To be eligible for the Chicago Police and Firefighter Training Academy Scholarship, applicants must: be a resident of Chicago; have an attendance rate of at least 90%; have a valid school ID, state ID, or valid driver's license with a good driving record; have obtained a physical examination (within 12 months); have completed a background check, which includes fingerprinting and no felony arrests, convictions, or gang affiliations; have a 2.3 GPA; submit two recommendation letters; and complete an online application. Applicants must be current sophomores from any school (public, private or homeschool).
The Chicago Police and Firefighter Training Academy (CPFTA) is a training program for students interested in careers in public safety, law enforcement, criminal justice, and fire science. The two-year program was developed jointly by the Chicago Public Schools’ Department of Career and Technical Education (CTE), the Chicago Police Department (CPD), the Chicago Fire Department (CFD), and the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC). The program recruits and trains up to 125 public and non-public high school students each year. One of the immediate goals is to provide a pool of qualified applicants for the city’s police and fire academies.