affairs is reminding eligible students to apply for college scholarships available to children of North Carolina war veterans.
"In appreciation for the service and sacrifices of North Carolina's war veterans, these scholarships are provided to help to defray the ever-increasing costs of higher education," said NCDVA Director Tim Wipperman. "The express purpose of the funds is to provide scholastic support to help children of certain disabled, deceased, combat or POW/MIA veterans."
With the legislature's budget cuts that reduced both staff and class options at public universities and community colleges and increased costs for students, Wipperman expects requests for NCDVA scholarship support to increase this year.
The annual application deadline is March 1. Scholarships may be used at schools located in North Carolina that are state-owned institutions of higher education, community colleges and technical institutes or privately-owned, non-profit colleges and universities.
There are several classes of scholarship eligibility. Interested students should contact their local Veterans Service Office by visiting http://www.doa.nc.gov/vets/locations/.
To qualify, the applicant must be domiciled and a resident of North Carolina at the time of application. Additionally:
* The veteran parent was a legal resident of North Carolina at time of said veteran's entrance into that period of service in the armed forces during which eligibility is established; or
* The applicant of an eligible veteran is the natural child or adopted child prior to age 15, who was born in North Carolina and has been a resident of North Carolina continuously since birth.; and
* The applicant must be under age 25 at the time of application.
Most scholarships provide free tuition, certain fees and a reasonable room and board allowance in state-owned institutions and $4,500 per academic year in private institutions. In addition, a limited number of scholarships provide free tuition and certain fees in state-owned institutions and $1,500 per academic year in private institutions. For more information, or to submit an application, contact your local Veterans Service Office.