The ThanksUSA Scholarship Program has closed for the 2009-10 academic year.
THANK YOU to all who applied. As stated in the guidelines, the first 10,000 applications received by Scholarship Management Services either online or with the postmark deadline of May 15th will be evaluated. For those who applied on-line but are not selected as recipients, you will be sent an email to the same email address you applied from. For those who mailed in their application, If you received a postcard, you will receive a letter in July notifying you as to whether or not you have been awarded a ThanksUSA scholarship. If you do not receive a notification letter or an email by early August, please contact Scholarship Management Services at 1-877-THX-USAS (1-877-849-8727).
Register an email address (below) to receive a reminder regarding ThanksUSA's 2010 military scholarship when it opens next spring. ThanksUSA will send an e-mail in late March to let you know the new guidelines and application are on our web site.
New in 2009 is an on-line application. You may click on this link - https://www.scholarshipamerica.org/thanksusa -- to take you to the landing page at scholarship America, administrators of the program, where you may apply on-line, which is preferred. If you apply on-line, you must mail in your transcripts and documentation of military service by the May 15, 2009, postmark deadline. On-line applicants will receive an electronic acknowledgement when their application has been successfully submitted on-line.
If you are not able to apply on-line, you may print off an application, and mail it along with supporting documents in one package. Incomplete paper applications will not be evaluated and you will not receive a postcard acknowledging their arrival at Scholarship America.
SPECIAL NOTE
The Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation and NVCC's Student Financial Aid Office are joining ThanksUSA to offer the Linda J. Romeo/ThanksUSA scholarship. This $4000 scholarship will be awarded to a female military spouse residing in the National Capital Region attending Northern Virginia Community College. Interested applicants must first submit a completed ThanksUSA scholarship application. If approved for ThanksUSA scholarship funds, applicants will be asked to complete a supplemental NVCC scholarship application.
Who is eligible for the scholarships?
All dependent children, age 24 and under (as of the 5/15/09 application deadline), and all spouses of active-duty U.S. military service personnel are eligible to apply for scholarships with ThanksUSA®.
ThanksUSA defines "active-duty U.S. military personnel" as those who have served in active duty for at least 180 days since 9/11/01, including all those who have been killed or wounded in action. "U.S. military personnel" are defined as members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Members of the military reserves who have been activated to full-time duty, and members of the National Guard who have been federalized and who otherwise meet the requirements, are both eligible.
Dependent children are defined as natural and legally adopted children or stepchildren living in the military service member's household and/or primarily supported financially by the service member.
Applicants must plan to enroll full-time* in an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, vocational school or technical school. They must also have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent on their relevant academic record (e.g., high-school record for incoming freshmen or post-secondary school record for those already enrolled in a college, university or vocational/technical school).
* "Full-time study" means full-time enrollment, as defined by the university, for the entire upcoming academic year.
Awardees are required to comply with all academic and institutional rules, regulations and guidelines and to abide by all governing laws. Awardees who do not attend, who drop out or who are expelled will forfeit their grant. Further, awards will not be deferred for any reason. However, eligible applicants may apply in subsequent years if ThanksUSA is offering the same scholarship program at that point.
What are the criteria for the awards?
Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of financial need; academic record; demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities; and a goal statement. Preference will be given to children or spouses of service personnel killed or injured during active duty.
How much are the awards?
If selected as a recipient, the student will receive an award of $3,000. Scholarship Management Services processes scholarship payments on behalf of ThanksUSA. Fall-term 2009 checks are mailed to each recipient's home address on August 15 and are made payable to the school for the scholarship recipient.
How many scholarships will be awarded this year?
ThanksUSA plans to award 500 scholarships this year.
Can I use the award for graduate study?
The awards are for undergraduate study at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, vocational school or technical school only and NOT for graduate study. Awards are for first-time undergraduate study only. Applicants who have already completed a Bachelor's Degree or are enrolled in Master's programs, graduate-level study or non-degree licensure/certification programs are not eligible.
What are the important deadlines to keep in mind?
The scholarship application period begins on April 1, 2009, and the deadline is May 15, 2009, or until 10,000 applications are received (whichever occurs first). If 10,000 applications are received before May 15, 2009, then a notice will be posted on the home page of this site.
Applicants will be notified of their status in late July 2009.
How does the application process work?
Applicants can either submit on-line (the preferred method), or print off the application and mail it in. If you submit your application on-line, you must mail in required supporting documentation. Required documentation includes current transcripts plus evidence of active-military duty to verify eligibility (e.g., a Statement of Service, a letter or written statement from the Personnel Department or the Commanding Officer, a copy of Duty Orders, a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty or a DD 214). Do NOT send in a copy of your military I.D. If applicable, physician's documentation of injury sustained in the line of duty, or copy of death certificate for killed in the line of duty, must be submitted.
Both the on-line application and the PDF version of the
application can be found at
https://www.scholarshipamerica.org/thanksusa
If you are not able to apply on-line, you may print off an application and mail it along with all supporting documents in one package. Incomplete paper applications will not be evaluated and you will not receive a postcard acknowledging their arrival at Scholarship America.
- Mail the application (if applicable) and supporting documentation in one envelope by May 15, 2009, to:
- Applicants will receive an email confirmation when their electronic application is successfully submitted. Late submissions and incomplete application packages will not be considered.
ThanksUSA Scholarship Program
Scholarship Management Services
One Scholarship Way
P.O. Box 297
Saint Peter, MN 56082
How do I learn more about these Scholarships?
If you have questions filling out the application, please call Scholarship Management Services at (877) THX-USAS/(877)-849-8727 or (507) 931-0408.