This nationally renowned program was created by Act 633 and approved October 1947 by the Alabama Legislature.  It is administered by the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) and is governed by the Code of Alabama 1975, Section 31-6-1.  The veteran must meet the following qualifications to establish eligibility of his/her dependents.  A dependent is defined as a child, stepchild, spouse or the un-remarried widow (er) of the veteran.

Military Service: The veteran must have honorably served at least 90 days of continuous active federal military service during wartime, or honorably discharged by reason of service-connected disability after serving less than 90 days of continuous active federal military service during wartime.
The ADVA will recognize the following periods of wartime service:

  • April 6, 1917 – November 11, 1918 (World War I)
  • December 7, 1941 – December 31, 1946 (World War II)
  • June 27, 1950 – January 31, 1955 (Korean War)
  • February 28, 1961 – May 7, 1975 (Vietnam War)
  • August 2, 1990 – Today (Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm/Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan)

Disability Requirements: The veteran must be rated 20% or more due to service-connected disabilities or have held the qualifying rating at the time of death, a former prisoner of war (POW), declared missing in action (MIA), died as the result of a service-connected disability, or died while on active military service in the line of duty.

Residency Requirements: The veteran must have been a permanent civilian resident of the State of Alabama for at least one year immediately prior to (a) the initial entry into active military service or (b) any subsequent period of military service in which a break (1 year or more) in service occurred and the Alabama civilian residency was established.  Permanently service-connected veterans rated at 100% who did not enter service from Alabama, may qualify after establishing at least five years of permanent residency in Alabama prior to filing of an application or immediately prior to death, if deceased.

Entitlement: Five standard academic years or part-time equivalent at any Alabama state-supported institution of higher learning or a prescribed course of study at any Alabama state-supported technical school without payment of any tuition, required textbooks or instructional fees for eligible dependents initially enrolling in school on or after Fall 2009.  Dependents who enrolled in school prior to Fall 2009 receive four academic years of scholarship benefits.

The entitlement applies to the following dependents:

  • A child whose parent was killed on active duty in the line of duty; killed from a service-connected disability; was declared MIA; was a former POW; or has a 20% or greater disability rating and entered the military from the State of Alabama.
  • A spouse or unmarried widow/widower whose spouse was killed on active duty in the line of duty; died from a service-connected disability; was declared MIA; was a former POW; or has a 100% permanent disability rating and either entered the military from the State of Alabama or lived in the State of Alabama for five years immediately prior to making application.
  • A spouse or widow (er) of a veteran who meets the residency requirements and is rated  20% – 90% due to service-connected disabilities, and who initially enrolls in school on or after Fall 2009,  are entitled to three standard academic years without payment of tuition, required textbooks and instructional fees or a prescribed technical course not to exceed 27 months of training.  A spouse enrolled in school before Fall 2009 receive two academic years of scholarship benefits.  Note: Widow(er) forfeits benefits upon remarriage. Spouse forfeits benefits upon divorce from veteran in which the spouse derived their eligibility.

Age Deadline: The child or stepchild must initiate training prior to their 26th birthday. Age 30 deadline may apply in certain situations. There is no age deadline for submission of the application by the spouse or un-remarried widow (er). Step-children must be under the age of 19 at the time of the current marriage between the eligible veteran and the step-child’s parent.

Application Assistance: The department maintains an office in each county of the State which can furnish information and assist in filing your application. To find the office nearest you, click here.

To download the Alabama G.I. Dependents’ Scholarship Pamphlet, click here.

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