FAQ Categories
Eligibility | Application | General Inquiry
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Who is eligible for a scholarship?
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation provides the children of America’s Marines, and the children of Navy Corpsmen who serve with Marines, access to the education and skills they need to be successful members of society. A student will be eligible for a scholarship if his or her parent is an active duty, retired, veteran, or deceased Marine, or if his or her parent is an active duty or former Navy Corpsman who has been attached to a Marine unit. Former Marines and Navy Corpsmen must have received either an honorable or medical discharge. To be eligible, students must also plan to attend college or a vocational-technical school in the fall of 2010 and have a minimum GPA of 2.0. The student’s family’s maximum adjusted gross income must be less than $82,000 in 2009 for eligibility. We also administer the scholarship programs of several other Marine associations that offer scholarships to the grandchildren of Marine members. To view the list of those organizations, please visit our eligibility requirements page.
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I am older than the traditional college student. Will I be disqualified?
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation does not have an age limit for its scholarships. We encourage students of all ages to apply.
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I am pursuing my master's degree. Am I eligible for a scholarship?
Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Scholarships are only available to the sons and daughters of Marines pursuing their first bachelor's degree or technical certificate.
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My family's income is higher than your limit. Will I be automatically disqualified?
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation tries to award academic need-based scholarships to as many deserving sons and daughters of Marines as we can. If you have extenuating circumstances, you can send us an explanation via email at required.docs@mcsf.org and we will consider your application. If your family income is higher than our limit - and you do not present us with an explanation of extenuating circumstances - then your application will be disqualified.
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I have other scholarships. Am I still eligible to receive a scholarship from the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation?
As long as all of your free financial assistance (i.e. not including loans) does not exceed the full cost of attendance, you are still eligible to receive a scholarship from the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.
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I am not enrolled full-time. Am I still eligible to receive a scholarship from the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation?
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation does not require its applicants to be full time students. However, we may not be able to remit the full amount of your scholarship if your tuition costs are too low.
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I may attend a community college or trade school. Am I eligible for a scholarship?
Whether you’re working towards a bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree or technical, vocational and educational certificates, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation will provide for your education. As long as the community college or trade school is an accredited school, you are eligible.
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How do I apply?
The scholarship application for the 2010-2011 academic year is available online now. First you must create a student profile with MYMCSF and then follow the directions to link to the online application. A completed application and all additional, required documents must be submitted to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation by April 1, 2010.
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What is the required documentation?
After completing the online application form, we require four additional documents:
- A parent’s certificate of service from the US Marine Corps
- Official and unofficial transcripts from all schools you have attended
- 2009 Income tax return
- Student Aid Report that matches the academic year for which you are applying
These additional required documents should be sent to required.docs@mcsf.org by April 1, 2010.
Please note that Official transcripts MUST be mailed via the postal system and unofficial transcripts must be emailed with additional required documents
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If I am selected for a scholarship, do I need to reapply each year?
In order to provide as many children of America’s Marines with access to the education and skills they need to be successful members of society, past recipients must reapply every year for a scholarship. You are eligible to receive up to four years of scholarships for undergraduate studies.
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How much scholarship money can I apply for?
Applicants are unable to choose the size of the scholarship for which they apply. Scholarships will begin at $500.00 for the 2010-2011 academic year. We are unable to guarantee applicants a set amount of money for two reasons:
- Our scholarship amounts depend on the success of our fundraising efforts, including individual donations.
- The number of applicants to whom we elect to give scholarships affects our individual award amounts.
- In addition to our standard scholarship range, we have a small amount of larger, named scholarships that our Scholarship Committee allocates to exceptional applicants.
All students are automatically considered for our larger awards. For students whose parents served in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, additional scholarship funding is available.
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When is the application deadline?
The deadline for the 2010-2011 academic year is April 1, 2010.
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When do you notify students of their awards?
Students who applied for the 2010-2011 academic year will be notified by July 15, 2010.
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Why do you wait until July to notify students?
On average we receive thousands of applications each year, which need to be carefully reviewed before we make any final decisions. Utilizing staff and volunteers, this process takes a lot of time and effort. We allow three months to fully review each application and ensure that the most deserving students have the opportunity to attend a higher education institution.
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What happens if I cannot apply online?
Please call our scholarship office at (800) 292-7777 during business hours for assistance.
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What happens if I do not finish the online application?
You may work on your application numerous times by saving it. However, your application will not be accepted until you hit the submit button. Once you hit the submit button, your application is final.
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What happens if I complete the online application, but am unable to submit it?
If you are having trouble submitting your online application, please call (866) 986-1601 and press option #2 for assistance.
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I cannot submit all of the required documents via email. Will I be disqualified?
While our application deadline is final, if you are having trouble emailing your documents, please send us an email at required.docs@mcsf.org explaining your situation. Tell us what is still missing and when you will send it. For immediate assistance during business hours, please call our scholarship office at (800) 292-7777. If you miss our deadline due to this delay, your application could be disqualified. In this case, preference will be given to those who submit their application on time.
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My or my parents' tax return will not be finalized until April 15th. Will I be disqualified?
While our application deadline is final, if you are having trouble sending your documents on time, please send us an email explaining your situation. For immediate assistance during business hours, please call our scholarship office at (800) 292-7777. If you miss our deadline due to this delay, your application could be disqualified. In this case, preference will be given to those who submit their application on time.
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My parents do not file a tax return. Will I be disqualified?
You will not be disqualified if your parents do not file a tax return, however, you must submit a letter via email explaining your family’s financial situation. We also require applicants to submit documents via email that show their family’s non-taxable income.
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I was born before January 1, 1987. Do I have to submit my parents' tax return?
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I was born after January 1, 1987, but I am trying to pay my own way because my parents cannot/will not help me. Do I have to submit their tax return?
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I was born after January 1, 1987 but I am married. Do I have to submit my parents' tax return?
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I do not have proof of my my parent's honorable Marine service. What can I do?
Useful information about how to obtain military records is available online at http://www.nara.gov. If you are still having trouble, try contacting the Veteran Administration at (888) 442-4551. Additionally, your local US Congressman’s office may be able to provide assistance.
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My parent is currently serving as a US Marine or as a Navy Corpsman serving with the Marines. What kind of service proof do you require?
A written statement of service must be submitted (including tours of duty) on official letterhead and signed by the Adjutant, Personnel Officer, Executive Officer or Commanding Officer of the unit.
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My parent was killed in action. What documents do you require?
This is a tragic circumstance and as such we treat it differently. Please call (800) 292-7777 during business hours and we will work with you throughout the application process. We also urge you to visit the Veterans Administration Web site at www.gibill.va.gov. There you will find information on the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship.
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You denied my application. Can I apply again?
While you cannot apply again for the 2010-2011 academic year, all students have the opportunity to reapply for a scholarship in future academic years.
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What is a DD 214 document?
The DD 214 document is a certificate of release or discharge from active duty. This is a required document for your application and serves as proof that your parent was a U.S. Marine (or a Navy Corpsman who served with a Marine unit) and that he or she received an honorable discharge. If the “character of service” is not honorable, your application will be disqualified. The Marine must have also served a minimum of 90 days for you to qualify for a scholarship.
The Web site link for the DD-214 forms is: http://www.nara.gov. The mailing address is:
Military Records
National Personnel Records Center
(Marine Records) Rm 5007
9700 Page Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63123
You should make sure to request a Standard Form 180. It can take a few months to obtain this information, so students should give themselves ample time.
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Can I check the status of my application?
Yes. We have an Application Tracker available on our online application page. Please note that your status record is not created until you actually submit your application. Since we have many students’ records to update, you must wait at least two weeks for your status to be available.
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What if I believe I have extenuating circumstances that may have an impact on the selection committee’s decision?
We encourage all applicants to submit a letter explaining any unusual or exceptional circumstances occurring in their family. Remember: your application represents the entire and only picture of you the selection committee has.
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How do you determine who gets a scholarship?
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation’s Scholarship Committee is comprised of both volunteers and staff members. This committee makes its final decision after weighing several factors: family financial situation, academic performance, extracurricular activities, jobs held, the military service record of the Marine parent and any additional circumstances which the applicant submits for consideration. We will also give special consideration to applicants whose parents were wounded or killed in the line of duty.
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I have a sibling (or siblings) who want(s) to apply. Do you have a limit of one scholarship per family?
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships to as many deserving sons and daughters of Marines as we can. We not only allow siblings to apply for our scholarship, we encourage it. If multiple children are applying for a scholarship, the family’s income limit increases by $10,000 for every additional child applying.
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There is a list of honorary and memorial scholarships on your Web site. Can I apply for one of them?
While we do have an extensive list of honorary and memorial scholarships available, applicants cannot specifically apply for one of them. When applicants submit their applications, they are automatically considered for all of our honorary and memorial scholarships. These named scholarships are provided by our donors and are named after former Marines, active duty Marines, loved ones or other entities (such as the name of a corporation or foundation). Certain honorary and memorial scholarships may have additional criteria which applicants must meet. The Scholarship Committee will take the additional criteria into account when identifying winners of certain named scholarships.
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How many scholarships do you award each year?
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation has provided approximately 24,000 scholarships totaling more than $50 million to help children of Marines pursue their dreams of higher education. In the 2009-2010 academic year, we awarded 1,405 scholarships totaling $3.5 million.
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What if I am not a scholarship winner?
Whether you are awarded a scholarship or not, you will receive notification by July 15. The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation awards scholarships to as many children of Marines as we can. If you were not selected as a scholarship recipient, we hope that you will apply again for the next academic year.
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Why do you use families' adjusted gross income as your income limit? Families do not live on that income.
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation uses the adjusted gross income and the Expected Family Contribution reported on the Student Aid Report as a guideline so that all applicants are treated alike. If we were to instead use net federal taxable income (income after federal deductions), more frugal families may be penalized for their amount of savings.
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What expenses can my scholarship be used for?
Your scholarship may be used for the cost of attendance at a public, private, technical, educational or vocational institutions. This would cover your tuition costs, room and board costs, book costs and any other additional costs as defined by the financial aid administrator of your school. Your scholarship may be reduced or withdrawn if it causes your school’s offered financial aid package to exceed your cost of attendance.
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Do you send the scholarship check to me or to my school?
One payment for the year is sent directly to your school. Your scholarship funds are then allocated by the school according to their regulations. We provide a receipt to each student.
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I am not attending the school I indicated on my application. Do I lose my scholarship?
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation understands that a student’s plans sometimes change. We do not remit your scholarship until we receive verification of enrollment from the institution you are attending. However, if you attend a school that puts a greater financial burden on you and your family than your original choice, we will not be able to increase your scholarship amount.
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What if I transfer to a different school during the academic year? Can my scholarship be transferred to the new school?
Yes, to the extent that there are unused funds still at your first school. Your first school must send the unused funds to us. You must have your new school send us verification of enrollment. Based on the information they provide, we will send all or part of your unused scholarship to the new school.
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I may attend classes in the summer. Can my scholarship be applied to those expenses?
As long as you have scholarship funds available, you may use your scholarship to pay for summer classes.
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What is your definition of an academic year?
The 2010-2011 academic year begins September 1, 2010 and ends August 31, 2011. As such, the academic year ends with summer sessions.
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I have funds leftover from my scholarship. Can I use them for the next academic year?
No. You may not rollover funds to another academic year. Your scholarship is only useable for one academic year. Whether your scholarship is paid partially or in full it counts as one of four paid scholarships allowed for each recipient. If you do not exhaust your full scholarship amount by the end of the academic year, then all unused funds must be transferred back to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.
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Can you define Independent Student Status and Dependent Student Status?
To determine if you are a dependent or independent student, please answer the following questions:
a. Was the student born before January 1, 1987?
b. Is the student married?
c. Does the student have children who receive more than half of their support from the student?
d. Are both of the student's parents deceased since age 13?
e. Is the student a ward or dependent of the court since turning age 13?
f. Is the student in foster care since turning age 13?
g. Is the student serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, or is the student a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?
h. Is the student currently or was the student in legal guardianship?
i. Is the student homeless or at risk of being homeless?
j. Is the student currently or was the student an emancipated minor?
If you answered “No” to all of the above questions, then you are classified as a dependent student. Dependent students must submit information about their parents’ income. If you answered “Yes” to any of the above questions, then you are classified as an independent student. Independent students are not required to submit their parents’ income information, but must submit their own.
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I am a dependent student. Who is considered my parent for financial reporting?
If your parents are married to each other, answer the questions about both parents.
If your parent is widowed or single, answer the questions about that parent.
If your widowed parent is remarried as of today, answer the questions about that parent and your stepparent.
If your parents are divorced or separated, answer the questions about the parent you lived with more during the past 12 months. (If you did not live with one parent more than the other, give answers about the parent who provided more financial support during the past 12 months, or during the most recent year that you actually received support from a parent.) If this parent is remarried as of today, answer the questions about that parent and your stepparent.
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Do you know about other sources of financial aid?
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation is dedicated to giving the children of our Marines all of the necessary resources to pursue a higher education. For additional sources of financial aid, visit our Resources and Tools page. In particular, there are plenty of resources for those applicants whose parents have a service related disability or whose parent may choose to transfer Veterans Administration education benefits to a family member. We also encourage you to visit the Veterans Administration Web site at www.gibill.va.gov.
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I must email my supporting documents but I do not have a scanner.
We suggest that you take your documents to a local office supplies or service store [i.e. Staples or Kinkos]. They can scan your documents to a flash drive or CD. You can attach the files stored on the drive or CD to the email you send to us. Use the following email address: required.docs@mcsf.org
Please do not send your supporting documents to us via postal mail. We will send them back to you and require that you scan and email them.