The BPW Illinois Educational Foundation (BPWI-EF), with funding from the Illinois Federation of Business Women’s Clubs, Inc., (IFBWC), is committed to providing financial assistance to females in the state of Illinois to further education beyond high school. Both organizations view a lack of education as the primary barrier to self-sufficiency and an improved quality of life. Established in 2018, this scholarship program proudly offers financial assistance for students entering or returning to higher education for the coming school year.
There are two types of scholarships, one for incoming freshmen and one for returning students. To be eligible for either, applicants must: be female, a U.S. citizen, and a resident of the state of Illinois; and hold a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4-point scale as of the completion of the Fall semester. For the scholarship for incoming freshmen, applicants must be a graduating senior or earlier who has been accepted to attend an accredited trade school, college, or university as a full-time incoming freshman for the Fall semester. For the scholarship for returning students, applicants must have previous college/university/trade school credit, and be currently accepted by an accredited college, university, or trade school with the intentions of enrolling either part-time or full-time. While not a sole determining factor, preference may be given to qualified applicants demonstrating financial need. Dollar amounts for the scholarships will vary.
