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The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant

Updated | Julie Provost
iraq and afghanistan service grant

The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) has been discontinued as a separate program and has been replaced by new eligibility criteria under the Federal Pell Grant program.

This change, part of the FAFSA Simplification Act, expands eligibility and streamlines the aid. Students who previously qualified for the IASG, as well as other qualifying students, are now eligible to receive a maximum Pell Grant award, regardless of their Student Aid Index.

Pell Grant Eligibility – Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students with financial need who have not earned a degree. Read more about the Pell Grant at Pell Grant: Everything You Need to Know on College Recon.

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant Benefits and Eligibility

Under the new “Special Rule” for Pell Grants, qualifying students are automatically eligible for the maximum Pell Grant amount for the award year. This is a change from the former IASG, which was only available to students who were not eligible for a Pell Grant, based on their financial need. The new rule ensures this benefit regardless of the family’s calculated ability to pay.

Who Can Sign Up

To be eligible under this new rule, a student must meet the following requirements:

  • The student is the child of a parent or guardian who died in the line of duty on active duty on or after September 11, 2001.
  • The student must be under 33 years old as of the January prior to the award year for which they are applying (for example, a student must be younger than 33 on January 1, 2024, to be eligible for the 2024–2025 award year).
  • The student must meet all other general Pell Grant eligibility requirements.
  • This rule also adds eligibility to the children of public safety officers who died in the line of duty.

Applying for Student Aid

Students apply via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form must be filled out for each year they are in school. There is no separate application or process for the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant

On the FAFSA, students must self-identify their potential eligibility by answering questions about their parent or guardian, and whether the parent/guardian died in the line of duty.

The student’s college or university requires supporting documentation to confirm eligibility, including a copy of the service member’s DD Form 1300 (Report of Casualty).

Updates and Program Changes Since 2020

The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) program was affected by the FAFSA Simplification Act, passed in late 2020 and fully implemented for the 2024–2025 award year. This brought the separate IASG and Children of Fallen Heroes scholarship into the Federal Pell Grant program.

Key updates include:

  • Program Name and Function. The aid is no longer a separate grant (IASG) for those who do not qualify for Pell. It is now a “Special Rule” that grants the maximum Pell Grant to all eligible students, regardless of their financial need (SAI).
  • Expanded Eligibility (Age). The previous IASG requirement was that the student be under 24 years old or enrolled in college at the time of the parent’s death. The new rule raises this, making students eligible if they are under 33 years old.
  • Expanded Eligibility (Service). The new rule consolidates the IASG (for military members) and the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship (for public safety officers) into a single set of criteria.

We wrote about the former Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant prior to the changes detailed above. We preserve that article below for archival purposes.

What to know about the old Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant

Receiving a Federal Pell Grant for your education can be an excellent way to help lower your college costs; however, not everyone qualifies for this type of financial aid. This is where the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant can be of assistance. This is a Title IV grant for dependents of service members who died in the line of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11. Here is what you need to know.

Who was eligible for the now obsolete Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant?

According to StudentAid.gov, applicants may qualify for the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant if they are ineligible for a Pell Grant due to the amount of expected family contributions toward education, but meet the following requirements:

  • The applicant meets all other Federal Pell Grant eligibility requirements;

  • The student’s parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. armed forces and died as a result of military service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after the events of 9/11; and

  • The applicant was under 24 years old or enrolled in college at least part-time at the time of the parent’s or guardian’s death.

Pell Grant Eligibility – Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students with financial need who have not earned a degree. Read more about the Pell Grant at Pell Grant: Everything You Need to Know on College Recon.

How did you apply for the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant?

In order to apply for this grant, submit a FAFSA form every year you are in school. Your school, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education, will determine your eligibility for the grant.

How much was the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant?

The amount of the grant is equal to the amount of a maximum Federal Pell Grant for the award year, but StudentAid.gov says it also can’t exceed the cost of attendance for the year.

When can you no longer get the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant?

Once you earn a baccalaureate degree or your first professional degree or if you have used up all 12 semesters of eligibility, you can no longer receive the grant.

You can read more about this grant on the Federal Student Aid website.

 

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About the author

Julie Provost is a freelance writer, and blogger. She lives in Tennessee with her National Guard husband and three boys.

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