2026 Tailhook Educational Foundation Scholarship Application - Gold Star
Description
Welcome to the Gold Star Application page.
Applications are available on 15 December 2025 and due back at TEF headquarters by 16 February 2026.
Please check the TEF Web pages for the exact TEF Scholarship application opening and closing dates for that academic year.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
High school graduate and child of a current or former Naval Aviator, Naval Flight Officer, or Air-crewman.
- Or -
Children of individuals who served onboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier.
- And -
Accepted for undergraduate enrollment at an accredited college.
TEF will award Gold Star scholarships to Naval Aviation legacy students who lost their TEF eligible sponsor parent while they were still serving on active-duty. These scholarships are not awarded based on merit; all qualified Gold Star students will receive an annual grant each year they apply. TEF will award Gold Star grants for up to four years to qualified undergraduate students at an accredited college or university.
What’s needed to prove TEF Gold Star scholarship eligibility: Proof of sponsorship is the parent-sponsor's CASREP, OBIT (etc.). Gold Star scholarships are only available to those students whose parent-sponsor passed away while still on active-duty, not their grandparent-sponsor.
TEF awards over 100 scholarships annually averaging more than $4,000 per grant with our top grant awarded at $20,000. A number of our TEF grants are awarded to students pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum. All TEF grants assist Naval Aviation legacy undergraduate students obtain a higher education.
As part of TEF’s ongoing educational program, we send nearly 1,000 quarterly copies of the “The Hook” magazine to U.S. high schools, colleges, NROTC/ NJROTC units and Military service academies. TEF also sends ‘The Hook” magazine to our awardees each year they receive a TEF grant.
TEF scholarships are only made possible by the continued generosity of our individual and organizational supporters and our organizational and industry partners. Donations to TEF are fully deductible as charitable contributions.
The Tailhook Educational Foundation (TEF) is a charitable nonprofit California corporation started in February 1993. The Foundation's charter is 'to educate the nation's public with regard to the history and present day activities of the United States Navy carrier aviation and its importance to our country's national security.'