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Fry Scholarship

If you’re the child or spouse of a member of the Armed Forces or the Selected Reserve who died on or after September 11, 2001, you may be eligible for the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship). Keep reading to find out if you may be eligible for VA education benefits through this scholarship.

Am I eligible for Fry Scholarship benefits?

You may be eligible for Fry Scholarship benefits if you’re the child or surviving spouse of a service member or member of the Selected Reserve who has died and who fits one of the descriptions listed here.

One of these must be true of the service member or member of the Selected Reserve:

  • The service member died in the line of duty while serving on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, or
  • The member of the Selected Reserve died in the line of duty other than active duty on or after September 11, 2001, or
  • The member of the Selected Reserve died from a service-connected disability on or after September 11, 2001

Keep reading on this page for more eligibility information.

Note: If your parent or spouse was a member of the Selected Reserve who died in the line of duty “other than active duty,” this means they were a member of the Reserve serving on active duty for training or inactive duty training. This term doesn’t include Army and Air National Guard members who were on State orders (sometimes called “State Active Duty”).

More eligibility information

If you’re the child

  • You can be married or unmarried.
  • One of these must be true, whichever comes first: You’re at least 18 years old or you graduated from high school (or you have a GED).
  • If you’re receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), you’ll need to give up those payments when you start to use the Fry Scholarship.
    Learn about DIC

Can I use both the Fry Scholarship and DEA benefits?

  • If your parent was a service member who died in the line of duty before August 1, 2011, you may qualify for both the Fry Scholarship and the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program. But you can use only one program at a time. We cap combined DEA and Fry Scholarship benefits at 81 months of full-time training.
    Learn about the DEA program
  • If your parent was a service member who died in the line of duty on or after August 1, 2011, you may use both the Fry Scholarship and DEA only if you qualify for DEA under a different event. You can use only one program at a time. We cap combined DEA and Fry Scholarship benefits at 48 months of full-time training. 

Is there a time limit for me to use this benefit?

  • If your parent was a service member who died before January 1, 2013, you’re eligible for the Fry Scholarship until you’re 33 years old. But if you turned 18, graduated from high school, or got your GED after January 1, 2013, there’s no time limit for using this benefit.
  • If your parent was a service member who died on or after January 1, 2013, there’s no time limit for using this benefit.
  • If your parent was a member of the Selected Reserve who died in the line of duty other than active duty or from a service-connected disability, there’s no time limit for using this benefit.

If you’re the surviving spouse

  • If you remarry, you’ll no longer be eligible for the Fry Scholarship that you may have qualified for through your previous marriage.
  • If you’re receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), you can still get those payments while using the Fry Scholarship.
    Learn about DIC

What benefits can I get?

You may be able to get up to 36 months of benefits, including money for these items:

  • Tuition 
  • Housing
  • Books and supplies

Check the current payment rates for the Fry Scholarship

Which schools can I attend using the Fry Scholarship?

There are many schools with approved programs that you can use under the Fry Scholarship. Make sure we’ve approved the program you’re interested in at the school you’d like to attend. You can use our GI Bill Comparison Tool to find out which schools have programs we’ve approved.

Use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to find schools with approved programs

You can also contact the school’s certifying official to ask them which of the school’s programs we’ve approved.

How do I apply for a Fry Scholarship?

You can apply in 1 of these 2 ways.

Option 1: Apply online

Apply for VA education benefits for dependents online

Note: After you apply, tell the certifying official at your school that you applied for VA education benefits. Ask them to submit your enrollment information online.

Option 2: Apply by mail

Fill out a Dependents’ Application for VA Education Benefits (VA Form 22-5490).

Get VA Form 22-5490 to download

If you’ve already chosen a school, mail your completed form to the regional processing office in the state where your school or training program is. Find your regional processing office address

Then, tell the certifying official at your school that you applied for VA education benefits. Ask them to submit your enrollment information online.

If you haven’t chosen a school yet, mail your completed form to the regional processing office in the state where you live. Find your regional processing office address 

When you choose a school, you’ll need to tell the certifying official at your school that you applied for VA education benefits. Ask them to submit your enrollment information online.

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