The NexSTEM Program provides scholarships to academically successful, low income students from McLean county and the greater Illinois region who are committed to pursuing STEM degrees at Illinois State University (ISU) or Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU).  

Successful applicants are awarded a scholarship of up to $5,000/semester for one year (maximum of $10,000), with the exact amount determined by the student's unmet financial need, the college's cost of attendance, and availability of federal funds. 

Scholars also participate in professional development mentoring, have access to funds to support their professional development, and participate in whole-program activities.

Beginning the 2023-2024 academic year, the NexSTEM Program required that scholarship applicants meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Be citizens, nationals, permanent residents, or refugees of the United States and have permanent residency in Illinois.

2. Be Pell-eligible (either IWU or ISU) or MAP-eligible (IWU only) as determined by the FAFSA and reported to NexSTEM by the ISU or IWU Financial Aid Office.

3. Be: 

   • returning college students at IWU and ISU who are in good standing, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00, and are on track to graduate in Fall, 2024 or Spring, 2025; 

4. Be pursuing a degree in one of the Program's eligible fields: 

• Biological sciences (NOTE: medicine and other clinical fields are NOT eligible); 

• Physical sciences (including physics, chemistry, astronomy, and materials science); 

• Mathematical sciences; 

• Computer and information sciences; 

• Geosciences; 

• Engineering; or

• Technology areas associated with the preceding disciplines (for example, biotechnology, chemical technology, engineering technology, information technology, etc.)  

A list of eligible STEM programs available at ISU and IWU is available here.