Military Spouse Scholarship

“Our military spouses move a lot, generally have children to care for, and this population has among the highest unemployment rates,” National President Carol Grout says, “It’s hard to raise a family while the other spouse is away.

The Spirit of Youth Scholarship Fund is the ALA’s national fundraising focus for 2026-2027, including the addition of two new $10,000 American Legion Auxiliary Military Spouse Scholarships. All are gift scholarships, not loans.  

Eligibility and Rules:

• Applicants must be the spouse of an active-duty servicemember, a widow of a servicemember who died while on active duty, or a veteran who was honorably discharged
• Essay answers must have a minimum of 600 characters in length. This requirement ensures that responses are detailed enough to fully address the question given. All essays will be reviewed using AI tools to help ensure originality. These tools assist in identifying potential plagiarism and detecting AI-generated content. Applicants that rely heavily on AI will be disqualified. 
• Completed applications are DUE ON OR BEFORE MARCH 1, 11:59 PM Eastern time. 
• Judging, at all levels, shall be on the following basis:
  • 25% - Academic Achievement 
  • 25% - Financial Need 
  • 25% - Character/Leadership
  • 25% - Initiative/Goals 
• THE DECISION OF THE JUDGES SHALL BE FINAL.

Attachments:

Applicants will need to attach one of the following to complete their application: a resume OR personal statement outlining their work experience. We understand that traditional employment histories may vary. In lieu of a resume, personal statements offer an opportunity to highlight transferable skills, life experiences, and dedication to personal and professional growth. 

You will also need to attach proof of service papers. This can be the veteran’s DD214, VA Form 21P-534a, DD1300 or the most recent copy of active-duty service members' orders. 

• OPTIONAL: Transcripts, or photocopy of the transcripts, of the applicant's most recent grades. This can be high school transcripts if you did not attend college OR college transcripts if you took a break in your college education.

Disbursement of funds:

The award will be paid directly to the school for the first semester upon notification from the school that the student has registered. American Legion Auxiliary National Headquarters must receive certification of enrollment within 12 months of the winning recipient’s notification, or the scholarship will be forfeited. The scholarship must be used within 24 months of the date the winner receives notification from National Headquarters, or the scholarship will be forfeited. Thus, if the winning recipient does not wish to use monies for FIRST-YEAR expenses, they then must be used for SECOND-YEAR expenses or be forfeited.