Grants

Federal Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need. Eligibility is determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 

The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $7,395 for the 2025–26 award year (July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026).

This grant program provides assistance to students with exceptional financial need. Consideration is first given to Pell Grant recipients and students with the lowest family contribution.

Many states have scholarship and grant programs for students attending institutions of higher education. The application process, eligibility criteria, and the number of awards differ from state to state. Specific information can be obtained from high school counseling offices and the Department of Education in the applicant's state.

The ROTC Four-Year High School Scholarship is for high school students planning on attending a four-year college program. Contact your high school advisor or campus Military Science department for more information.

Requirements

• Be a U.S. citizen or Legal Permanent Resident
• Be between the ages of 17 and 26
• Have a high school GPA of at least 2.50
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent
• Meet physical standards
• Have no medical issues preventing you from serving
• Agree to accept a commission and serve in the Army on Active Duty or in a Reserve Component (Army Reserve or Army National Guard)

Your Commitment

• An eight-year service commitment with the Army
• Serve full-time in the Army for four years and four years with the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR)
• Selected Cadets may choose to serve part-time in the Army Reserve or Army National Guard while pursuing a civilian career

Apply Online For An Army ROTC Four-Year High School Scholarship

If you are applying for a scholarship, you will first need to create a MY GOARMY account. Once you create an account, you will be sent to the MY GOARMY Login page. Once you can successfully log in to MY GOARMY, you can use your newly created account information to log in to the scholarship application site.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to watch the Official ROTC YouTube video on How to Fill Out the 4-Year High School Scholarship Application. 

The Veterans Administration administers programs for veterans and service people seeking assistance for education or training. Veterans and service people who initially entered the military on or after January 1, 1977 may receive educational assistance under a contributory plan. A deferred payment plan is available for veterans enrolling full-time. Additional information regarding veterans' benefits, as well as college applications, may be obtained through the Roger Williams University Veterans Affairs Office.

Veterans and service members who served for at least 90 days of aggregate active duty after 9/11, and are still on active duty, or if they were honorably discharged or were discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days, may be eligible for this VA-administered program.

Post-9/11 GI Bill ® (Chapter 33) at RWU

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® program is comprised of multiple payments. All payments and maximum amounts listed below are applicable to individuals eligible for the full benefit (100% eligibility tier). 

At RWU, eligible students who meet 100% eligibility tier will receive a maximum tuition and fee reimbursement up to $27,120.05 per academic year, effective August 1, 2023. Chapter tuition and fees benefits are paid directly to Roger Williams University and applied to your student account's direct-billed charges.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® will also include benefits such as a monthly housing allowance and a stipend for books and supplies. The VA will send any book benefits and housing allowance payments directly to you (the student) and not the university. Students should plan to use a portion of their housing allowance to pay for any relevant on-campus room and board charges.

If RWU tuition and fees exceed the annual cap offered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, you may be eligible for extra payment under the Yellow Ribbon program. The Yellow Ribbon Program can help you pay for tuition costs that the Post-9/11 GI Bill® doesn’t cover.

RWU is a participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program and currently offers a total of 15 spots in the program at any one time; spots are not tied to an individual major, but the student must be enrolled as a full-time day student. The institution is required to approve spots to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. For the 2023-2024 academic year, RWU provided a maximum of $5,389 per year to eligible undergraduate day students.

Do you qualify for Yellow Ribbon?

To qualify for the Yellow Ribbon program, you must qualify for the maximum benefit rate under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. And at least one of the following must be true:

• Served at least 36 months on active duty (either all at once or with breaks in service)
• Received a Purple Heart on or after September 11, 2001, and were honorably discharged after any amount of service
• Received a Fry Scholarship on or after August 1, 2018,
• Served for at least 30 continuous days (all at once, without a break) on or after September 11, 2001, and were discharged after 60 days with a service-connected disability
• Are a dependent child using benefits transferred by a Veteran or a service member who has served for at least 36 months on active duty and qualifies at the 100% level
• Are receiving the Fry Scholarship (beginning August 1, 2018)

In order to apply for the Yellow Ribbon program at RWU, applicants must:

1. Be admitted to RWU
2. Submit an application to the Yellow Ribbon Program
3. Submit a copy of a Certificate of Eligibility showing 100% eligibility for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®

RWU Yellow Ribbon Program Application

Apply to the Yellow Ribbon Program

For questions on the Yellow Ribbon Program, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@rwu.edu or (401) 254-3100 

The best way to submit the FAFSA is to complete and submit it online at studentaid.gov. If you need a paper FAFSA, you can download a PDF FAFSA or order a print-out of the PDF FAFSA by calling 1-877-4-ED-PUBS (1-877-433-7827). 

You can check the status of your FAFSA immediately after submitting it online. 

You can check the status of a paper FAFSA after it has been processed (roughly 7–10 days from the date mailed). Here’s how:

• Option 1: Go to studentaid.gov and log in
• Option 2: Contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center. 

If your FAFSA is still being processed, we recommend that you wait a few days before checking the status again.