Fry Scholarship - Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship
Army National Guard: Federal Active Duty
Benefit Fact Sheet
Summary:
Public Law 111-32 amended the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33, Section 3311, Title 38 US Code) to include the children of service members who die in the line of duty while serving on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces after September 10, 2001. This is known as The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (or the Fry Scholarship). Benefits are administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs and are retroactive to August 1, 2009, the same day the Post-9/11 GI Bill took effect.
Eligibility:
Children of Soldiers who died in the line of duty while serving on active duty (includes Army National Guard on Federal Active Duty orders) as a member of the Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001, are eligible for this benefit. A child may be married or over the age of 23 and still be eligible.
Eligible children:
- are entitled to 36 months of benefits at the 100% level
- may use the benefit until his or her 33rd birthday
- are not eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program
Rules for eligible children serving, or who have served, in the Armed Forces:
- If the child is eligible under the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty, Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve, and/or the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP), then he or she must relinquish eligibility under one of those programs to receive benefits under Post-9/11 GI Bill.
- A child's character of discharge from his or her own service does not impact eligibility resulting from the line of duty death of a parent.
- A child on active duty will receive benefits at the active duty benefit rate (eligible for unlimited tuition and fees but not eligible for monthly housing allowance or books and supplies stipend).
- A child may only qualify for up to 36 months of benefits under the Fry and Post 9/11 GI Bill based on their own service. However, an individual may receive additional entitlement in another parent transfers their entitlement to the individual.
Benefit Highlights:
Eligible children attending institutions of higher learning may receive:
- Full tuition & fees paid directly to the school for all public school in-state students. For those attending private or foreign schools tuition & fees are capped at $17,500 per academic year.
- Students attending a private Institute of Higher Learning in AZ, MI, NH, NY, PA, SC or TX may be eligible for a higher tuition reimbursement rate.
- A monthly housing allowance.
- A books and supplies stipend.
For more information, visit http://gibill.va.gov/documents/factsheets/Fry_Scholarship.pdf
Additional Information:
For more information regarding the Fry Scholarship, call 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551) or the VA GI Bill Website: http://gibill.va.gov
Document Review Date: 19 April 2012