Children Of Fallen Patriots Foundation Scholarship
Before you spend hours on this
Will this scholarship actually lower your cost?
Not always. Many colleges reduce your financial-aid package when you win an outside scholarship — sometimes dollar-for-dollar — so the money can end up saving the school instead of you. It's called scholarship displacement. Two free tools tell you where you actually stand:
General guidance, not financial advice — your school's financial aid office is the only authority on how they treat outside awards. Always confirm with them before deciding.
Best fit for
Children of fallen US military service members (active duty + service-related deaths). The eligibility is genuinely narrow — but for those who qualify, this is the BEST military-family scholarship in the US because it pays the full gap, not a fixed amount.
What they actually look for
Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation pays the FULL gap between your other financial aid (FAFSA + Pell + scholarships + GI Bill survivor benefits) and your actual college cost. Awards typically range $5,000 to $40,000+ per academic year depending on your need-gap. About 100 scholars active at any given time. The foundation also provides mentorship + summer internship placements at partner companies.
What you'll need
- Child of a US military service member who died in active duty since October 1985 OR died from service-related illness/injury
- Plan to attend an accredited US college or university
- FAFSA filed (the foundation FILLS THE GAP between other financial aid and the actual cost of attendance)
- Essays on military family heritage, your fallen parent's legacy, and your goals
- Two recommendations (one ideally from a school counselor who knows your story)
- Verification documentation (DD-1300, casualty notification, etc.)
When to start
Application accepted ROLLING throughout the year — no fixed deadline. The earlier you apply, the sooner support begins. Reach out to fallenpatriots.org as soon as you've been admitted to a college.
Watch out for
The eligibility requires the parent's death to be SERVICE-CONNECTED (active duty incident, combat death, or VA-recognized service-connected illness like cancer or PTSD-suicide). Non-service-connected death (e.g., a car accident on leave, an unrelated illness) typically doesn't qualify even if the parent was active duty. Confirm eligibility with the foundation before fully committing to the application process.