The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship

The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship amends the Post-9/11 GI Bill^® to include the children and surviving spouses of servicemembers who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001. The scholarship includes tuition and fees (with limits), a monthly living stipend and book allowance. Entitlement is up to 36 months at the 100% level.

Children of active duty members of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001, are eligible for this benefit.

• A child may begin an approved program of education before the age of 18.
• Eligibility ends on the child’s 33rd birthday.
• A child’s marital status has no effect on eligibility.

Surviving spouses of active duty members of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001, are also eligible for this benefit.

• A surviving spouse can receive benefits for terms beginning on or after January 1, 2015.
• A surviving spouse will lose eligibility to this benefit upon remarriage

Additional information:

• A child whose parent died after July 31, 2011, must make an irrevocable election between the Fry Scholarship and Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) when applying for benefits.
• A child whose parent died before August 1, 2011, may still be eligible for both the Fry Scholarship and DEA benefits, but he/she may only use one program at a time, and combined benefits are capped at a total of 81 months of full-time training.
• Surviving spouses eligible for the Fry Scholarship may also be eligible for DEA. Surviving spouses are not able to establish eligibility for both Fry Scholarship and DEA benefits based on a parent’s death in the line of duty. Surviving spouses must make an irrevocable election of which benefit he or she wishes to receive for any and all school enrollments beginning on or after January 1, 2015.

More information about the Fry Scholarship can be found on the VA website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/Fry_Scholarship.asp.

GI Bill^® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.