The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society's (NMCRS) education programs help eligible Navy and Marine Corps families pursue their academic goals by providing a source of education financing. Awards are provided solely on the basis of the applicant's financial need and availability of funds, in accordance with policies established by the Society's Board of Directors.
Since its inception in 1904, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) has provided more than one billion dollars in financial assistance to more than four million members of the Naval Service and their families. NMCRS offers a variety of scholarships and no interest loans to support education.
All applicants must have at least a 2.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale).
Education Programs Administered by
NMCRS Headquarters
The NMCRS education programs – Vice Admiral E. P. Travers Loan, USS TENNESSEE Scholarship, Dependents of Deceased Scholarship, and the Admiral Mike Boorda Loan – are administered by Headquarters, with contract support from American College Testing (ACT) Recognition Program Services.
NMCRS also works in partnership with the Society of Sponsors of the U. S. Navy and the VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) to deliver a scholarship. Directed at Navy and Marine Corps veterans who were injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, and pursuing a career in teaching. The program is called the Society of Sponsors of the United States Navy Centennial Scholarship Program. Its purpose is to support those veterans pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree or university/college courses beyond a Bachelor’s Degree leading to teacher licensure.
All applicants for these programs must be enrolled or planning to enroll as full-time undergraduate students in a traditional classroom setting at a post-secondary, technical, or vocational institution that participates in the U. S. Department of Education Title IV financial aid programs.
[Information on programs not administered
by NMCRS is available here .]
A new application for NMCRS education programs is required for each academic year. Receipt of funds in one year does not guarantee funding in future years. Each student may receive funds for up to four years of undergraduate study. All funds are sent directly to the school, and can only be used for direct educational expenses.
To obtain an application, click on the title of the programs listed below, and then click on "Application." Complete the form(s) on screen and print the completed application. Ensure the application has been completely filled in, that all required signatures are in place, and then mail the completed form(s), along with proof of eligibility, to: NMCRS Education Division, 875 North Randolph Street, Suite 225, Arlington, Virginia 22203.
Named after the Society's eleventh President, the Vice Admiral E. P. Travers Loan Program provides interest-free loans to the dependent children of active duty and retired Navy and Marine Corps personnel, as well as spouses of active duty Navy and Marine Corps service members who reside within the 50 United States.
The Travers loan offers interest-free loans from $500 up to $3,000 (for an academic year) to students' service member sponsor.
The Travers application package is posted on the program
page in mid-October of each year for the following academic year. Applications must be received at Headquarters no later than March 1st (about six months before the start of the fall semester).
The Society administers the USS TENNESSEE Scholarship Fund, which was established upon the commissioning of USS TENNESSEE (SSBN 734). The scholarship provides grants of up to $2,000 for an academic year to dependent children of service members who are serving or have served aboard USS TENNESSEE. Eligible candidates:
- Dependent children of active duty service members, and
- Dependent children of retired service members.
The TENNESSEE application package is posted on the program
page in late November. Applications must be received at Headquarters no later than March 1st each school year (about six months before the start of the fall semester).
This program provides grants for an academic year to children and unremarried spouses who are military dependents of deceased service members. Awards are determined by NMCRS Headquarters Education Division:
For Children (use the application entitled Children of Deceased Service Member Scholarship Program). Eligible candidates:
- Dependent children of retired deceased service members.
- Dependent children of service members who died while on active duty not in a hostile fire zone.
- The USS STARK Memorial Fund includes dependent children of crewmembers who died as a result of the missile attack on the USS STARK in the Persian Gulf on May 17, 1987, as well as those disabled due to the attack.
- The USS COLE Memorial Fund is limited to children of crewmembers who perished as a result of the terrorist attack of October 12, 2000.
- The Pentagon Assistance Fund (PAF) includes dependent children of deceased military personnel who perished as a result of the terrorist attack September 11, 2001.
- Dependent children of active duty service members who died under hostile fire in a theater of combat operations during the global war on terrorism (GWOT).
Applications for dependent children are posted on the program page in late November of each year. Application forms must be received at Headquarters no later than March 1st each school year.
For Unremarried Spouses (use the application entitled Education Assistance for Unremarried Spouses):
- The USS STARK Memorial Fund includes unremarried spouses of crewmembers who died as a result of the missile attack on USS STARK in the Persian Gulf on May 17, 1987, as well as spouses of service members disabled due to the attack.
- The Pentagon Assistance Fund (PAF) includes unremarried spouses of deceased military personnel who perished as a result of the terrorist attack September 11, 2001 as well as spouses of services members disabled due to the attack. .
- Unremarried spouses of active duty service members who died under hostile fire in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) combat operations prior to 1 June 2007.
Applications for unremarried spouses are posted on the program page in late November. Application forms must be received at Headquarters no later than two months prior to the start of school.
The Admiral Mike Boorda Loan Program (Boorda Program) provides no interest loans from $500 up to $3,000 for an academic year to students in the following military commissioning programs:
- Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP)
- Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program (MECP)
- Meritorious Commissioning Program (MCP).
Applications must be reviewed and endorsed by the student's commanding officer.
Boorda application forms are posted on the
program page in mid-November.
Forms must be received by Headquarters no later than May 1st each school year.
Special Notice to Boorda Applicants
The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society has been very busy through 2008, with an increase in emergency loan and grant activity, both in the number of clients and dollars disbursed. Society program costs have increased with implementation of the Combat Casualty Visiting Nurse Program, the evacuation debit card initiative and the new Quick Assist Loan (QAL) Program.
Beginning in 2009, the Society has restricted the Boorda Program to a loan-only program. We encourage you to apply for a Boorda no interest education loan.
In changing to a loan only program, the Society has increased the level from $500 through $3,000, based on need. Repayment will be deferred until your Commissioning in the Navy or Marine Corps. Students will be advised at the end of each year the value of their outstanding loan balance, and the anticipated commissioning date provided on your application for that year. You will be asked to verify that date in writing by email or U.S. Mail.
We regret any inconvenience this program change has caused you and encourage you to pursue all avenues and resources for scholarships. Some of those opportunities are available on this page.
Society of Sponsors of the United States Navy Centennial Scholarship Program
The Centennial Scholarship is offered to Iraq-Afghanistan combat wounded veterans who have an Associate Degree or equivalent credits and are pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree or university/college courses beyond a Bachelor’s Degree, leading to teacher licensure.
The Society of Sponsors of the United States Navy, an organization of women who served as ship sponsors, is dedicated to promoting educational opportunities for the men and women who served in the United States Navy and Marine Corps. In support of this goal, the Society has established scholarships for Navy-Marine Corps veterans who were injured in combat. The Society will support individuals who pursue a career in education, by making available five $3,000 annual scholarships for “education related” expenses.
For an application for the Centennial Scholarship, contact your regional VA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E). They offer a broad program of vocational rehabilitation and education services for veterans with service connected disabilities. Their regional offices can introduce eligible veterans to this Society of Sponsors of the United States Navy Centennial Scholarship program.
Education Programs Administered by
Local NMCRS Offices
The following NMCRS education programs are administered at local
NMCRS offices (other than at the Headquarters):
The Spouse Tuition Aid Program (STAP) has been modified this year to a need based no interest loan, available to spouses residing with their active duty service member sponsor, while stationed outside the fifty United States. STAP no interest loans are available for part-time and full-time undergraduate and graduate studies.
The 2009 STAP program offers significantly expanded eligibility with loans of up to $3,000 per 12 month period. These modifications increase the number of qualified spouses and offer an excellent opportunity to complete an undergraduate or graduate degree when stationed overseas. To learn more about this locally (overseas) administered program, contact the nearest
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Office.
The Society offers bridge loans through its local offices, to cover all or a portion of the service member's share of the cost under the Navy Department's Tuition Assistance Program ("TAP"). Bridge loans are also offered to allow enrollment under the GI Bill if education benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs are not received in time to permit enrollment.
To apply for these locally administered bridge loans, contact the nearest
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Office.
Please feel free to contact us. The Headquarters e-mail
is education@nmcrs.org,
or call directly to NMCRS HQ at (703) 696-4960 DSN 426-4960.
This page last updated on 23 January 2009
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