Military & Service FamiliesWorth a shot

Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship

Offered by Coast Guard Foundation · Free to apply

The Coast Guard Foundation awards annual scholarships of $2,500 or $5,000 to the college-aged children of active-duty Coast Guard members, reservists serving at least 180 days on active duty, and retired Coast Guard members, both enlisted and officers. Graduating high school seniors and students already in college or trade school can apply, and students may apply again for up to four years. Awards are paid to an accredited college, university, trade school or training program and can cover tuition, room and board, fees and books. Selection weighs academics, leadership and community involvement, and financial need helps set the award level, so a FAFSA report is part of the application, along with forms completed by the Coast Guard sponsor and a guidance counselor. The foundation awarded 255 scholarships in 2025 and planned more for 2026. The application window runs February 1 to April 1. Children who lost a parent in line-of-duty service may qualify for separate Fallen Heroes scholarships covering full costs.

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How hard is the Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship to win?

Real competition, but not a lottery. The time cost is low enough relative to the award that a qualified student comes out ahead by applying.

Estimated odds: roughly 1 in 20 applicants
Modelled applicant field: ~5,000 students
Awards each cycle: 255
Payoff per hour of work: $56 / hr

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.

More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
Fewer rivalsRequires a military or national-service connection

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 Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship?

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

Open to high school seniors and current college students
For active-duty military or veteran families

Confirm these before applying

Must be a dependent of an active-duty, retired, or reserve (on active duty 180+ days) U.S. Coast Guard member

Good to know

FAFSA report required; need helps set the award level

Personalized matching

Does your student actually qualify?

Not sure your student clears every rule above? Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.

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What the application takes

Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.

Deadline and application cycle

The next projected deadline is April 1, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual April 1 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Applications open February 1.

Application opens: February 1, 2027
Application deadline: April 1, 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 Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship

How much is the Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship worth?

The Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship awards $2,500 or $5,000 per year and is renewable in later years. 255 awards are made each cycle.

When is the Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship deadline?

When do Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship applications open?

Applications open February 1, and close April 1, 2027 (estimated).

Who is eligible for the Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship?

Key requirements: Open to high school seniors and current college students; For active-duty military or veteran families.

Does the Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship require an essay?

No essay is required. The application does ask for a transcript. Expect to spend about 5 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship?

Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 20 applicants, against a modelled field of ~5,000 students. The pool stays that size because an official transcript is required and requires a military or national-service connection. At 5 hrs of work, that is about $56 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.

Is the Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship free to apply?

Yes. The Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

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Lists this award appears on

Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.