Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education

The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program gives need-based scholarships, and interest-free loans, to the children and spouses of Sailors and Marines. Children qualify if they are dependents of an active-duty, retired or deceased Sailor or Marine, are under age 23 as of September 30 of the award year, and are working on a first undergraduate degree or a career and technical program at an accredited two- or four-year college, technical or vocational school, full or part time, with at least a 2.0 GPA. Scholarships range from $500 to $3,000, with the amount set by the student's FAFSA Student Aid Index and the cost of the school. The society reported $517,000 in scholarships to nearly 500 families last year. The online application window is short: for 2026-27 it opened February 16 and closed April 17, 2026, so high school seniors should file the FAFSA early and apply in late winter of senior year.

Other deadlines near this one

How hard is the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance 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. No published applicant or winner counts exist for this award, so Solyo shows no odds figure.

Odds: no published selection data
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.

More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
Fewer rivalsRequires a military or national-service connection
Fewer rivalsRequires at least a 2 GPA

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 Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program?

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
GPA of 2 or higher (unweighted)
For active-duty military or veteran families
Age 22 or younger

Confirm these before applying

Must be the dependent child of an active-duty, retired or deceased U.S. Navy Sailor or U.S. Marine
Children must be under age 23 as of September 30 of the award year

Good to know

Award size is based on FAFSA Student Aid Index and cost of attendance, so the FAFSA must be filed

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 17, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual April 17 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Applications open Mid-February. The window is about two months long; the 2027-28 dates are not yet posted, so the April 2026 close is shown as the last real date.

Application opens: Mid-February 2027
Application closes: April 17, 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 Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program

How much is the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program worth?

The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program awards $500 to $3,000 and is renewable in later years.

When is the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program deadline?

The next projected deadline is April 17, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual April 17 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Applications open Mid-February. The window is about two months long; the 2027-28 dates are not yet posted, so the April 2026 close is shown as the last real date.

When do Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program applications open?

Applications open Mid-February, and close April 17, 2027 (estimated). The window is about two months long; the 2027-28 dates are not yet posted, so the April 2026 close is shown as the last real date.

Who is eligible for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program?

Key requirements: Open to high school seniors and current college students; GPA of 2 or higher (unweighted); For active-duty military or veteran families; Age 22 or younger.

Does the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program require an essay?

No essay is required. The application does ask for a transcript. Expect to spend about 3 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance 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. No published applicant or winner counts exist for this award, so Solyo shows no odds figure. What is known: an official transcript is required and requires a military or national-service connection. Plan on about 3 hrs of work.

Is the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program free to apply?

Yes. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Education Assistance Program