General Scholarship Programs & Application FAQs

Can I attend any institution and receive a scholarship through these programs?
To be eligible for one of our scholarships, the school must be a post-secondary institution located in North Carolina. Eligible institutions would include one of the following:

• A constituent institution of The University of North Carolina.
• A community college under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Community Colleges.
• A junior college, senior college, or university that meets all the following requirements:
  • Is operated and governed by private interests not under the control of the federal government, the State, or any local government.
  • Has a main permanent campus, as defined in G.S. 116-280(4), located within the State of North Carolina.
  • Does not operate for profit.
  • The curriculum is primarily directed toward the awarding of associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degrees.
• Meets one of the following requirements:
  • Is a private educational institution as defined in G.S. 143B-1224.
  • Is accredited by an accrediting agency that is recognized by the United States Department of Education as a reliable authority concerning the quality of education or training offered by institutions of higher education.
• A private vocational institution, including Federal Aviation Administration certificated aviation training programs

What is a post-secondary institution?

• Post-secondary education includes universities and colleges, as well as trade and vocational schools.
• Eligible institutions would include one of the following:
  • A constituent institution of The University of North Carolina.
  • A community college under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Community Colleges.
  • A junior college, senior college, or university that meets all the following requirements:
    • Is operated and governed by private interests not under the control of the federal government, the State, or any local government.
    • Has a main permanent campus, as defined in G.S. 116-280(4), located within the State of North Carolina.
    • Does not operate for profit.
    • The curriculum is primarily directed toward the awarding of associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degrees.
• Meets one of the following requirements:
  • Is a private educational institution as defined in G.S. 143B-1224.
  • Is accredited by an accrediting agency that is recognized by the United States Department of Education as a reliable authority concerning the quality of education or training offered by institutions of higher education.
• A private vocational institution, including Federal Aviation Administration certificated aviation training programs

Can I qualify if I am in a graduate or doctoral program?
Yes. Individuals in two-year, four-year, graduate, and doctoral programs can be considered for scholarship assistance.

Do I have to be a full-time student to be eligible for these scholarship programs?
No, you do not have to be a full-time student. However, you do have to be at least half-time in your program to be eligible. If you are unsure of the number of credit hours that qualify as half-time, verify this information with your school’s Registrar’s Office or with a representative from your degree program.

What is Selective Service?
Federal Law requires nearly all male US citizens and male immigrants, 18 through 25, register with Selective Service. Learn more (https://www.sss.gov/).

What if I am not of age to register for Selective Service?
If you are male and not yet 18 years of age at the time you apply for our scholarship programs, then you will not be required to submit documentation of Selective Service registration. However, once you turn 18, you will be asked to submit registration documentation.

Is there an age restriction for children of service members/veterans?
Yes, eligible children cannot have reached 26 years of age by a specified date related to the application cycle. Please see the application for the specific date.

What if the sponsoring service member/veteran was previously stationed in North Carolina, but is not a current resident of North Carolina?
If the service member/veteran is living and not currently residing in North Carolina, then the eligibility criteria is not met. The service member/veteran must meet one of the following residency criteria:

• Service member is a (current) legal resident of NC
• Service member was a legal resident of NC upon entrance to the armed forces.
• Service member was stationed in Nc at the time of their death.
• Active duty-service member is permanently stationed in NC (for children applicants only)

What branches of the Armed Services do these scholarships support?
The NC Patriot Star Family Scholarship Program support service members/veterans and their dependents from ALL branches of the armed services.

How much is the scholarship award?
Scholarship awards are approximately $2000 per semester for the Star Program

When will I know if I will receive the scholarship?
For the 2026-2027 application cycle, applicants will be notified by June 1st of award decisions. Notifications will be sent out via email.

What can scholarship funds be used towards?
Funds can be applied up to the cost of attendance (COA). Applicants must have qualifying expenses not met by other grants, stipends, or scholarships. COA is the amount it will cost a student to go to school. Schools will calculate the COA for a program, so the COA can vary by school, program, etc. Check with your school’s Financial Aid Office to learn more about the COA for your program. If you’re attending school at least half-time, the COA is the estimate of tuition and fees, cost of room and board (or living expenses), cost of books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and miscellaneous expenses (including a reasonable amount for the documented cost of a personal computer), allowance for childcare or other dependent care, costs related to a disability, and reasonable costs for eligible study-abroad programs (Office of US Department of Education). If your scholarship exceeds your balance on your student account, extra funds can go towards living expenses, books, etc., as long as the total amount does not exceed the COA for your program.

FAQs for Scholarship Recipients

Where will the scholarship awards be sent after they have been awarded?
Scholarship awards will be sent directly to the institution where the student recipient is attending, based on the information provided in the scholarship application. Schools will have to certify a student’s enrollment prior to funds being sent to the institution.

What can scholarship funds be used towards?
Funds for both programs can be applied up to the cost of attendance (COA). Applicants must have qualifying expenses not met by other grants, stipends, or scholarships. COA is the amount it will cost a student to go to school. Schools will calculate the COA for a program, so the COA can vary by school, program, etc. Check with your school’s Financial Aid Office to learn more about the COA for your program. If you’re attending school at least half-time, the COA is the estimate of tuition and fees, cost of room and board (or living expenses), cost of books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and miscellaneous expenses (including a reasonable amount for the documented cost of a personal computer), allowance for childcare or other dependent care, costs related to a disability, and reasonable costs for eligible study-abroad programs (Office of US Department of Education). If your scholarship exceeds your balance on your student account, extra funds can go towards living expenses, books, etc., as long as the total amount does not exceed the COA for your program.

What if my scholarship award exceeds the cost of attendance for my program.
Any funds that exceed the cost of attendance must be returned by the school to Patriot Foundation.

What if I withdraw from my program or do not enroll in classes for a term?
The funds awarded must be returned by the school to Patriot Foundation.

What if my scholarship award covers the remining balance on my student account and there is money left over?
As long as your scholarship award does not exceed the cost of attendance, the overage on your account can be returned to you, by your school, and be used to assist with cost of living, books, transportation, etc. You must work with your school’s Business Office/Bursar’s Office/Cashier’s Office to facilitate this process. Patriot Foundation is not involved with this part of the process.

Will I have to re-apply to receive the scholarship in the future?
Yes. It is Patriot Foundation’s goal to follow students through their degree programs; however, recipients must re-apply for scholarship assistance for new academic years. Instructions to complete renewal applications will be sent out to recipients prior to each renewal cycle.