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Application Procedures


  1. Student registers as a user on the Air Force Aid Society's Education Grant Portal.

  2. Student and sponsoring member/guardian complete the online application for the Gen. Henry H. Arnold Education Grant Program.

  3. ALL applicants must submit front and back copies of both the student's and sponsoring member's military ID card [AFI 36-3026(I), Chapter 1, Table 1.8.1.1. permits cardholder to photocopy IDs to "administer military-related benefits to eligible beneficiaries"], and sponsoring member's qualifying documentation as follows:

    • Active Duty - attach copy of assignment orders to present duty station. Title 10 AGR/Reserve attach copy of extended active duty orders showing active status through December 1, 2012. (All Active Duty members sponsoring spouses for grants must be on active duty status through December 1, 2012). NOTE: Spouses living stateside while member is PCS overseas (including Alaska and Hawaii) must provide verification of residence within lower 48 contiguous states during the 2012-2013 academic year (i.e. a phone/utility bill for current residence).

    • Title 32 AGR - attach orders/contracts showing performance of full-time active duty through December 1, 2012. (AF Form 526 AGR/USAFR Point Credit Summary accepted with active duty status through December 2012.)

    • Retired - attach copy of military retirement orders. (DD Form 214 Statement of Service accepted with reason for separation listed as retirement.) Retired AGR/Reserve attach retirement orders (DD Form 214 Statement of Service accepted with reason for separation listed as retirement.) Retired AGR/Reserve attach front and back copies of ID card and retirement orders (DD Form 214); notice of eligibility for retired pay at age 60; or retired pay order showing retired with pay on 60th birthday or later.

    • Deceased - attach a copy of AF Form 1613 Statement of Service form; or State Death Certificate with copy of most current military orders.


  4. Submit the application and attached documentation to Air Force Aid Society's Education Assistance Department.

    ONLY CORRECTLY COMPLETED APPLICATIONS WITH ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS THAT ARE RECEIVED BY MARCH 9, 2012 WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR A GRANT AWARD.

  5. AFAS receives application, verifies applicant's eligibility and Air Force member's status, and forwards correctly completed forms to ACT for processing. Forms needing corrections will be returned to the student applicant. All applicants will be notified of their eligibility within 2 weeks of submitting the online application to AFAS HQ.


  6. ACT will email to the student a User ID and password to access two forms on their website: 1) a Family Financial Data Form (FFDF), specifically for the AFAS grant selection process; and 2) a Grade Point Average (GPA) Verification Form. BOTH FORMS MUST BE COMPLETED AND RECEIVED BY ACT NO LATER THAN APRIL 15, 2012.
    NOTE: The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requires a student’s written consent to release GPA information to third parties. Although the online submission of GPA information to ACT meets FERPA requirements, some schools will not electronically submit GPA data. Students need to verify if their schools will provide GPA data online or only by regular mail. In addition, students who are home schooled are required to provide standardized test results (SAT, ACT, GED) or State-issued documentation of high school completion as proof of meeting 2.0 GPA requirement. Therefore, the GPA Verification Form will have to be printed, completed and mailed with supporting documents.


  7. Once ACT acquires the data from your FFDF and your GPA Verification Form, your application will be processed and evaluated for grant selection.


  8. If the applicant is selected for a grant, an award notice, identifying the school selection upon which eligibility was based, will be sent to the student in June 2012. CHANGING SCHOOLS CAN AFFECT ELIGIBILITY. Re-scoring of eligibility is automatic when notice of school change is received. Applicants not selected will also be notified in June 2012.


  9. All grant award checks will be made payable to the school, and will be sent in two increments directly to the school's financial aid office. First increment will be disbursed in early August, and the second in early December of 2012. Grant awards for 2012-2013 are valid through July 1, 2013. However, funds may only be used for the academic year for which they were disbursed. Any check not cashed by July 1, 2013 will be canceled and funds will not be reissued.

NOTE: The AFAS Grant Program application deadlines for the 2012-2013 academic year are March 9, 2012 for the AFAS online application and April 15, 2012 for the FFDF and GPA forms. All forms should be submitted in time to meet deadlines.

Only applicants whose grant application materials (preliminary application, financial data, and GPA verification) have been received by AFAS/ACT by the stated deadlines will be considered for a grant. There will be no extensions to the grant program deadlines!

For questions regarding the AFAS online application or processing procedures call the Air Force Aid Society's Education Assistance Department at 1(800)429-9475, or (703)607-3072, or DSN 327-3072.

For questions regarding the FFDF and GPA forms call ACT Scholarship and Recognition Services at 1(800)205-6372. Overseas applicants call (319)341-2266.