Fry Scholarship: Full College Funding for Children and Spouses of Fallen Service Members

If your parent or spouse died in military service after September 10, 2001, the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship) can pay for your college education or career training. This isn’t a small grant or partial scholarship—we’re talking about the same comprehensive benefits that veterans receive through the Post-9/11 GI Bill: full tuition coverage at public schools, substantial tuition support at private schools, monthly housing payments while you’re in school, and money for books and supplies.

For many Gold Star families, the Fry Scholarship makes the difference between attending college and missing that opportunity due to financial constraints. The loss of a service member often creates immediate financial hardship for families. This scholarship recognizes that sacrifice and ensures that educational dreams don’t have to die along with the service member.

The benefits are substantial. At a public university, the Fry Scholarship typically covers full in-state tuition and fees. That could be $10,000 to $15,000 per year or more, depending on the school. Add the monthly housing allowance—often $1,000 to $2,500 per month while school is in session—plus $1,000 annually for books, and you’re looking at total annual benefits of $20,000 to $40,000 or more. Over four years of undergraduate education, that’s $80,000 to $160,000 in support.

Unlike student loans that burden graduates with debt for decades, or need-based aid that leaves gaps in coverage, the Fry Scholarship provides comprehensive support that can cover the full cost of attendance at many schools. And for children of fallen service members, there’s generally no time limit—you can use the benefit years or even decades after your parent’s death, whenever you’re ready for education or training.

Key Details at a Glance

Who Qualifies for the Fry Scholarship

Eligibility depends on your relationship to the service member and the circumstances of their death.

Basic Eligibility Requirements:

Your parent or spouse must have been a service member or member of the Selected Reserve who died on or after September 11, 2001, under one of these circumstances:

• Died in the line of duty while serving on active duty
• Died from a service-connected disability within 120 days of separating from active duty
• Died in the line of duty while in the Selected Reserve (during active duty for training or inactive duty training)
• Died from a service-connected disability while in the Selected Reserve

Note the date requirement: September 11, 2001 or after. Deaths before this date don’t qualify for the Fry Scholarship, though other VA education benefits may be available.

If You’re the Child of the Service Member:

You can be married or unmarried—marital status doesn’t matter for children. You need to be at least 18 years old OR have graduated high school or earned your GED, whichever comes first. So if you graduate high school at 17, you can start using benefits immediately.

The time limit to use benefits depends on when your parent died. If your parent died on or after January 1, 2013, there’s no time limit—you can use the scholarship at age 20, 30, 40, or even later. If your parent died before January 1, 2013 but you turned 18, graduated high school, or got your GED after January 1, 2013, you also have no time limit. Only if your parent died before January 1, 2013 AND you reached age 18 or graduated before that date do you face a limit (age 33).

Children using the Fry Scholarship may also qualify for the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program if their parent died under certain conditions. However, you can only use one program at a time, and there are caps on combined usage. More on this in the comparison section below.

If You’re the Surviving Spouse:

Surviving spouses have different rules than children. You must use your Fry Scholarship benefits within 15 years of the service member’s death. This is a firm deadline—benefits expire if not used within this window.

Remarriage used to be more complicated, but rules have been liberalized. If you remarry, you keep your Fry Scholarship eligibility. If you had unused benefits that expired before recent rule changes and you’ve remarried, you may be able to get those benefits restored. Contact the VA to ask about restoration if this applies to you.

Surviving spouses can receive both the Fry Scholarship AND Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)—a monthly cash payment for eligible survivors—at the same time. This is different from children, who must choose between DIC and the Fry Scholarship (they can’t receive both simultaneously).

Special Situations:

If your service member parent or spouse was in the National Guard or Reserves but was killed on State Active Duty (state orders, not federal orders), you typically don’t qualify for the Fry Scholarship. The death must have occurred while on federal active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training under federal authority.

If the service member died from a service-connected disability after separating from service, the death must have occurred within 120 days of separation to qualify. Deaths from service-connected disabilities more than 120 days after separation don’t establish Fry Scholarship eligibility, though other VA benefits may be available.

What the Fry Scholarship Actually Covers

The Fry Scholarship provides the same benefits as the Post-9/11 GI Bill that veterans receive. Understanding what’s covered helps you plan your education budget.

Tuition and Fees:

For public schools, the VA pays all in-state tuition and fees directly to the school. You don’t see this money—it goes straight from the VA to your college. If you’re charged out-of-state tuition as a new resident, many states have laws requiring public schools to charge in-state rates to military-connected students, including Fry Scholarship recipients. Check with your school’s veterans office about this.

For private schools and foreign schools, the VA pays up to a national maximum, which for the 2024-2025 academic year is $28,937.36. Some private schools participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, where the school and VA together cover costs above the national maximum, potentially giving you full coverage even at expensive private universities.

Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA):

While you’re enrolled, the VA pays you a monthly housing allowance based on the ZIP code of your school and your enrollment level. If you’re enrolled full-time, you receive the full monthly housing allowance for that location. Three-quarter time gets 80% of the full amount, half-time gets 60%, and less than half-time but more than quarter-time gets 40%.

Housing allowance rates vary significantly by location. A school in rural Iowa might have an MHA of $1,200/month, while one in Los Angeles or New York could be $2,500/month or more. The VA calculates these based on the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for military members at the E-5 with dependents level.

You receive housing allowance only during months when you’re enrolled. Summer break without enrollment means no housing payment unless you’re taking summer classes. Plan your budget accordingly.

Books and Supplies Stipend:

The VA provides up to $1,000 per academic year (August 1 - July 31) for books and supplies. This is paid directly to you, not to the school. Payment is prorated based on enrollment level and length of enrollment. If you’re enrolled for a full academic year at full-time status, you’ll receive approximately $41.67 per month ($1,000 ÷ 24 months) as long as you’re enrolled.

Additional Covered Benefits:

Beyond the big three (tuition, housing, books), the Fry Scholarship can also pay for tutorial assistance (up to $100/month for extra tutoring if you’re struggling with a course), licensing and certification tests (the VA reimburses the cost of one test per licensing objective), national exams like the SAT, ACT, GRE, or GMAT (reimbursement after you pay), and work-study programs (earn money while working a VA-related job on campus).

What’s Not Covered:

Room and board beyond the housing allowance, meal plans, parking fees, student activity fees (sometimes—depends on whether the school considers them mandatory fees), health insurance, travel to and from school, computers and technology beyond basic books, and late fees or non-attendance penalties.

Insider Tips for Maximizing Your Benefits

Having worked with many Fry Scholarship recipients, here’s what actually makes a difference.

Start the Application Process Early: Even if you’re not starting school for months, apply for the Fry Scholarship as soon as you decide to pursue education. VA processing can take 4-6 weeks or longer, and you want benefits in place before your first term starts. Missing the enrollment certification deadline for your first semester means delayed housing payments and potential out-of-pocket tuition costs while you wait for VA payment.

Understand the Yellow Ribbon Program: If you’re considering private schools, research which ones participate in Yellow Ribbon and at what level. Some prestigious private universities offer unlimited Yellow Ribbon spots covering their entire tuition, making them free to attend for Fry Scholarship recipients. Others have limited spots or cap their contribution. Contact schools’ veterans offices directly to ask about their Yellow Ribbon participation before committing.

Choose Your School’s ZIP Code Wisely: The housing allowance is based on the school location’s ZIP code, not where you choose to live. If you’re deciding between a school in an expensive city versus a suburban branch campus of the same university, understand that the city campus might provide $1,500 more per month in housing allowance. Over four years, that’s $72,000. If the academic programs are comparable, the housing allowance difference can be significant.

Consider Online Programs Carefully: Online-only students receive a lower housing allowance rate (currently $1,005.50/month regardless of location) compared to in-person students who receive rates based on the school’s ZIP code. If you live in an expensive area and have the choice between online and in-person programs, the in-person program’s higher housing allowance might more than cover any extra costs like transportation.

Maintain Full-Time Status When Possible: Benefits are prorated for less-than-full-time enrollment. Dropping from full-time (12+ credit hours) to three-quarter time (9-11 hours) reduces your housing allowance by 20%, while tuition coverage remains proportional. Unless you have compelling reasons to go part-time, staying full-time maximizes your benefits and gets you through school faster, preserving months of entitlement for graduate school or additional training.

Coordinate with Other Financial Aid: The Fry Scholarship can be combined with most other scholarships, grants, and financial aid. Apply for everything you’re eligible for—Pell Grants, state grants, institutional scholarships, private scholarships. Any aid that reduces your out-of-pocket cost is valuable. However, some VA education benefits can’t be used simultaneously (like the Fry Scholarship and DEA), so understand which combinations are allowed.

Save Your Housing Allowance: Housing allowance goes directly to you, not to your school or landlord. If you can find ways to keep housing costs below your allowance—living at home, sharing an apartment, choosing lower-cost housing—you can save the difference. Many students use extra housing allowance to offset other college costs or build emergency savings.

Use Benefits Strategically: You have 36 months of benefits. A typical four-year bachelor’s degree requires about 36 months of enrollment (9-month academic years for 4 years). If you test out of courses through AP, CLEP, or prior learning assessment, you might complete your degree in fewer than 36 months, leaving benefits for graduate school. Or use summers to accelerate your degree and save months of benefits. Think strategically about maximizing what you get from each month of entitlement.

Get Help from the School Certifying Official: Every school has a VA School Certifying Official (SCO) who handles GI Bill and Fry Scholarship certifications. These people know the system inside and out. Build a relationship with your SCO—they can help troubleshoot benefit issues, answer questions about enrollment, and ensure your certifications are processed correctly. They’re your advocate within the system.

Application Process Step by Step

Here’s exactly how to apply for and use the Fry Scholarship:

Step 1: Gather Required Information

Before you start the application, collect the following:

• Your Social Security number and birth certificate
• The service member’s Social Security number, dates of service, and date of death
• DD Form 1300 (Report of Casualty) if available, or information about where you can obtain it
• Marriage certificate if you’re a surviving spouse
• Benefit information for any other VA education benefits you may have (like DEA) if applicable
• The school name, address, and program you plan to attend (if you’ve chosen one)

Step 2: Complete VA Form 22-5490

You can apply online through the VA website (fastest method) or submit a paper application. The form asks for biographical information, your relationship to the service member, information about the service member’s death, and your education plans.

If you’re applying online, the portal walks you through each section. If you’re applying by mail, download Form 22-5490 from the VA website, complete it, and mail it to the regional processing office for the state where your school is located (or where you live if you haven’t chosen a school yet).

Step 3: Submit Supporting Documentation

Depending on your situation, you may need to provide:

• DD Form 1300 or other documentation of the service member’s death in the line of duty
• Birth certificate or adoption papers showing your relationship to the service member
• Marriage certificate if you’re a surviving spouse
• High school transcript or diploma (for children under 24)

The VA often already has documentation about the service member’s death in their system, but having copies ready can speed the process.

Step 4: Wait for VA Decision

Processing typically takes 30-45 days, though it can be longer during peak periods (summer before fall semester). The VA will mail you a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) showing your benefit level and months of entitlement available.

Keep your COE in a safe place—you’ll need to provide it to your school’s certifying official.

Step 5: Enroll in an Approved Program

Choose a school and program that’s approved for VA benefits. Use the VA’s GI Bill Comparison Tool to verify that the school and specific program are approved. Not all programs at approved schools are covered—specialized certificates or non-degree programs need individual approval.

Step 6: Notify Your School’s Certifying Official

Once you’re enrolled, contact your school’s VA School Certifying Official (SCO) and inform them that you’re using Fry Scholarship benefits. Provide them with your COE. The SCO will submit your enrollment certification to the VA, which triggers benefit payments.

Do this before the term starts or as early in the term as possible. Late certifications delay your housing allowance payments, though tuition payments to the school are usually retroactive.

Step 7: Monitor Your Benefits

Track your remaining entitlement through the VA’s online portal. Keep copies of your enrollment certifications. Verify that you’re receiving the correct tuition payments and housing allowance amounts. If something seems wrong, contact your SCO or the VA immediately—problems are easier to fix when caught early.

Step 8: Recertify Each Term

You don’t apply again each semester, but your SCO must certify your enrollment every term. Make sure you’re communicating with your SCO at the beginning of each semester. If you change your enrollment level (drop from full-time to part-time, or add classes), notify your SCO so they can update your certification. Changes in enrollment level affect your housing allowance and benefits usage rate.

Fry Scholarship vs. DEA: Which to Choose

Some children may qualify for both the Fry Scholarship and the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program. Understanding the differences helps you choose the right benefit.

Fry Scholarship Benefits:

• Typically covers full in-state public school tuition or up to ~$29,000 at private schools
• Provides monthly housing allowance ($1,000-$2,500/month typically)
• $1,000/year books stipend
• Based on Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit structure
• 36 months of benefits
• Can’t receive DIC simultaneously (children only)

DEA Benefits:

• Pays a fixed monthly amount (currently $1,488/month as of October 2024, subject to annual adjustments)
• No separate housing or book allowances—the monthly payment covers everything
• Can receive DIC payments simultaneously
• 45 months of benefits available
• Can be used for high school advanced training, college, graduate school, apprenticeships, etc.

When to Choose Fry Scholarship:

If you’re attending a school with high tuition, the Fry Scholarship usually provides much more value. At a public university charging $12,000/year tuition plus living in an area with $1,500/month housing allowance, you’re getting roughly $4,000/month in benefits during the academic year from the Fry Scholarship versus $1,488/month from DEA.

When to Choose DEA:

If you’re attending a very low-cost school, training program, or doing an apprenticeship where the tuition component is minimal, DEA’s fixed monthly payment might be comparable to Fry Scholarship benefits, and DEA allows you to continue receiving DIC (if you qualify for it), which adds to your total support. Additionally, DEA provides 45 months versus 36 months for Fry Scholarship, which could matter for longer programs.

Switching Between Benefits:

You can only use one benefit at a time, but you can switch between them. Maybe you use DEA for a certificate program while receiving DIC, then switch to Fry Scholarship for your bachelor’s degree when the higher education benefits are more valuable. There are caps on combined usage (48 or 81 months total depending on circumstances), but switching strategically can maximize total benefits.

Get Personalized Advice:

The calculations are complex and depend on your specific situation. Contact a VA education benefits counselor or a Veterans Service Organization to run the numbers for your circumstances before making a final decision.

Common Mistakes That Cost Money or Benefits

These errors result in delayed payments, reduced benefits, or denial of benefits:

Not Applying Early Enough: Applying the week before school starts means you won’t have benefits in place for the first term. Apply at least 60 days before your first term starts. Late applications can result in you having to pay tuition out-of-pocket and wait months for reimbursement.

Not Communicating with the School Certifying Official: Your SCO is the person who makes your benefits work. Failing to contact them, providing incomplete information, or not responding to their requests delays everything. Build a relationship with your SCO and stay in communication.

Dropping Classes Without Understanding the Impact: Dropping below half-time enrollment triggers a debt to the VA for housing allowance already paid for that term. Withdrawing from school entirely midterm requires you to pay back the housing allowance from the date you withdrew. If you must drop classes, understand the financial impact first and consider whether you can drop some classes while maintaining at least half-time status.

Not Tracking Remaining Entitlement: You have 36 months of benefits. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Retaking failed classes, changing majors multiple times, or taking unnecessary courses burns through entitlement. Track your remaining months and use them wisely.

Missing Certification Deadlines: Each term, there’s a deadline by which your enrollment must be certified to the VA. Miss this deadline, and your housing payments get delayed, sometimes by months. Mark these deadlines on your calendar and follow up with your SCO to ensure certification happens on time.

Not Verifying Enrollment Each Month: For housing allowance, the VA requires monthly enrollment verification. Usually this is automatic, but sometimes you need to verify through the VA website. Failure to verify can pause your housing payments until you complete the verification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the Fry Scholarship for graduate school? Yes, as long as you have entitlement remaining. The 36 months can be used for undergraduate, graduate, professional school, certificates, licenses, or apprenticeships—any approved program.

What if I already have a bachelor’s degree? You can still use the Fry Scholarship for a second bachelor’s, a master’s, professional degree, certificate programs, or career training. Prior education doesn’t disqualify you.

Can I transfer the Fry Scholarship to my children? No, the Fry Scholarship is a personal benefit that can’t be transferred. However, if you’re eligible and don’t use all 36 months, the unused portion doesn’t transfer to anyone else—it just expires.

Does the Fry Scholarship cover study abroad? Yes, if the program is approved for VA benefits. Many study abroad programs through US institutions are approved. Check with the VA before enrolling to confirm.

What happens if I fail a class? You can use Fry Scholarship benefits to retake a failed class once. Retaking the same class multiple times burns through entitlement without making progress, so take classes seriously.

Can I get the Fry Scholarship if I’m not a US citizen? You must be a US citizen or national, or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Proof of citizenship or legal permanent resident status is required.

How does the housing allowance work during winter and spring breaks? You receive housing allowance for days you’re enrolled, including break periods between terms as long as you’re enrolled in both the term before and after the break. Summer is different—you only get housing allowance if you’re enrolled in summer classes.

What if my school isn’t approved for VA benefits? You can’t use the Fry Scholarship at schools or programs that aren’t VA-approved. Check the GI Bill Comparison Tool before enrolling. If it’s a legitimate school not yet approved, they can apply for VA approval, but this process takes months.

Getting Started

If you’re eligible for the Fry Scholarship, here’s your action plan:

First, visit the official VA Fry Scholarship page at https://www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/education-and-careers/fry-scholarship/ for complete, up-to-date program information.

Second, gather the documents listed in the application section above. Having everything ready before you start the application speeds the process.

Third, apply online through the VA’s online application portal. This is faster than mail applications and you get immediate confirmation of submission.

Fourth, while waiting for your Certificate of Eligibility (30-45 days typically), research schools and programs using the GI Bill Comparison Tool. Look at tuition costs, housing allowance rates for each location, and Yellow Ribbon participation for private schools.

Fifth, once you receive your COE and enroll in school, immediately contact the school’s VA School Certifying Official to initiate your benefit certifications.

For questions or help with your application, contact the VA Education Call Center at 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551). For help navigating the process, contact a Veterans Service Organization like the VFW, American Legion, or DAV—they provide free assistance to survivors of service members.

The Fry Scholarship honors your service member’s sacrifice by ensuring their family members can pursue education without financial barriers. If you’re eligible, this benefit can change your life—don’t leave it unused.