The Edith Nourse Rogers Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) Scholarship allows some eligible Veterans and dependents in high-demand fields to extend their Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship benefits. Read below to find out if you’re eligible for up to 9 months (or $30,000) of added benefits and how to apply.
Am I eligible for the Rogers STEM Scholarship (GI Bill extension)?
You may be eligible for this scholarship as a Veteran or a Fry Scholar if you meet at least one of these requirements.
At least one of these must be true:
-
- You’re currently enrolled in an undergraduate STEM degree program or qualifying dual-degree program, or
- You’ve earned a post-secondary degree or a graduate degree in an approved STEM degree field and are enrolled in a covered clinical training program for health care professionals, or
- You’ve earned a post-secondary degree in an approved STEM degree field and are working toward a teaching certification
Full eligibility requirements
To be eligible, you need to meet all of the requirements listed here for your situation.
If you’re currently enrolled in an undergraduate STEM degree or qualifying dual-degree program,
All of these must be true:
-
-
- You’re enrolled in a qualifying undergraduate STEM degree program that requires at least 120 standard semester credit hours (or 180 quarter credit hours) to complete, and
- You’ve completed at least 60 standard credit hours (or 90 quarter credit hours) toward your degree, and
You have 6 months or less of your Post-9/11 GI Bill (or Fry Scholarship) benefits left.
-
To find out how much of your benefits you have left, check your Post-9/11 GI Bill Statement of Benefits.
Note: You can’t use the STEM scholarship for graduate degree programs at this time.
If you’re enrolled in a covered clinical training program for health care professionals
All of these must be true:
-
-
- You’ve earned a qualifying degree in a STEM field, and
- You’ve been accepted or are enrolled in a covered clinical training program for health care professionals, and
- You have 6 months or less of your Post-9/11 GI Bill (or Fry Scholarship) benefits left. To find out how much of your benefits you have left, check your Post-9/11 GI Bill Statement of Benefits.
-
If you’re working toward a teaching certification
All of these must be true:
-
-
- You’ve earned a qualifying post-secondary degree in a STEM field, and
- You’ve been accepted or are enrolled in a teaching certification program, and
- You have 6 months or less of your Post-9/11 GI Bill (or Fry Scholarship) benefits left. To find out how much of your benefits you have left, check your Post-9/11 GI Bill Statement of Benefits
-
How we prioritize scholarships
If you meet these eligibility requirements, we can’t guarantee that you’ll receive the Rogers STEM scholarship.
We give priority to Veterans and Fry Scholars who:
-
-
- Are eligible for the maximum Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit (100% level), and
- Require the most credit hours compared to other applicants
- Which degree programs can I use this scholarship for?
-
You can use this scholarship for undergraduate degree programs in these subject areas:
-
-
- Agriculture science or natural resources science
- Biological or biomedical science
- Computer and information science and support services
- Engineering, engineering technologies, or an engineering-related field
- Health care or a health-care-related field
- Mathematics or statistics
- Medical residency (undergraduate only)
- Physical science
- Science technologies or technicians
-
Download the full list of eligible STEM degree programs (PDF)
Note: We updated this full list of eligible programs in March 2021.
How do I apply for the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship?
You can apply online right now. The online application should take you about 15 minutes to complete.
What happens after I apply for this scholarship?
We usually make a decision about each scholarship within 30 days. We award scholarships on a monthly basis. If we need more information from you to make a decision, we’ll send you a letter.
If we approve your application, you’ll get a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) in the mail. This is also called a decision letter. Bring this COE to the VA certifying official at your school. This person is usually in the registrar’s, financial aid, or Veteran’s office at the school.
If we don’t approve your application, you’ll get a denial letter in the mail.
What’s STEMText?
We use STEMText to communicate with you about your Rogers STEM Scholarship benefits through text messages.
If you receive the Rogers STEM Scholarship, we’ll send an opt-in text message to your primary phone number. We’ll ask if you’d like to receive updates about your VA STEM benefits by text message. To participate, respond “yes” within 7 days of receiving this message.
You can also use STEMText to verify your attendance each month. Verifying by text instead of email can help you get your housing payments faster. We’ll send you a text message each month asking if you attended your STEM courses. To verify, just respond “yes.”
Article By: usveteransmagazine.com