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Top Illinois Scholarships in 2022
Illinois, also known as the “Land of Lincoln,” is home to some of the most renowned colleges in the Midwest. From the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to Northwestern, there is a college for any student! Illinois scholarships are also available to help pay for college. The following list contains some of the best scholarships to help make your Illinois education a reality.
Keep on reading to learn more about the top Illinois scholarships including deadlines, award amounts, and eligibility requirements.
Jump ahead to:
- Illinois student loan debt snapshot
- Top Illinois scholarships
- Merit scholarships at Illinois colleges and universities
- Additional Illinois resources
- Frequently asked questions
Illinois college loan debt snapshot
According to the Department of Education, Illinois residents owe $61.6 billion in federal student loan debt, with 1,631,500 student borrowers owing an average of $37,757 each (this does not include private loans). In Illinois, 54.5% of student loan borrowers are under the age of 35. As you are starting your higher education journey, remember that scholarships allow students to take less loans. Make sure that you apply to as many as you qualify for.
Top Illinois scholarships
Illinois Water Environment Association Clean Water Scholarship
- Eligibility: Illinois residents or students attending a college or university in Illinois, who have a 2.5+ GPA. Must have completed at least 2 years of undergraduate study or be in a graduate program. Must enroll full-time. Must be studying a water-related field of study such as civil or environmental engineering, environmental science, or wastewater systems operation
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: End of January annually
Community Foundation of Northern Illinois scholarships
- Eligibility: Over 90 scholarships with different criteria, but all meant to serve residents of Northern Illinois, especially students in Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: February 1 annually
Soil and Water Stewardship Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students with a minimum 3.0 GPA enrolled or planning to enroll full-time in a 2-year or 4-year program pursuing a degree in natural resource fields. Must have a permanent residence in Boone, Cook, Dekalb, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will or Winnebago Counties
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: February 15 annually
Association for Women in Communications (AWC) Springfield Educational Scholarship
- Eligibility: Undergraduate juniors or seniors, or graduate students, who are either from Central Illinois or attending school in Central Illinois. Must be majoring in majoring in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, graphic design, videography, photography, or related fields, and be pursuing a career in communications or a related field
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: March 1
Friends of Volo Bog Environmental Studies/Natural Science Scholarship Program
- Eligibility: High school seniors residing in Lake, McHenry, Kane, Cook, DuPage, Kendall, or Will County who maintained a B average for their first 3 years of high school and who plan to pursue a career that helps preserve the natural environment. Continuing college applicants can also apply if they reside in one of those counties and obtained a B average from a high school there, and have maintained one in college
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: March 31
Palumbo Family Foundation Scholarship Program
- Eligibility: High school seniors, undergraduate students, and students at vocational programs with a minimum 3.0 GPA who are residents of Cook, Dupage, Kane, Lake, or Will Counties
- Amount: $2,000 – $11,000. Varies based on scholarship
- Deadline: March 31 (Opens January 1)
Lombard Area American Association of University Women “Return to Learning” Scholarship
- Eligibility: Female residents of the Lombard Area (Addison, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Lombard, Oakbrook Terrace, Villa Park, or Wheaton) enrolled or planning to return to school after an interruption in their studies. Special consideration will be given to applicants who are pursuing studies in STEM fields.
- Amount: $5,000
- Deadline: Early April
Chicago Engineers Foundation High School Graduate Award
- Eligibility: Live or go to high school in the City of Chicago. Must be accepted at an engineering program within a four-year accredited college/university for the upcoming school year. Proof in the form of an acceptance letter from the college/university is required
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: Early April
Corporate Relocation Council of Chicago Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students in the Chicagoland area with a 3.0+ GPA whose parents relocated a distance greater than 50 miles, and who had to change schools, for their job. Relocation should have taken place between grades 9 and 12. Must be a senior at a Chicagoland high school (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will counties in Illinois)
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: Early April
Chicago Coalition for the Homeless Scholarship
- Eligibility: Chicago high school seniors with a2.5+ GPA who plan on enrolling in a 2- or 4-year program who have experienced homelessness, living in a shelter, on the street, or doubled-up in someone else’s home. Must be able to prove that they have experienced this. Youth leaders who are active with CCH or former youth client of the CCH Law Project can also apply if they are no older than 24 by the end of April in the year they apply
- Amount: $3,500
- Deadline: Late April
Korean American Scholarship Foundation Midwestern Regional Chapter Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students of Korean heritage who live in the Midwestern region, demonstrate financial need, and have a 3.0+ GPA. High school seniors, undergrad students, and graduate students can all apply
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: June 30
BLM² Scholarship
- Eligibility: Illinois residents. Must be a graduating high school senior in the year of the award. Must have a 3.0+ GPA. Must enroll full-time. Must be a minority (African American, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific American, or Alaska Native, etc.)
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: Early July
University of Chicago’s Chicago Police and Fire Scholarship
- Eligibility: Students admitted to University of Chicago who are children of active firefighters and police officers, or firefighters and police officers who died in the line of duty
- Amount: Full tuition at University of Chicago
- Deadline: November 2 for early decision and January 4 for regular decision
Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois
- Eligibility: Must be named a Golden Apple Scholar by the Golden Apple Foundation. All Scholars agree to teach for five years in an Illinois School of Need. Must be a resident of Illinois. Be enrolled at a 4-year institution designated as a participating college by the Golden Apple Foundation. Be attending school to teach. Have a 2.5+ GPA as a college sophomore, junior or senior
- Amount: $2,500 for freshman and sophomores; $5,000 as a junior or senior
- Deadline: Visit website to learn more about application process
Merit scholarships at Illinois colleges and universities
University of Chicago
- Eligibility: Determined based on admission application
- Amount: At least $2,000
- Deadline: Automatically considered upon admission to University of Chicago
University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign
- Eligibility: Variety of merit-based scholarships for incoming first-year students, both residents and non-residents
- Amount: $2,000 – Full tuition; varies based on scholarship
- Deadline: Automatically considered upon admission to UIUC
Northwestern University
- Eligibility: Northwestern University scholarships are based on financial need and decision is made based on admission application
- Amount: $250 – $40,000
- Deadline: Considered upon admission to Northwestern
University of Illinois – Chicago
- Eligibility: Must be an Illinois resident and senior graduating from an Illinois high school. Be ranked 1st in your graduating class or have a 3.8+ GPA. Have an ACT of 33 or SAT score of 1450
- Amount: up to $10,000 per year
- Deadline: Complete admission application by December 1
Illinois Institute of Technology
- Eligibility: Incoming first-year students to IIT. Must display outstanding academic and extracurricular achievement and leadership
- Amount: Up to full cost of tuition
- Deadline: Varies based on scholarship between November 15, January 15, and March 1
Principia College
- Eligibility: Incoming first-year students to Principia College. Have a 3.6+ GPA
- Amount: $5,000 – $25,000 per year
- Deadline: Considered upon admission to Principia College
Additional Illinois resources
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Provides a variety of scholarships funded through annual appropriations by the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor. Scholarships are available for students studying teaching, nursing, and show financial need.
Nursing Education Scholarship Program
Students pursuing a certificate in practical nursing, an associate degree in nursing, a hospital-based diploma in nursing or a bachelor’s or graduate degree in nursing and demonstrate financial need can be eligible for tuition assistance through this program. The application cycle for this scholarship is from March 1 through April 30.
First Phoenix Scholarship University of Chicago
All first-generation college students will be awarded a $20,000 scholarship over four years as part of the First Phoenix Scholarship program. Awards are made to students whose parents did not attain a degree from a four-year college or university. Applicants who qualify will automatically be considered and need not submit any additional materials beyond the application for admission.
Frequently asked questions
Does Illinois offer free college?
The state of Illinois does not have a program that covers full tuition, but several universities in Illinois have scholarships that cover full tuition including University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Northeastern Illinois University, and more.
