FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship

Name: FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship – FINRA Investor Education Foundation

Award Amount: Covers full costs of earning the AFC® (Accredited Financial Counselor®) credential—including study materials, webinars, examination fees and up to 3 years to complete.

Information and Eligibility:
This fellowship is available to military spouses interested in earning the Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) designation. It provides the opportunity to develop skills in personal finance, counseling, and financial education for the military community.

The FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship offers military spouses the opportunity to earn the Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®) designation at no cost. This program is designed for spouses seeking to gain expertise in personal finance and financial counseling, providing them with the knowledge and skills to help military families manage their finances effectively. In addition to funding the AFC program, the fellowship includes mentorship and professional development opportunities. By equipping military spouses with valuable financial skills, this fellowship empowers them to pursue careers in financial counseling and education, benefiting both their families and the broader military community.
Eligibility criteria include:

• Affiliation: Must be a current spouse, surviving spouse, or spouse of a retired Uniformed Service member (Active Duty, National Guard, Reserves, or Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service or NOAA).
• Enrollment in DEERS: Spouse must be registered/enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).
• Citizenship/Residency: Applicants must live in the U.S. (or U.S. military installation overseas) and meet the service-spouse eligibility above.

Application Requirements:

• Completed online application when open (typically March 1 – April 15 each year).
• Essays and short-answer responses reflecting interest in financial counseling, service to military families, and personal goals.
• Résumé or summary of work/volunteer experience; high school diploma or equivalent required.
• Submission of demographic and service-member information; letter of recommendation is optional in many cases.

Selection Criteria:

• Applicant’s readiness and commitment to complete the AFC® certification program.
• Demonstrated interest in serving military families through financial education or counseling.
• Quality of application materials—writing, clarity of goals, and alignment with the fellowship mission.

Additional Details:

• The fellowship is a partnership of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation and the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE®).
• Selected fellows join a network of military-spouse financial educators and may serve in paid or volunteer roles helping service members and their families manage finances.
• Since its inception in 2006, the program has enabled hundreds of military spouses to earn the AFC® credential and provided financial counseling to tens of thousands of service members and families.

Deadline:

• April

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