Fry Scholarship
Post-9/11 GI Bill level education benefits for the children and surviving spouses of Service members who died in service.
What it is
The Fry Scholarship gives up to 36 months of education benefits at the Post-9/11 GI Bill level to the child or surviving spouse of a Service member who died on or after 11 September 2001. It can pay tuition and fees, a housing allowance, books and supplies, tutoring, work-study, and reimbursement for national exams and licensing or certification tests and prep.
Who qualifies
You are the child or surviving spouse of a Service member or Selected Reserve member who died on or after 11 September 2001 and:
- died in the line of duty while on active duty, or
- died from a service-connected disability within 120 days of discharge, or
- was a Selected Reserve member who died in the line of duty (other than on active duty) or from a service-connected disability.
Children must be 18 or have graduated high school or earned a GED, and may be married or unmarried. Surviving spouses keep the benefit if they remarry. VA says a child must give up Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) to use the scholarship, and a spouse can get DIC at the same time.
What it pays, with the year
For 1 August 2026 through 31 July 2027, VA lists tuition up to $30,908.34 a year at private schools (public schools: actual in-state tuition and fees), a monthly housing allowance based on the Defense Department BAH rate for an E-5 with dependents at your school's zip code (online-only: up to $1,261 a month), and up to $1,000 a year for books and supplies. Amounts are prorated by how many courses you take. See VA's rates page for every figure.
What it pays, with the year
Time limits and traps
- Parent died before 1 January 2013: a child can use it until age 33, unless the child turned 18 or graduated high school on or after 1 January 2013, in which case there is no limit.
- Parent died on or after 1 January 2013: no time limit.
- Selected Reserve parent: no time limit.
- Surviving spouses have an irrevocable choice between the Fry Scholarship and Chapter 35 (DEA) benefits in most cases (38 U.S.C. 3311). Ask before you choose.
How to get it, step by step
- Apply online, or fill out VA Form 22-5490 (Dependents' Application for VA Education Benefits) and mail it to the regional processing office for your school or home.
- Tell your school's certifying official so they can send your enrollment to VA.
- Use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to check that the school is approved.
Where to call and where to go
Phone
- GI Bill hotline, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET: 1-888-442-4551 (888-GIBILL-1), TTY 711. Source: va.gov/education and va.gov/contact-us (VA's Fry page prints no separate phone number.)
- VA main information line (MyVA411), 24/7: 1-800-698-2411 (TTY: 711). Source: va.gov/contact-us
Official pages