In 1996, Samsung, a global leader in electronics, established the American Legion Scholarship for Grandchildren of veterans worth $5 million. The Samsung American Legion Scholarship Program was created as a gesture of gratitude towards the U.S. veterans who supported Korea in its fight against communist forces during the Korean War.
This program created various scholarships, funded by the interest and other earnings of the principal sum. By 2019, the program had granted over $6.5 million in college scholarships to a total of 2,266 recipients since its commencement in 1996.
American Legion Scholarship for Grandchildren of Veterans Deadline
Applicants for the scholarship are required to complete and submit their application through the online system by 11:59 (local time) on Day 1 of their respective American Legion Boys State or American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program. There will be no modifications allowed post the deadline, and extensions will not be granted under any circumstances.
Applicants must consult with their individual program coordinators to determine if they need to bring a printed version of their submitted application materials. If hard copies are necessary, they must complete their application BEFORE arriving at their specific program.
You can apply for American Legion Scholarship for grandchildren of veterans HERE.
Award Information
The Samsung scholarships can be utilized for undergraduate studies and can cover tuition, books, fees, and room and board. The selection of winners is based on academic performance, school involvement, and community service.
The distribution of awards is as follows:
- Ten National Scholars receive $10,000 each (two from each region)
- Ten National Runners-Up receive $5,000 each (two from each region)
- All remaining Department Finalists receive a guaranteed amount of $1,250 each.
American Legion Scholarship for Grandchildren of Veterans Eligibility
The Samsung American Legion Scholarship application is open to high school students who are between their junior and senior years and are currently participating in either an American Legion Boys State or American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program. Eligible applicants must be a direct descendant (such as a child, grandchild, great-grandchild, etc.) or a legally adopted child of a U.S. military veteran who served on active duty during at least one of the periods of war officially recognized as eligibility dates for American Legion membership.
Applicants who are direct descendants of Korean War Era Veterans will be awarded three bonus points.
Documentation for Proof of Service:
Acceptable forms of proof include:
- Form DD214 (Official discharge certificate)
- Official “Honorable Discharge” certificate
- Form DD1300 (Official military death certificate)
- Official record of burial in a military cemetery from the National Cemetery Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Current or former military ID card
- Current or former LES (Leave and Earnings Statement)
- Official logbook entries from a military unit
- Any other document included in the “Military Service Verification Documents List” (linked below)
The following types of documents are NOT acceptable:
- Any typically “acceptable” document that cannot be read due to poor quality
- Obituaries
- Photos of military headstones
- Photos of service members in uniform
- Entries in non-military and/or non-official records or books
- Membership cards from veterans’ organizations
- VA Healthcare Cards
- Selective Service Registration Card
The following resources may be helpful in your further research:
Discharge certificates from before 1979 may not appear as “official” documents as many were merely typewritten on a piece of paper. If you’re uncertain about the document’s official status, consult your American Legion service officer. You can find Department Service Officers by state at this website Legion.org/serviceofficers.
The National Archives and Records Administration can be a valuable resource for military service records. Visit archives.gov/.
Try reaching out to the County Clerk and Recorder’s Office in the veteran’s residential county.
The funeral home might retain a copy of the discharge certificate if military honors were performed at the service.
Check with the monument company if a VA headstone or marker was requested; they might have a copy of the document.
If the veteran used a VA Home Loan, a copy of the DD214 might be included with the title documentation.
Veterans who have registered for EBENEFITS through the Veterans Administration may be able to download a printable copy from this site: ebenefits.va.gov/.
Lastly, the State Director of Veterans Affairs might have received a copy of the veteran’s DD214 at the time of their military discharge. However, this would be specific to the state that the veteran claimed as their home of record.
Do you have any questions concerning the American Legion Scholarship for grandchildren of veterans? Here is a FAQs PDF that contains answers to most (if not all) of your questions regarding this scholarship.
Read also: American Airlines Education Foundation scholarship
