Eligibility

Our  Scholarship

Candidates submitting scholarship applications must, in the year of submission of their scholarship application:

  • possess a GED, be a graduating high school senior or a high school graduate intending to enter, or an undergraduate student currently enrolled in an accredited and degree granting institution of higher learning, including post-secondary Vocational Institutions
  • must be a dependent child (natural or adopted), step-child, or a non-uniformed spouse (registered in DEERS) of a US Navy Active Duty, Retired, Honorably Discharged, Reserve or deceased Chief, Senior Chief, or Master Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy

    Note:  Students selected to schools under full scholarship will not be eligible for this scholarship.
    Students selected to attend military service academies including the Merchant Marines or enlisted in the Reserves or on Active Duty are not eligible.
     
 
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2024 - 25 Scholarship Winners

To APPLY
See Below

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Instructions and Checklist

Application Form

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Mail your completed packet to:

Senior Enlisted Academy
c/o The CPO Scholarship Fund
1269 Elliot Avenue
Newport, RI 02841-1525

Applications postmarked after April 1, 2024 will not be accepted.

Click Here to download, print out and fill in the Application.

 

How to Apply

Download: Chief Petty Officer Scholarship Fund Application Form2021-22.pdf

In addition to a completed application, please read and follow the CPOSF Application Instructions and Checklist attached.

Download: Chief Petty Officer Scholarship Fund Application Form 2024-25.pdf

Download: CPOSF Application Instructions and Checklist Rev. 12-23.pdf

About Our Scholarships

  • 2 - $5,000 MCPON Scholarships are awarded each year in honor of MCPON Thomas Crow and Co-Founder, MCPON Robert J. Walker

To learn more about these SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIPS and the Sailors they honor.  Click Here

  • ~20 TO 50 - $2,000 Scholarships are also awarded each year.  This number is determined solely by the financial status of the fund.

The Chief Petty Officer Scholarship Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity dependent entirely upon tax deductible donations to support its education "Gift of Knowledge".  
Consider a "Gift" today!

 

 

Recipients

Recipients are notified by mail Mid-June to Mid-July. Once you have been notified you are a recipient of a CPO Scholarship - please download and complete your Awardee Packet.  We will post this on our Current Awardee Page.  The Awardee Packet must be completed and returned by August 1st so the CPOSF can send your award to your school.

Download: CPOSF Student AWARD FORM 2021

Congratulations!

How do recipients get chosen for a scholarship?
All applications for eligible candidates are carefully reviewed by an independent panel of Chiefs, Senior Chiefs and Master Chiefs at the Navy's Senior Enlisted Academy in Newport, Rhode Island. The panel grades the applications and develops the slate of selected awardees using standard evaluating criteria. The panel then presents that slate to the CPOSF Board of Directors. The CPOSF board does not participate in, influence, or question this panel's final decision or the results. The CPOSF Board of Directors, in order to be fair and impartial, does not receive or handle in any way any of the applications until selections are final.  

Upon selection, the slate of recipients and alternates are given to the Administration Office in Virginia Beach, VA for processing. Scholarship Recipients are announced between Mid-June and Mid-July via Award Letters, our Website and Facebook Page and Group.

Am I eligible if I've received a previous scholarship?
Anyone who meets the basic requirements will be considered for a scholarship.  You must reapply each year in which you are eligible.

If the CPO is deployed can the spouse sign by Power of Attorney (POA)? If so, do you need a copy of the POA attached to the application?
All we need from the spouse is the application and the sponsor's (Chief) name. The spouse or guardian can sign on the sign the sponsor / guardian line.

Do we need to submit SAT scores with the application? How about college acceptance letters?
We do not need to know the SAT scores to award the scholarships nor do we require college acceptance letters. We send the scholarship directly to the college bursar in August or September in the name of the recipient.


Do we need to submit Official or Non-Official Transcripts?
We do not need copies of ANY transcripts unless requested. DO NOT SEND!

My sponsor was a Chief who was selected into the LDO/ CWO community.  Am I still eligible to apply for a CPOSF scholarship?
Currently our scholarships are not available to those Chiefs who chose to convert to LDO and CWO. We base this on relative need and feel that an average LDO and CWO has more disposable income than CPOs. Since we do not currently require a financial aid statement this becomes a criteria.

When are the applications due?
Your application should be postmarked no later than April 1st for the year you are applying and mailed to the address listed on both the checklist and on the application form in Newport, Rhode Island.  Application packages will not be accepted if postmarked later than this date or received at the wrong address.  No exceptions!

What Expenses can my Scholarship be used for?
If selected for a scholarship, Award Checks are sent directly to the Bursar Office of the School you have chosen to go to.  The Bursar applies to your student account and most schools will apply half in Fall and half in Spring unless you direct them otherwise.  Our scholarship can be used for Tuition, Fees, Books, Room and Board or any expense that is run through your student bursar account.  If the student qualifies for and is using their Sponsor's transferred Post 9-11 GI Bill, our scholarships can still be used for any expenses not covered as long as it goes through the Bursar Account.  Please talk to your Financial Aid Office at your school to discuss questions concerning this and any other scholarships that you may be receiving.

Frequently Asked Questions