Illinois

Application Deadlines:

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Grants and Scholarships:

Monetary Award Program

• All Match List schools are approved schools

Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program

• About:
  • If: 1) you plan to teach at a nonprofit Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool, elementary school, or secondary school, for which the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has determined that no less than 30 percent of the enrolled students are African American/Black, Hispanic American, Asian American, or Native American; and 2) you are of African American/Black, Hispanic American, Asian American or Native American origin, then you may qualify for up to $5,000 per year as part of the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program. Funds from this program may be used to pay for tuition, fees and room and board, or commuter allowances, if applicable. This scholarship may be received for a maximum of the equivalent of four academic years (eight semesters or 12 quarters) of full-time enrollment.
  • As part of the application process, you must agree to the terms and conditions that are outlined in the application's Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note. By receiving this scholarship, you must teach in Illinois. If this teaching commitment is not fulfilled, the scholarship converts to a loan, and you must repay the entire amount plus interest.
• To be eligible, you must:
  • be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
  • be a resident of Illinois
  • be a minority student of either African American/Black, Hispanic American, Asian American or Native American origin
  • be a high school graduate or hold a General Educational Development (GED) certificate
  • be enrolled on at least a half-time basis as an undergraduate or graduate student
  • be enrolled or accepted for enrollment at an Illinois institution of higher education in a course of study which, upon completion, qualifies you to be certified as a preschool, elementary or secondary school teacher by the Illinois State Board of Education, including alternative teacher certification
  • maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
  • maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by your college
  • comply with federal Selective Service registration requirements
  • complete the application process by:
  • submitting a fully-completed Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program application, which includes the Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note (in order to receive priority consideration for an award, the complete application must be received at ISAC on or before the March 1 immediately preceding the academic year for which the scholarship is requested),
  • being certified as meeting eligibility requirements by the college at which you will use the scholarship, and
  • accepting the scholarship (if one is offered)
  • sign the application's Teaching Agreement/Promissory Note promising to fulfill the teaching commitment or repay funds received plus interest
  • the teaching commitment for this program must be fulfilled at a nonprofit Illinois public, private, or parochial preschool, elementary school, or secondary school, for which the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has determined that no less than 30 percent of the enrolled students are African American/Black, Asian American, Hispanic American, or Native American
  • the percentage of an Illinois school's enrolled students meeting minority status requirements can be found at ISBE's eReport Card Public Site by using the "Search: School, District, and State Report Cards" function to locate a specific school and then clicking on that school's name.
  • not be in default on any student loan, nor owe a refund on any state or federal grant. If you are in default, you may re-establish your eligibility.
  • not have previously received funds from the MTI Scholarship Program for the equivalent of four academic years, which is the program maximum
  • not receive funds from the Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program or the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program during the same term(s) for which you receive funds from the MTI Scholarship Program
• Award Amount:
  • Up to $5,000 per year

Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver Program

• About:
  • If you are a teacher or an academically talented student pursuing a career in special education as a nonprofit public, private or parochial preschool, elementary or secondary school teacher in Illinois, you may be eligible for the Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver Program. This program will exempt you from paying tuition and mandatory fees at an eligible institution, for up to four calendar years. Mandatory fees are those assessed by a college to every full-time student for each term. Examples include fees for activities, facility operations, grants, health, registration, technology, transportation and others. The college determines fees that are considered mandatory.
  • By receiving the tuition waiver, you must teach in Illinois in the field of special education. If this teaching commitment is not fulfilled, the amount of benefits received converts to a loan, and you must repay the entire amount plus interest. It is recommended that you monitor your college billing statements to keep track of the amount waived, in the unlikely event the tuition waiver converts to a loan. You can estimate the loan payments by accessing the Monthly Payment Estimates Calculator on this website.
  • SETTW recipients, including those who are pursuing or have secured a position as a Speech-Language Pathologist, should take note that in order to fulfill the teaching requirements, their position must be that of a “teacher”, as certified by their employing school official. A “teacher” is defined as a person who provides direct classroom-type teaching or classroom-type teaching in a non-classroom setting.
  • Accordingly, only if a Speech-Language Pathologist’s teaching position meets the above definition, and is certified as such by the school official, would the position be considered as fulfilling the SETTW teaching requirements.
• To be eligible, you must:
  • Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
  • Be an Illinois resident
  • Meet one of the following conditions: you graduated from an approved high school; or you are scheduled to graduate from an approved high school by the end of the academic year in which the award is made and you performed in the upper half of your graduating class according to performance-based academic data provided by the high school; or you hold a valid teaching certificate that is not in the discipline of special education
  • Be enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, at one of the eligible public four-year colleges in Illinois (providing the institution offers a concentration in Special Education) as an undergraduate or graduate student seeking initial certification in any area of special education
  • Be enrolled in a program of special education within 10 days after the beginning of the term for which the waiver was initially awarded
  • Not at any time have received cumulative Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver benefits that equal or exceed the program maximum of four calendar years
  • Complete the application process by:
  • submitting a fully-completed Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver Program application, which includes the Teaching Agreement/Master Promissory Note (in order to receive priority consideration for an award, the complete application must be received at ISAC on or before the March 1 immediately preceding the academic year for which the tuition waiver is requested),
  • being certified as meeting eligibility requirements by the college at which you will use the scholarship, and
  • accepting the scholarship (if one is offered)*
  • Sign the application's Teaching Agreement/Master Promissory Note promising to fulfill the teaching commitment or repay funds received plus interest
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by your college
  • Remain in attendance at the college on a continuous basis for up to four years (unless granted an approved leave of absence, in which case the course of study must be completed within six years)
  • Not be in default on any student loan, nor owe a refund on any state or federal grant. If you are in default, you may re-establish your eligibility.
  • Comply with federal Selective Service registration requirements
  • Not receive funds from the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program or the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program during the same term(s) for which you receive funds from the Illinois SETTW Program.
  • * Once an academic year has ended, adjustments to benefits received will not be made for individuals who originally had their expenses (e.g., tuition and fees) covered using those benefits (i.e., the applicant cannot choose to "pay back" the dollar amount of benefits used in order to reinstate eligibility for the future).
• Award Amount:
  • Full tuition and mandatory fees at an eligible institution for up to four calendar years

Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois

• About:
  • The Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program encourages academically talented Illinois students, especially minority students, to pursue teaching careers, especially at high-need, hard-to-staff schools by providing tuition assistance at one of the participating colleges. You may qualify for up to $2,500 as a freshman or sophomore, and up to $5,000 as a junior or senior.
  • As part of the application process, you must agree to teach, on a full-time basis, for a period of not less than five years at nonprofit Illinois public, private or parochial preschool, or an Illinois public elementary or secondary school considered a School of Need. You must begin teaching within two years of the completion of your degree or certificate program for which the assistance was awarded. If the teaching commitment is not fulfilled, the award will convert to a loan, which must be repaid, with interest.
• To be eligible, you must:
  • be named as a Golden Apple Scholar by the Golden Apple Foundation
  • be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
  • be a resident of Illinois (if you are dependent, both you and your parent/guardian must be residents of Illinois)
  • be a high school graduate or hold a General Educational Development (GED) certificate
  • be enrolled at a four-year institution designated as a participating college by the Golden Apple Foundation
  • be enrolled in a postsecondary course of study leading to initial teacher certification or taking additional courses needed to gain Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) approval to teach, including alternative teacher certification
  • enter into a program agreement and promissory note with the Golden Apple Foundation and ISAC
  • participate in all required programs and adhere to residential guidelines and standards of conduct as a designated Golden Apple Scholar
  • not receive funds from the Illinois Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program or the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program during the same term(s) for which you receive funds from the Golden Apple program.
  • earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (if a sophomore, junior or senior)
• Award Amount:
  • Up to $2,500 as a first-year or sophomore
  • Up to $5,000 as a junior or senior

MIA/POW Scholarship

• About:
  • If you are the dependent of a person who was an Illinois resident at the time he/she entered active duty and has been declared to be a prisoner of war, missing in action, dead as a result of a service-connected disability, or disabled with a 100 percent disability as the result of a service-connected cause as recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the U.S. Department of Defense, you may be eligible to receive the MIA/POW Scholarship. This scholarship may be used at public colleges in Illinois, and is administered by the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.
• To be eligible, you must:
  • Any spouse, natural child, legally adopted child, or any step-child of a veteran or service person who has not attained the age of 26 and has been declared by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to be a prisoner of war, missing in action, have died as the result of a service connected disability or be permanently disabled from service connected causes with 100% disability or is found unemployable, total and permanent and being paid at the 100% rate and/or in receipt of Chapter 35 benefits from the US Department of Veterans Affairs or who, at the time of entering service, was an Illinois resident or was an Illinois resident within six (6) months after entering service, shall be eligible for the Scholarship
• Award Amount:
  • Full payment of tuition and certain fees to any state supported Illinois institution of higher learning consisting of the equivalent of four calendar years of full time enrollment including summer terms

Nursing Education Scholarship Program

• About:
  • If you are pursuing a certificate in practical nursing, an associates degree in nursing, a hospital-based diploma in nursing or a bachelor’s or graduate degree in nursing and demonstrate the greatest financial need among qualified students, you may be qualified to win the Nursing Education Scholarship. This scholarship provides financial aid anywhere from one to four years. If awarded, you must begin full- or part-time employment as a licensed practical or registered nurse in Illinois within six months of graduating, and remain employed for a period equivalent to the educational time supported by the scholarship. If you terminate studies, or fail to become employed, you will be required to repay the full scholarship amount, plus seven-percent interest per year.
  • The application cycle for this scholarship is from March 1 through May 31, prior to the beginning of the academic year for which you are requesting the scholarship.
• To be eligible, you must:
  • Be a resident of Illinois for at least one year prior to application;
  • Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States;
  • Be enrolled in or accepted for admission to a nursing program in Illinois that isapproved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.Approved schools can be found by clicking on Illinois Approved NursingEducation Programs under RESOURCES in the right-hand column;
  • Demonstrate financial need based on the applicant’s Student Aid Report; and
  • Agree to the nurse employment or nurse educator employment obligation.
• Award Amount:
  • Full-time students may receive the following for an academic year:
    • For public colleges or universities:
      • Tuition and fees: $11,177
      • Stipend: $4,875
    • For community college, hospital-based school of nursing, or school of practical nursing:
      • Tuition and fees: $3,118
      • Stipend: $4,875

Higher Education License Plate (HELP) Program

• About:
  • Provides grants to students who attend Illinois colleges for which the special collegiate license plates are available. The Illinois Secretary of State issues the license plates, and part of the proceeds is used for grants for undergraduate students attending these colleges.
• To be eligible, you must:
  • Contact your college to determine if it participates in the HELP Program, to learn about specific eligibility requirements, and to determine if anything other than the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) must be submitted to apply.
  • All HELP Program applicants must complete the FAFSA in order to determine financial need. If eligible, you may receive this grant for the equivalent of 10 semesters or 15 quarters of full-time enrollment.
• Award Amount:
  • HELP Program grants may be used only for tuition and mandatory fees for two semesters or three quarters in an academic year. Requests for summer assistance must be made separately to your college, and each is considered on an individual basis by the school. The availability of grants is contingent on the number of license plates sold and the annual appropriation. Average amount: $250
  • Program Funding (last update February 9, 2017)
    • The state budget that funds the HELP Program has not yet been finalized by the Illinois General Assembly and governor. As a result, it is not known how much funding, if any, this program will receive. Be sure to regularly visit this page for the latest updates regarding the status of the budget and program funding.

Grant Program for Dependents of Correctional Officers

• About:
  • If you are the spouse or child of a State of Illinois Department of Corrections officer who was killed or became at least 90 percent disabled in the line of duty, you may be eligible for the Grant Program for Dependents of Correctional Officers. This grant provides assistance toward tuition and mandatory fees* for undergraduate or graduate study at ISAC-approved Illinois colleges. You may receive assistance for a maximum of the equivalent of four academic years (eight semesters or 12 quarters) of full-time enrollment. You do not need to be a resident of Illinois at the time of enrollment to receive this grant.
  • Eligible schools:
    • http://www.isac.org/students/during-college/documents/1718CorrectionalSchools.pdf
• To be eligible, you must:
  • Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
  • Be enrolled on at least a half-time basis at an ISAC-approved Illinois 2- or 4-year college
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress as established by your college
  • Not be in default on any student loan, nor owe a refund on any state or federal grant. If you are in default, you may re-establish your eligibility.
  • Be the spouse, natural child, legally adopted child, or any child in the legal custody of the correctional officer at the time of death or disability
  • Allow sufficient mailing time to make sure ISAC receives your complete application on or before the deadline date, based on the first term for which you wish to receive funds each academic year. For 2017-18:
    • October 1, 2017 - Full Year Consideration
    • March 1, 2018 - Only 2nd Semester (2nd/3rd Quarter) and Summer Consideration
    • June 15, 2018 - Only Summer Term Consideration
• Award Amount:
  • Full payment of tuition and fees
  • Maximum of four academic years
  • The grant will cover the difference in costs for courses taken at an out-of-district college that are not offered at a recipient's in-district college. Recipients attending approved private colleges in Illinois shall receive payment of tuition and mandatory fees in an amount not to exceed the maximum grant payable to a student enrolled in the most expensive comparable program of study at a public college in Illinois.

Grant Program for Dependents of Police or Fire Officers

• About:
  • If you are the spouse or child of an Illinois police or fire officer who was killed or became at least 90 percent disabled in the line of duty, you may be eligible for the Grant Program for Dependents of Police or Fire Officers. This grant provides assistance toward college tuition and mandatory fees* for undergraduate or graduate study at an ISAC-approved Illinois college. You may receive assistance for a maximum of the equivalent of four academic years (eight semesters or 12 quarters) of full-time enrollment. You do not need to be a resident of Illinois at the time of enrollment to receive this grant.
  • Eligible schools:
    • http://www.isac.org/students/during-college/documents/1718PoliceFireSchools.pdf
• To be eligible, you must:
  • Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
  • Be enrolled on at least a half-time basis at an ISAC-approved Illinois 2- or 4-year college
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress as established by your college
  • Not be in default on any student loan, nor owe a refund on any state or federal grant. If you are in default, you may re-establish your eligibility.
  • Be the spouse, natural child, legally adopted child, or any child in the legal custody of the police or fire officer at the time of death or disability
  • Allow sufficient mailing time to make sure ISAC receives your complete application on or before the deadline date, based on the first term for which you wish to receive funds each academic year. For 2017-18:
  • October 1, 2017 – Full Year Consideration
  • March 1, 2018 – Only 2^nd Semester (2^nd/3^rd Quarter) and Summer Consideration
  • June 15, 2018 – Only Summer Term Consideration
• Award Amount:
  • Full payment of tuition and fees
  • Maximum of four academic years
  • The grant will cover the difference in costs for courses taken at an out-of-district college that are not offered at a recipient’s in-district college. Recipients attending approved private colleges in Illinois shall receive payment of tuition and mandatory fees in an amount not to exceed the maximum grant payable to a student enrolled in the most expensive comparable program of study at a public college in Illinois.
• Must apply each year

Oak Park Area Arts Council 2017 Fine Arts Scholarship

• About:
  • High school seniors who have been involved/studied the arts in high school or the community and will pursue college studies in an arts-related discipline, such as the visual arts, performing arts, musical arts, and literary arts, are encouraged to apply. The scholarships will be awarded based upon merit. Scholarship finalists will be asked to submit to a 10-minute interview prior to the actual awarding of the scholarships at a time and place to be announced. Scholarship recipients will be chosen based upon the quality of their applications and interviews.
• To be eligible, you must:
  • Any graduating senior who is a resident of Oak Park, Forest Park or River Forest
• Award Amount:
  • $1,000

Russell C. Lussuzzo Scholarship

• About:
  • Russell C. Lissuzzo was a long time resident of the Village of Oak Park. Russ was a well-known architect, a jazz musician and as he used to say, a “drawer”. When he passed away in the fall of 2007, his family established funds to honor him through a scholarship program.
• To be eligible, you must:
  • Graduating senior who is a resident of the tri-village area (Oak Park, Forest Park and River Forest) and is going on to major in architecture in college.
• Award Amount:
  • $1,000

Chicago Public Schools Wentcher Scholars Program

• About:
  • The Wentcher Foundation awards $10,000 college scholarships to high-performing Chicago Public Schools students to help them pursue higher education. Funded through the generosity of benefactor Ernest Wentcher, the Foundation supports students on the basis of academic merit, character, and financial need.
• Eligibility:
  • Open to Chicago Public Schools seniors graduating in June 2018
  • Minimum 3.0 unweighted GPA
  • Minimum 20 composite ACT (or 1030 composite SAT)
  • Open to all students who are eligible to receive federal financial aid. Applications from US citizens, legal permanent residents, and eligible non-citizens will be considered. If you are not sure about your eligibility status, visit the Federal Student Aid website.
• Amount:
  • $10,000 per year (renewable up to 4 years)

Information for Undocumented and DACA Students

IL allows undocumented students who live in Illinois to pay in-state tuition

• Acevedo Rule

College Advising Guide for Undocumented Students

Illinois Dream Fund

College & University Information for Undocumented Students

Consolidated List of Scholarships and Resources Available to Students Regardless of Immigration Status

Undocumented 101

Other Resources:

Midwest Student Exchange Program

• Public institutions agree to charge students no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition rate for specific programs; private institutions offer a 10% reduction on their tuition rates. You must be enrolling as a non-resident student at a participating MSEP campus to receive the discount. All enrollment decisions are made at the discretion of the receiving campus and the campus may exercise its right to limit participation or set specific admission requirements for MSEP.
• States:
  • Indiana
  • Kansas
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • Nebraska
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Wisconsin

ISACorps

• The Corps is comprised of recent college graduates who are stationed in each community college district across the state of Illinois and provide high-quality and personal pre-college counseling services for low-income, first-generation students.

Illinois Promise

• Eligibility:
  • You and your parent(s) must be Illinois residents.
  • You must be under the age of 24 and admitted as a new freshman or new transfer student.
  • Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) determined through the FAFSA must equal $0.
  • Your family income must be at or below the federal poverty level, which is determined on an annual basis and adjusted for the size of the family unit.
  • Your total family assets must be less than $50,000.
  • You must be enrolled in at least 12 hours during fall or spring semesters.
• About:
  • Illinois Promise funding will be provided to eligible students for four years of attendance at Illinois if criteria continue to be met. Annual renewal of the FAFSA is required and students must remain in good academic standing (i.e., eligible to continue studies at the University of Illinois). As with the tuition guarantee, the four years of eligibility for Illinois Promise begins when a student enrolls at the University and runs continuously. Award amount is Illinois Promise will fund the estimated cost of tuition, fees, room and board, and books and supplies, through grants and scholarships and by working approximately 10-12 hours a week.

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