Why Should You Join MOAA?
The more voices we have, the better we'll be heard. Become a member today.
Applicants for our programs must be attending an accredited college or university as full-time students during the 2024-2025 academic year. All loans, scholarships, and grants are for students seeking their first undergraduate degree and are awarded for no more than five school years. No loans, scholarships, or grants are available for graduate-level studies.
General Eligibility: Applicants must be under 24 years old. Applicants must have a parent eligible for MOAA membership or be children of active duty, Reserve, National Guard, or retired enlisted military personnel. If the applicant served in a uniformed service before completing college, his or her maximum age for eligibility will be increased by the number of years he or she so served, up to five years. Applicants must have a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher. Children attending U.S. military academies and academy prep schools are not eligible. If selected for any Educational Assistance program, the sponsoring parent must have a paid MOAA membership (if parent is a military officer) throughout the college years and, if applicable, until the loan is repaid. Male applicants are encouraged to register for the Selective Service.
Selection Criteria: We evaluate students based of their scholastic ability, extracurricular activities, and financial need. The applicant provides this information in the online application.
Process: We notify semifinalists in the spring, and they must submit supporting documentation. We notify finalists in early summer, and they must submit proof of MOAA membership as appropriate and a fully executed promissory note.
Interest-Free Loans: This is our main program. The interest-free loans are renewable annually for up to five years of full-time undergraduate study. Students selected as loan recipients and their sponsoring parent must sign a promissory note before receiving funds. Beginning in Fall 2024, all students in the Education Assistance Program will receive one disbursement per year in August. This adjustment will ensure more efficient fund delivery.
American Patriot Scholarship: Limited to students who qualify for the interest-free loan program and whose military parent has died on active service or is receiving Traumatic Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (T-SGLI) payments.
Designated Scholar Program: We consider all loan recipients for this program. Students chosen receive a $500 grant named by the donor. Students must correspond with the donor or their designee each fall.
Senior Grants: We notify current loan recipients entering their final year in college of these grants in January of their junior year. Students who believe they are eligible for these grants and who do not receive an emailed link to the application should email edassist@moaa.org for additional information. Recipients of Senior Grants become ineligible for further Educational Assistance programs. The number of grants awarded varies from year to year.
General John Paul Ratay Educational Fund Grants: These grants are limited to children whose military parent retired and subsequently died. Students qualifying for a loan who meet the criteria of a Ratay grant are automatically considered. Students who believe they are eligible for these grants and who do not receive a request for supporting documentation should email edassist@moaa.org. Funding for this grant is limited, so we might not award these annually.
Students may only receive one type of Educational Assistance each school year.
For more information about the scholarship program, including how to donate, visit this link.
Click here for other financial aid resources, and click here for more information about MOAA member-only discounts on programs through eKnowledge to prepare for college entrance exams such as the SAT and ACT.
Renewal: All students in the Education Assistance Program are required to renew their loan every school year. The renewal window is open from Jan. 1 to March 1. Students will be required to complete an online form, upload a transcript, and fill out a self-certification form.
Repayment: ZuntaFi performs all servicing activities for loan and is the primary contact for repayment information. Servicing includes establishing recurring payments, processing deferral requests, updating address/contact information and banking information, etc.
To create a ZuntaFi account to make a payment, check current loan balance, and other loan-related inquires, students can visit www.zuntafi.com or call them at (800) 592-1270.
For more information about renewal and repayment, please click here.
The more voices we have, the better we'll be heard. Become a member today.