Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program

Created in 1947, the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship is one of the most generous veteran-family benefits in the country. Children and stepchildren of qualifying veterans can receive up to five standard academic years (10 semesters) of undergraduate study at an Alabama school, with tuition paid up to $400 per credit hour each semester and up to $1,000 combined for textbooks and fees, after other scholarships and grants are applied. A veteran qualifies with at least 90 days of honorable active duty and a service-connected disability rating of 40 percent or more, or as a former POW, MIA, or one who died of a service-connected cause or on active duty; Alabama residency rules for the veteran also apply. Students must be current Alabama residents, file the FAFSA each year, meet satisfactory academic progress and sign FERPA releases. Children must start before their 26th birthday. The student, not the parent, applies online through the ADVA portal, and benefits are never retroactive.

Other deadlines near this one

How hard is the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program to win?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award.

Odds: not published by the provider
Paperwork: ~3 hrs to file

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

Fewer rivalsOpen only to Alabama residents
Fewer rivalsRequires a military or national-service connection
Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only

How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

Must be a resident of Alabama
Must attend a college in Alabama (the award does not travel out of state)
Open to high school seniors
For active-duty military or veteran families or students who lost a parent in military service
Age 25 or younger

Confirm these before applying

Veteran parent must have a 40%+ service-connected rating, or be a former POW, MIA, or have died from service or on active duty
Veteran must meet Alabama residency requirements; student must be a current Alabama resident

Good to know

Benefits start only from the date ADVA receives the application

What the application takes

No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.

Deadline and application cycle

The next projected deadline is June 30, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual June 30 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site.

FAFSA opens: October 1, 2026
Apply: June 30, 2027 (estimated)

Track the next deadline Apply on the official site

Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.

Common questions about the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program

How much is the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program worth?

The Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program awards tuition up to $400 per credit hour plus up to $1,000 for books and fees and is renewable in later years.

When is the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program deadline?

The next projected deadline is June 30, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual June 30 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site.

Who is eligible for the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program?

Key requirements: Must be a resident of Alabama; Must attend a college in Alabama (the award does not travel out of state); Open to high school seniors; For active-duty military or veteran families or students who lost a parent in military service. 1 more criteria are listed on this page.

Does the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program require an essay?

No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 3 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program?

A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award. What is known: open only to Alabama residents and requires a military or national-service connection. Plan on about 3 hrs of work.

Is the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program free to apply?

Yes. The Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.