Submitting An Application
1. Student answers eligibility questions and registers as a user on the Air Force Aid Society’s Education Grant Portal.
2. Student and sponsoring member/other parent complete the online application for the Gen. Henry H. Arnold Education Grant Program.
3. ALL applicants must submit:
- Front and back copies of the student’s military ID card [AFI 36-3026(I), Chapter 1, Table 1.8.1.1. permits cardholder to photocopy IDs to “administer military-related benefits to eligible beneficiaries”]
- Copy of sponsoring member’s qualifying documentation, with all but the last four of SSN blacked out, as follows:
> Active Duty – attach copy of assignment orders to present duty station. Title 10 Guard/Reserve attach copy of extended active duty orders showing active status through December 1, 2023. (All Active Duty members sponsoring spouses for grants must be on active duty status through December 1, 2023).
> Title 32 Guard members performing full-time active duty – attach orders/contracts showing performance of full-time active duty through December 1, 2023. (AF Form 526 AGR/USAFR Point Credit Summary accepted with active duty status through December 2023.)
> Retired – attach copy of military retirement orders. (DD Form 214 Statement of Service accepted with reason for separation listed as retirement.) Retired AGR/Reserve attach retirement orders (DD Form 214); notice of eligibility for retired pay at age 60 showing assignment to Retired Reserve Section and placement on USAF Reserve Retired list; or retired pay order showing retired with pay on 60th birthday or later.
> Deceased – attach a copy of AF Form 1613 Statement of Service form; or State Death Certificate with copy of most current military orders.
- Copy of the most recent transcript (unofficial acceptable). Must include any completed coursework through the Fall 2022 semester and reflect the most recent cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. If student never attended college, submit high school transcript. Students who are homeschooled are required to provide standardized test results (SAT, ACT, GED) or state-issued documentation of high school completion as proof of meeting 2.0 GPA requirement.
- Copy of full Student Aid Report (SAR) generated from the 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Note: Confirmation or acknowledgement pages for submitting the FAFSA are not acceptable.
- Students applying as a 5th year undergraduate must provide verification of enrollment in a 5-year degree program (5th year required for all students in degree program/major).
4. Submit the application and all required documentation to Air Force Aid Society’s Education Assistance Department.
ONLY CORRECTLY COMPLETED APPLICATIONS WITH ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS THAT ARE RECEIVED BY 11:59 P.M. EST ON APRIL 30, 2023 WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR A GRANT AWARD.
After An Application is Submitted
5. AFAS receives application and reviews for applicant’s eligibility and Air Force or Space Force member’s status. All applicants will be notified of their eligibility within 2 weeks of submitting their online application to AFAS HQ.
6. After application deadline, all eligible applicants will be evaluated for a financial needs based grant selection, which is based on the cost of attendance at student’s chosen college and Expected Family Contribution (EFC) entered on Student Aid Report (SAR) from FAFSA.
7. If applicant is selected for a grant, an award notice – identifying the school selection upon which eligibility was based – will be emailed to the student in June. Changing schools can affect eligibility. Re-scoring of eligibility is automatic when notice of school change is received. Applicants not selected will also be notified in June.
8. All grant award checks will be made payable to the school’s financial aid office. Students attending Fall and Spring will be sent in two increments (first increment will be disbursed in early August, and the second in early December). Use of funds is limited to tuition, books, fees, and other curriculum-required materials. Room and board are not allowable expenses. Grant awards for 2023-2024 are valid through May 2023. However, funds may only be used for the academic year for which they were disbursed. Any check not cashed by May 31, 2023 will be canceled and funds will not be reissued.
NOTE: The AFAS Grant Program application deadline for the 2023-2024 academic year is April 30, 2023. All forms and required documents should be submitted in time to meet deadlines. Only applicants whose grant application materials (online applications and supporting documents) have been received by the stated deadline will be considered for a grant.