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Illinois Scholarships

Millions of scholarships are available to students studying in the United States. With the help of Scholarships.com, finding these scholarships is not a problem. When you conduct a free college scholarship search at Scholarships.com, one of the factors considered in the filtering process is your state of residence. Another is "state of attendance", if applicable. Many college scholarships are available only to those from or attending college in a particular state and if you are among them, you could end up securing some additional funding for college. We recommend you conduct a complete scholarship search, but if you would like a sample of what you might find as an Illinois resident or someone who intends to study in Illinois, check out the scholarship opportunities below.

AAUW Return to Learning Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: 4/1/2020
  • Amount: $2,500
  • The Lombard Area Branch of AAUW "Return to Learning" scholarship to assist in completing an undergraduate or master's degree, or a certification program. Students must reside in Lombard, Villa Park, Oakbrook Terrace, Wheaton, Addison, Glendale Heights or Glen Ellyn, Illinois in order to apply and are continuing college after a significant interruption. Special consideration is given to women who [...] More

Amos & Edith Wallace Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/12/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The Amos and Edith Wallace Scholarship was founded to reward young, bright African-American students who have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to service and education. In order to apply, you must meet the following requirements: Female African- American High School senior graduating from Kanakekee High School in Kankakee, IL.
    You must possess a minimum 2.8 GPA and plan to attend a [...] More

Billy Smith Memorial Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 2/1/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • The Billy Smith Memorial Scholarship was established because Billy was always helping people in any way that he could. It is a sport-related scholarship because it memorializes the activities Billy loved most. Applicant must be a graduating high school senior, reside in Winnebago, Boone, Ogle or Stephenson County, must have played at least three years of baseball or softball in high school, [...] More

BLM Squared Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 7/3/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The BLM Squared Scholarship Foundation program is designed to address the financial needs of minority college students and award outstanding high school graduates who plan to earn a baccalaureate degree from an accredited, four-year college or university with financial assistance. Applicants must be permanent Illinois residents. Scholarships are to be utilized at an institution of higher learning [...] More

Buster Lindsay Memorial Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 2/1/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • Each year, the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois distributes more than $200,000 in scholarship funding to local students. All of CFNIL's scholarship funds were created by individuals or organizations that recognize the importance of helping students achieve their educational goals, now and in perpetuity. The funds' creators selected the criteria for each scholarship, based on their [...] More

Carolyn Wones Recruitment Grant

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • Each year, the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois distributes more than $200,000 in scholarship funding to local students. All of CFNIL's scholarship funds were created by individuals or organizations that recognize the importance of helping students achieve their educational goals, now and in perpetuity. The funds' creators selected the criteria for each scholarship, based on their [...] More

CBC Spouses Education Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/30/2020
  • Amount: $8,200
  • Seeing an educational need in their congressional districts, the CBC Spouses Education Scholarship was established in 1988 by the spouses of Congressional Black Caucus members in response to federal cuts in spending for education programs and scholarships, which disproportionately affect people of color. This opportunity awards scholarships to academically talented and highly motivated [...] More

CBC Spouses Performing Arts Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/30/2020
  • Amount: $3,000
  • This program was established in 2000 in honor of the late Curtis Mayfield to ensure that African-American or Black students pursuing a degree in the performing arts receive financial assistance. Performing arts includes theater, drama, comedy, music, dance, opera, marching bands, etc.

    Selected applicants will be constituents of a CBC member’s district. To determine your Representative, enter [...] More

CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 3/31/2020
  • Amount: $3,000
  • The CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship was established in 2006 to provide financial assistance to African-American or Black students who are pursuing a degree in the visual arts. Visual arts include architecture, ceramics, drawing, fashion, graphic design, illustration, interior design, painting, photography, sketching, video production, etc. Selected applicants will be constituents of a CBC [...] More

Chicago Engineers Foundation Awards for Graduating HS Seniors

  • Application Deadline: 4/24/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The Chicago Engineers' Foundation encourages Chicago students to pursue careers in engineering by recognizing their talents and providing them with financial assistance for their engineering studies. To be eligible for a CEF scholarship, you must be a graduating high school senior either living or going to school in the city of Chicago. You must be planning to study engineering in college and [...] More

Chicago Police and Fire Scholarship - UChicago

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: Varies
  • To be considered for this full-tuition scholarship, candidates must be high school seniors who qualify for admission to the
    University of Chicago and be children (biological or legally adopted) of currently active, sworn Chicago Firefighters, Chicago
    Police Officers, or University of Chicago Police Officers who will remain active for the duration of their children’s college careers. Students [...] More

Come 2 Iowa (C2IA) Senior Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 5/12/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • Five awards of $1,000 each are available to high school seniors through the Come 2 Iowa (C2IA) Senior Scholarship. To participate, eligible students must register and then complete two online financial literacy tutorials plus an assessment. A short essay may be required to break ties among students who achieve a top score on the assessment. For more information, or to apply, please visit the [...] More

CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois

  • Application Deadline: 4/1/2020
  • Amount: $4,000
  • The CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois, the Illinois CPA Society’s charitable partner, provides life-changing scholarships and training programs to deserving accounting students across the state. The Advancing Women in Accounting Scholarship is offered to female seniors or graduate students.

    All applicants must meet the following criteria:
    -Be a female senior or graduate student
    -Be a U.S. [...] More

Crystal Charitable Fund

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: $4,000
  • The Crystal Fund was established to support grants for an extended "away from home" cultural or educational experience that provide a skill, knowledge and/or personal value as a means of support. Scholarships are limited to Chicago area students ages 13 to 19 that are able to demonstrate extreme financial need and have a potential for providing leadership. For more information or to apply, please [...] More

Dr. Loomis/Rockton Lions Club Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 2/1/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • The purpose of the Dr. Loomins/Rockton Lions Club Scholarship is to provide educational resources to a full-time student from Hononegah High School who plans to attend a two-, four-year, or vocational college. This award is offered by the Rockton Lions Club. Must be a graduating Hononegah High School senior, rank in the top 1/3 of their class, have financial need, and be involved in community [...] More

Environmental Studies/Natural Science Scholarship Program

  • Application Deadline: 3/31/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The Friends of Volo Bog is offering an Entering College scholarship and a Continuing College scholarship for $1,000 each to outstanding students interested in pursuing an environmental career. To be eligible for the Entering College scholarship the applicant must reside in Lake, McHenry, Kane, Cook, DuPage, Kendall, or Will County, attend a high school in one of these counties, have a minimum B [...] More

Era L. and Frances L. Walker Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 2/1/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • The purpose of the Era L. and Frances L. Walker Scholarship is to provide educational resources for African-American males to pursue higher education. Applicants must be a graduating senior from a District #205 public high school with a minimum 2.9 GPA. Students must have been involved in community service and volunteerism and share Era's values including the importance of family, service to [...] More

Friends of Moraine Hills State Park Scholarship in Environmental Studies

  • Application Deadline: 4/12/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The Friends of Moraine Hills State Park awards two $1000 scholarships each year to two high school graduates entering the field of environmental studies. Qualified applicants will reside and attend a high school in either Lake, McHenry, Kane, Cook, DuPage, Kendall, or Will County Illinois. They must also plan to attend an accredited college or university, plan to major in a field of study and [...] More

George M. Pullman Educational Foundation Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 2/1/2020
  • Amount: $40,000
  • The George M. Pullman Educational Foundation Scholarship is a merit-based, need-based scholarship of up to $40,000 over four years, depending on the student's financial need. Scholars who remain in good standing are invited to renew their scholarship during their four years of full-time undergraduate study. Applicants must be a graduating high school senior and Cook County, Illinois resident who [...] More

Greenhouse Scholars Program

  • Application Deadline: 12/2/2020
  • Amount: $20,000
  • Greenhouse Scholars provides a four-year renewable, need-based college scholarship of up to $5,000 per year.
    Qualified applicants must have an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher, demonstrate financial need, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident as well as a high school senior in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois or North Carolina planning to attend a four-year accredited institution. For more [...] More

Herman J. Neal Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/1/2020
  • Amount: $4,000
  • This Fund was established in honor of the late Dr. Herman J. Neal, a distinguished Chicago physician, to memorialize his strong commitment to opening doors of opportunity and education for African-Americans. Multiple scholarships are available each year. Applicants must be an African-American junior, senior, or graduate student for the following academic year. For more information and to apply, [...] More

Illinois AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Memorial Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
  • Amount: $500
  • The Ladies Auxiliary Memorial Scholarships supports a scholarship program each year that provides graduating Illinois high school students a scholarship for their continued education. This one-year scholarship varies in its amount on a yearly basis.
    Applicants must be an Illinois high school senior and a child or grandchild of a veteran of the United States of America who served after September [...] More

Illinois AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Worchid Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
  • Amount: $500
  • The Ladies Auxiliary Worchid Scholarship is for Illinois High School Seniors. Applicant must be a child of a deceased father or mother who was a veteran of the United States of America who served after 09/15/40 and was Honorably Discharged. They need not be KIA or have died as a result of service-connected disability. Must have taken the ACT or SAT. For more information, or to apply, please visit [...] More

Illinois AMVETS Sad Sacks Nursing Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • The Sad Sacks Nursing Scholarship supports a scholarship program each year that provides graduating Illinois high school students a scholarship for their continued education. Offered for 2nd year or greater nursing students. Must provide a copy of an acceptance letter into an accredited nursing program. Priority is given to the dependent of a deceased or disabled veteran. For more information, or [...] More

Illinois CPA Society Accounting Tuition Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/1/2020
  • Amount: $4,000
  • The CPA Endowment Fund of Illinois, the Illinois CPA Society’s charitable partner, provides life-changing scholarships and training programs to deserving accounting students across the state. The Accounting Tuition scholarship is open to college seniors or graduate students. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident and be an Illinois resident and be enrolled in an Illinois college or [...] More

Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 5/21/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • Since its inception, the IRA Educational Foundation has awarded almost $2.8 million to deserving students pursuing Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management in college. To qualify for a scholarship, you must be a permanent resident of the State of Illinois (under the age of 30); be accepted and plan to enroll in an accredited culinary school, college, or university; be enrolled as a full-time or [...] More

Italian Catholic Federation First Year Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 3/15/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • Since 1964, the Italian Catholic Federation has awarded over $2,000,000.00 in scholarships to more than 6,000 high school students, of the Catholic faith, attending college. Applications are received from students in public as well as Catholic high schools in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Illinois.

    Applicants must be Roman Catholic and of Italian Descent. Live within the Roman Catholic [...] More

Italian Catholic Federation Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: 8/1/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • Since 1964, the Italian Catholic Federation has awarded over $2,000,000.00 in scholarships to more than 6,000 high school students, of the Catholic faith, attending college. Applicants must be Roman Catholic and of Italian Descent who live within the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Arizona, California, Illinois and Nevada, only where Branches of the Federation are established (applicants of [...] More

Jewish United Fund Merit Scholarship Program

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The Jewish United Fund offers a number of annual merit scholarships to high school, college and graduate students to age 23 who demonstrate significant leadership skills. Applicants must be enrolled in grade 10, 11 or 12 or must be no older than 23 years old and enrolled in a college or graduate program and must reside or attend school in metropolitan Chicago. Students must have also applied to [...] More

JUF Israel Experience High School Scholarship Program

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • The Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation and the Naftali Steinfeld Memorial Scholarship Fund offer scholarships based on financial need for high school students participating in approved Israel Experience programs. The purpose of the Israel Experience High School Scholarship Program is to develop Jewish identity and nourish greater understanding and commitment to Israel and to the Chicago Jewish [...] More

Karen George Chicago Speech Therapy Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 5/1/2020
  • Amount: $2,500
  • In an effort to support the field of speech-language pathology, we are offering a scholarship to select candidates who share our passion for helping children. The scholarship is based on many factors, so do not get discouraged based on your grades or GRE score. Must be accepted and currently enrolled in a graduate program for speech-language pathology, have a clear passion to work with children [...] More

Leopold Education Project Scholarship Program

  • Application Deadline: 2/1/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • In order to apply to the Leopold Education Project Scholarship Program, applicants must be a graduating high school senior or high school graduate (diploma or G.E.D. certificate) who is enrolled or planning to enroll in full-time course of study at an accredited two- or four-year community college, college or university. Students must be studying a natural resource field such as fish or wildlife [...] More

Loyola University Catholic Heritage Award

  • Application Deadline: 12/1/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • The Catholic Heritage Award, (awarded for four years of consecutive, full-time enrollment) is made to new freshmen graduating from a Catholic high school within the Archdiocese of Chicago or the Diocese of Joliet. This award is restricted to tuition. Students graduating from a Jesuit high school in Chicago will be awarded the Jesuit Heritage Award instead. For more information or to apply, please [...] More

Marianjoy Scholarship Program

  • Application Deadline: 3/29/2020
  • Amount: $2,500
  • Each year, Marianjoy proudly awards scholarships to students with disabilities to help them to further their education, pursue opportunities for growth, explore new possibilities, and achieve their dreams. Scholarship recipients are selected without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, or national origin, and have a permanent physical disability or functional impairment, such as a [...] More

Mayor Ruben Pineta Community Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/15/2020
  • Amount: $2,500
  • The mission of Diabetes Scholars Foundation is to support activities related to education for and about children with diabetes. This includes but is not limited to funding scholarships for diabetes education conferences and higher education.

    Mayor Ruben Pineta Community Scholarship awards one $2,500 scholarship to a high school junior or senior with Type 1 Diabetes who is attending West [...] More

Migrant Farmworker Baccalaureate Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 7/1/2020
  • Amount: $20,000
  • Provides support for a student with a history of migrating for employment in agriculture who has successfully completed one year of college to cover expenses beyond what the youth is entitled to in federal/state and other scholarship assistance. This scholarship is designed to assist the youth in obtaining a baccalaureate degree without being encumbered with substantial debt. Applications must be [...] More

Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
  • Amount: $5,000
  • To be eligible for the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program you must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen, be a resident of Illinois, be a minority student of either African American/Black, Hispanic American, Asian American or Native American origin, and have earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Also if enrolled at the sophomore, junior, [...] More

NIADA Foundation Regional Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: 3/9/2020
  • Amount: $3,500
  • The NIADA Foundation proudly sponsors four young men or women each year who have displayed outstanding abilities in education. These students will each receive a $3,500 scholarship to the college or university of their choice. The participating regions are found at the scholarship provider's website. An essay will also be required as part of the application. For more information or to apply, [...] More

Palumbo Family Foundation Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 3/31/2020
  • Amount: $15,000
  • The Palumbo Family Foundation Scholarship is open to high school seniors and undergraduates that reside in Cook, Dupage, Kane, Lake, or Will counties for at least 6 months prior to January 1st of the year the scholarship is awarded. Applicants must also have a minimum 3.0 GPA, an annual adjusted gross income of $60,000 or less, and be a U.S. citizen. For more information or to apply, please visit [...] More

Robert Sherman Fine Art Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/15/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The Robert Sherman Fine Art Scholarship was established to foster the study of art and advance the development of artists in keeping with the mission of the Glenview Art League. It is for a high school senior planning to pursue a college degree in a visual art. Applicants must submit a CD or flash drive with at least 10 images of their work and proof of college acceptance as a visual arts major [...] More

Sean Patrick French Memorial Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 12/1/2020
  • Amount: $2,000
  • The Sean Patrick French Memorial Scholarship Fund was created by the family of Sean Patrick French following his tragic death as a passenger in an underage drunk driving car wreck on January 1, 2002, and is administered by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Sean was a popular junior at Chatham High School, an honor roll student, and a record-setting runner. The scholarship fund, in [...] More

Tall Clubs International Student Scholarships

  • Application Deadline: 3/1/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • Are you under 21 years of age and about to start college in the fall? If so, you may be in luck! TCI annually awards student scholarship(s) of up to $1,000 each to tall students who are under 21 years of age and attending their first year of college in the following fall.

    To enter, applicants must be under 21, entering college in the upcoming fall and meet the TCI height requirement minimums: [...] More

The AAF-Greater Evansville Scholarship Award

  • Application Deadline: 3/25/2020
  • Amount: $5,000
  • The AAF-Greater Evansville awards scholarships to deserving high school and/or college students yearly in April. Over the past 40 years, AAF-Greater Evansville has distributed over $158,000 in scholarship awards. To be eligible, students must plan to pursue a career in advertising, marketing, public relations or graphic design. The application deadline varies yearly, but is typically in early [...] More

The Anhelo Project Dream Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 1/26/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • The Anhelo Project is a Chicago based non-profit organization that works to support undocumented students pursuing a post-secondary education within the State of Illinois. The Anhelo Project has awarded over $120,000 to more than 55 recipients pursuing their dream to achieve an education beyond high school. Students do not need to have DACA status, and we strongly encourage undocumented students [...] More

The Illinois Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs, Inc. Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 9/1/2020
  • Amount: Varies
  • Multiples of Illinois (also known as Illinois Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs, Inc.) is offering SEVEN scholarships for higher education! There are five scholarships available to parents of multiples and two scholarships available to any daughter or son of multiples of Illinois member. There are five $150 scholarships chosen at random to any mother or father of multiples. There are two [...] More

The Italian-American Chamber of Commerce Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 7/31/2020
  • Amount: $1,000
  • The Chamber is offering an opportunity to full-time students, residents of the State of Illinois, of Italian ancestry between the last year of high school and the last year of a fully accredited four-year college or university. All scholarship applications are reviewed by the Italian American Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Committee. Students must also have a minimum 3.5 GPA. For more [...] More

The Joseph Mahoney Memorial Scholarship

  • Application Deadline: 4/15/2020
  • Amount: $2,500
  • The mission of Diabetes Scholars Foundation is to support activities related to education for and about children with diabetes. This includes but is not limited to funding scholarships for diabetes education conferences and higher education.
    The Joseph Mahoney Memorial Scholarship awards one (1) $2,500 scholarship to a high school junior or senior with Type 1 diabetes who is attending West [...] More

Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge

  • Application Deadline: 2/28/2020
  • Amount: $15,000
  • Learning to drive is one of the coolest times for a teen. But facts have shown it can be extremely dangerous. You have the power to inspire your fellow teens, maybe better than a teacher or a parent can, because you know what messages will be the most powerful. Create a 30-60 second video for your fellow teen drivers that highlights the importance of safe teen driving. Your video's message should [...] More

UChicago Promise

  • Application Deadline: Varies
  • Amount: Varies
  • UChicago Promise is the University of Chicago’s multipronged initiative designed to help students and families throughout the City of Chicago gain admission to, pay for, and thrive in college. With UChicago Promise, the University of Chicago offers resources and special scholarships to help guide students in the City of Chicago to selective four-year institutions. Students admitted to the [...] More

Latest College & Financial Aid News

Biggest / Largest Dollar Scholarships in 2020

January 16, 2020

by Susan Dutca-Lovell

When it comes to large dollar scholarships, mo' money means fewer problems in paying your college tuition bill. The average student will land between $1,000 and $5,000 in college scholarships after investing a decent amount of time and effort into applying for scholarships. Even smaller scholarships worth $500 are enough to cover books and fees, even if they aren't enough to foot an entire semester’s college tuition bill. [...]

Gap Year for National Service as a College Graduation Requirement?

January 13, 2020

by Susan Dutca-Lovell

Should students be required to and serve their nation either before or during college? Pete Buttigieg thinks so, as he has rolled out a $20-billion proposal to enlist young people in national service after high school in order to produce "civically informed and dedicated Americans." In his commentary, Why Colleges Should Require a Gap Year, Jonathan Zimmeran outlines why a gap-year would be the ideal timeline for this initiative. [...]

20 Scholarships for High School Seniors Class of 2020

January 8, 2020

by Susan Dutca-Lovell

High school graduation is right around the corner for high school seniors class of 2020 and - while many students may have already committed to their dream colleges - securing college financial aid is still a top-of-the-list priority in bringing that dream to fruition. Luckily, right now is the scholarship application peak season, with just enough time to apply for and win scholarships for college. Many 2020 scholarship deadlines are within the next several months, giving students like you sufficient time to conduct a free scholarship search and apply for those that best suit and interest you. Here's a sneak peek of the many scholarships for high school seniors class of 2020: [...]

Last Reviewed: January 2020

Illinois Scholarships

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