Top Illinois Scholarships in 2021

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! Whether you are from Illinois or from out-of-state, this list contains some of the best scholarships to make your Illinois education a reality.

Top Illinois Scholarships
Summary of Scholarships
Opening Soon Scholarships

Keep on reading to learn more about the top Illinois scholarships including deadlines, award amounts, and eligibility requirements.

Top Illinois Scholarships in 2021

Community Foundation of Northern Illinois 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, 2021

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, 2021

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

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: $15,000
Deadline: March 31, 2021

Lombard Area American Association of University Women Scholarship

Eligibility: Women living in Lombard, Villa Park, Oakbrook Terrace, Wheaton, Addison,
Glendale Heights, or Glen Ellyn who are continuing their education after an interruption. Undergraduate or graduate programs are eligible, but not doctorates.
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: April 1, 2021

Chicago Engineers Foundation Awards

Eligibility: High school seniors who live or attend school in Chicago, hold a minimum 2.5 GPA and 990 SAT or 21 ACT score, who are attending a 4-year undergraduate engineering program in the fall
Amount: $1,000 in your first year, renewable with increases in award valuable
Deadline: April 1, 2021

Peters Foundation Scholarship

Eligibility: High school seniors who plan to attend a Christian college in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona or Colorado. Priority given to students who plan to pursue a degree in education, environment, environmental engineering, conservation, or forestry
Amount: $10,000 to $20,000
Deadline: April 1, 2021

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless Scholarship

Eligibility: Chicagoland high school seniors with a minimum 2.5 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 on April 30, 2021
Amount: $3,500
Deadline: April 30, 2021

ISL Midwest Senior Scholarship

Eligibility: High school seniors in Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota or Wisconsin who plan on attending college in the fall
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: April 30, 2021

John Fischetti Scholarship

Eligibility: High school seniors in the Chicagoland area with at least 50% Italian ancestry and a strong academic background. Applicants must submit an essay on their Italian identity
Amount: Varies
Deadline: April 30, 2021

Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

Eligibility: Illinois residents, enrolled or enrolling, part-time or full-time, in an accredited culinary or hospitality school, college or university, and planning to major in a culinary, restaurant management, foodservice or another related program.
Amount: Varies
Deadline: May 2, 2021

BLM² Scholarship

Eligibility: High school seniors who are permanent Illinois residents with a GPA of 3.0 or higher who plan to attend college in the United States.
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 3, 2021

University of Chicago’s Chicago Police and Fire Scholarship

Eligibility: Students admitted to U of Chicago who are children of active firefighters and police officers, and firefighters and police officers who died in the line of duty. Must fill out application to determine eligibility
Amount: Full tuition
Deadline: November 2 for Early Decision I and January 4 for Early Decision II

Summary of Scholarships

Opening Soon Scholarships

Korean American Scholarship Foundation Midwestern Regional Chapter Scholarship

Eligibility: Students of Korean heritage who live in the Midwestern region, demonstrate financial need, and hold a minimum 3.0 GPA. High school seniors, undergrad students, and graduate students can all apply
Amount: Varies
Deadline: June 30, 2021 (Opens April 1, 2021)

Illinois Water Environment Association Clean Water Scholarship

Eligibility: Illinois residents or students attending a college or university in Illinois, who hold a minimum 2.5 GPA, who have completed at least 2 years of undergraduate or are in a graduate program, and are enrolled in school full-time. Must be studying a water related field of study such as civil or environmental engineering, environmental science, or wastewater systems operation.
Amount: Up to $1,000
Deadline: Expected to be January 31, 2022

Illinois Water Environment Association Environmental Career Scholarship

Eligibility: High school seniors in Illinois with a minimum 2.5 GPA, an interest in science and the environment, who plan on attending college in the fall
Amount: Up to $500, and up to $250 for the teacher who recommends a winning student
Deadline: Expected to be January 31, 2022

Corporate Relocation Council of Chicago Scholarship

Eligibility: Students in the Chicagoland area with a minimum 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
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: Expected to be January 2022

Community Foundation of Northern Illinois Scholarship Portal

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: Opens December 1, 2021 and closes February 1, 2022

About Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman

Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman is a Scholarships360 writer who focuses on scholarships and financial aid. He has managed communications and written content for a diverse array of organizations, including a farmer’s market, a concert venue, a student farm, an environmental NGO, and a PR agency.

Gabriel graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in sociology.