State Military Benefits

Alabama GI Dependents’ Scholarship

The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs offers financial assistance to eligible dependents of disabled veterans (living or deceased), who were permanent civilian residents of Alabama prior to entry into military service. The veteran must be rated 40% or more due to a service-connected disability or have held the qualifying rating at the time of death. Veterans with a disability rating of 20-30% may qualify if the effective date of their disability rating is on or before July 31, 2017. This provision will expire on July 31, 2023. Special consideration is given to dependents of permanently and totally disabled veterans who are Bonafide residents or were prior to their death. Under the Alabama GI Dependent Scholarship program, a dependent is defined as a child, stepchild, spouse, or unmarried widow(er)

The veteran must have honorably served at least 90 days of continuous active federal military service or been honorably discharged by reason of service-connected disability after serving less than 90 days of continuous active federal military service.

For more information on the qualifications and requirements, please visit AL G.I. DEPENDENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM – AL Dept. of Veterans Affairs or your local Veterans Affairs office to apply. You can find your local office by visiting Find VA Locations | Veterans Affairs.

Student Requirements

You must follow all of the following guidelines:

Entitlement

Children and stepchildren of qualified veterans AND spouses or un-remarried widow(er)s of a veteran rated as 100% permanently and totally disabled: Five standard academic years (10 semesters) at any Alabama qualifying school for undergraduate courses of study. Must use the 10 semesters within 8 years from the date the application is received at the AL Dept. of Veteran Affairs headquarters office. Benefits cannot be granted retroactively.

Spouses or un-remarried widow(er)s of a veteran rated 40-90% disabled: Three standard academic years (6 semesters) at any Alabama qualifying school for undergraduate courses of study. Must use the 6 semesters within 6 years from the date the application is received at the AL Dept. of Veteran Affairs headquarters office. Benefits cannot be granted retroactively.

Important Information

• The scholarship is the payer of last resort. All other scholarships and grants must be applied to required education expenses first.
• If a student is Pell Grant eligible and it covers all the tuition, fees, and books, the scholarship cannot be used.
• AL GI does NOT cover institutional fees. Please consult the cost of attendance to see the amount of fees you will be responsible for each term.
• AL GI Dependent Scholarship does NOT cover non credit, remedial, continuing education, pre-technical courses, placement testing (including nursing testing fees), GED preparation, or state board examinations.

For book purchases:

• The books must be required textbooks for the courses in which you are officially enrolled. Additional books such as reference manuals, access codes, suggested reading material, study guides or workbooks, clothing items, and specialty kits are NOT covered under the scholarship.
• Replacement of books that are lost or stolen will be the financial responsibility of the student.
• The new ALL-IN Textbook Rental Program, which started Fall 2022, is covered under the AL GI Dependent Scholarship with books. If you stay opted in for this program, The ALL-IN program fee is $25 per credit hour. All classes will be included in the new program, except Aviation Maintenance Technology, Avionics, Mechatronics, and specific academic classes that do not require a book. All required course material will be covered in the ALL-IN fee, except specialty kits.
• If a student is included in the ALL-IN textbook rental program, the student will only be allowed to use their AL GI scholarship for those books; no other additional textbooks or items will be purchased as the rental program includes the required textbooks.
• If the student opts out of the ALL-IN textbook program, the student can purchase the required textbooks only under AL GI Dependent Scholarship. The student cannot do both the textbook rental program and purchase the textbooks under the scholarship; it is either one or the other. To opt-out of the ALL-IN Textbook rental program, please contact va@escc.edu.

Alabama National Guard Education Assistance Program (ANGEAP):

The Alabama National Guard Educational Assistance Program is a state student assistance program established by the legislature of the State of Alabama and is designed to provide financial assistance towards tuition and educational fees to Alabama National Guard members who are residents of the State of Alabama and are enrolled in degree programs at accredited postsecondary institutions of higher learning located within the State of Alabama.

Student Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for ANGEAP award the student must be: