Our ECC Honors Program partners with Elmhurst University and North Central College.  Each of these institutions sponsors one full-tuition scholarship to an ECC student.   Students are welcome to apply for one of or both of the scholarships as long as they meet the transfer college's eligibility requirements.   Students will apply directly to North Central College for their Community College Honors Scholarship, but you will find the requirements and processes outlined below.  ECC faculty and staff will provide their reviews of applicants, but the decision will be made by North Central.  A committee of ECC faculty and staff will select the recipient of the Elmhurst University Transfer Scholarship.  Students applying for the Elmhurst Transfer Scholarship will submit all required materials through a Google Form that you can locate below.  The Honors Program Director, Jason Kane, will not be a reviewer for either scholarship, but you can reach out to him with questions about the eligibility requirements  or processes.   Both scholarship applications are due in  March each year, and selections are made by early April. 

All information and supporting documents will be submitted by completing this Google Form :  Honors Program Elmhurst Transfer Scholarship Form 

Eligibility and application requirements are detailed in the document above, and you can refer to the scholarship checklist below to make sure that you have everything ready to complete your application.  

Reminder - The 2026 HSF Scholar Program application is open and closes on Sunday, February 15, 2026, 2:00 PM PT. We encourage you to share this opportunity with students in your network.

Share This Opportunity!

• Every year, HSF selects 10,000 outstanding students as HSF Scholars from a broad and talented pool of applicants

• HSF Scholars have access to a full range of invaluable Scholar Support Services, including career services, mentorship, leadership development, knowledge building, and wellness training

• Career services include assisting Scholars with internships and full-time job opportunities

• HSF Scholars are eligible to apply for all Scholar Conferences including, the National Leadership Conference, STEM Summit, Finance Conference, and Sports, Media, & Entertainment Summit

• Exclusive access to the HSF Insider which shares invaluable information and career opportunities

• Eligibility to participate in HSF’s Fund A Scholar Program, a public-facing platform that allows individuals to donate directly to HSF Scholars through HSF

• Finally, and importantly, HSF awards more than $30 million in Scholarships annually and, depending upon available funds, HSF Scholars may also be eligible to receive a scholarship, which ranges from $500-$5,000 and are awarded directly to students

Application Deadline: Sunday, February 15, 2026, 2:00 PM PT 

Eligibility:

• US Citizen, Permanent Legal Resident, or DACA

• Minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for high school students; minimum of 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for college and graduate students

• Plan to enroll full-time in an accredited, public or not-for-profit, four-year university, or graduate school in the US for the 2026-2027 academic year

• Complete and submit the 2026-2027 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

• The HSF Scholar Program is open to students of all races who identify as being of Hispanic heritage

About HSF:

HSF empowers students and parents with the knowledge and resources to successfully complete a higher education, while providing support services and scholarships to as many exceptional students, HSF Scholars, and Alumni as possible.

Founded in 1975, HSF has awarded over $756 million in scholarships. HSF Scholars have access to valuable Scholar Support Services and, as funding permits, scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000.

Additional Important Information:

It takes an average of 30 minutes for students to complete Phase I of the 2026 HSF Scholar Program Application.

• No essays, recommendations, or document uploads are required in Phase I. Simply have your students log in or create a myHSF profile to access the Phase I application

HSF Scholar Program Application Timeline:

• January – Phase I opens January 5 and closes February 15, 2026, 2:00 PM PT

• March – Finalists are announced and invited to Phase II

• June – HSF Scholars pre-selection announcements are sent (Funded and Waitlisted Scholars)

• June – October – Final Document Verification (financial aid award letter, enrollment verification, and related documents)

• End of October – HSF Scholar designations are finalized, and initial awards are disbursed (if applicable) after the verification process is complete

• Fall 2026 – Participation in HSF’s Fund A Scholar Program

Questions? Visit the Help Center or Contact us via the Message Center.

Best,

The HSF Scholar Program Team

Our ECC Honors Program has transfer agreements with Western Illinoins University and Northern Illinois University.  These agreements state how their respective Honors Programs will accept your Honors courses and experiences at ECC to count toward their Honors Program requirements.  This allows you the opportunity to transfer into their Honors Programs and still be able to engage and excel when you transfer.   For details about the transfer agreements, you can review the specific documents below.  Be sure to ask your contact at WIU or NIU about any questions, and reach out to our ECC Honors Program if you need to verify your engagement in Honors.