Illinois College Scholarships

Everyone who aspires to a higher education has a particular college or university, as well as a few backup schools, that they most want to attend. For residents of Illinois, there are a number of schools that residents can choose from in order to complete their college education and receive a degree. However, in order to offset the cost of such a prospect, most students will need financial assistance above and beyond what is offered by grants. Illinois scholarships are configured to assist such students in many ways.

The Illinois General Assembly Scholarship is offered through state representatives and senators, with each individual region having its own set of criteria the student must meet. The Merit Recognition Scholarship is for academically talented students and may be used toward tuition at any state college or university in Illinois, as well as at any of the four US military academies. High school standardized exams are the qualifying measure, and dependent upon available state funds, awards are in amounts around $1000.

Children of POWs and service people classified as Missing In Action, as well as those disabled, killed, or severely wounded in action are eligible for the MIA/POW Scholarships program, which awards full tuition for any state college or university in Illinois. Auxiliary scholarships funded by wealthy private donors and sponsors are available through the Illinois Dollars for Scholars organization, which offers assistance at a more local level throughg state chapters and high schools.

List of Illinois Scholarships

• Illinois Department of Public Health for Rural Health Allied Health Care Professional Scholarship Program — $7500 to $15000 awarded to 20 undergraduate students who are residents of Illinois and majoring in health and medical sciences.


• Illinois Department of Public Health for Rural Health Nursing Education Scholarship Program — $1500 to $6000 awarded to varied number of undergraduate students who are residents of Illinois and majoring in health and medical sciences/nursing.


• Illinois Monetary Award Program — Up to $4968 awarded each year to undergraduate students attending an Illinois college.


• Indiana Scholarship — Up to $1000 awarded each year to freshmen undergraduate student attending an Indiana college.


• Merit Recognition Scholarship Program — Up to $1000 awarded each year to 5000-6000 freshmen undergraduate students attending Illinois college.


• Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship-Illinois — Up to $1500 awarded each year to 1100-1200 undergraduate students who are Illinois residents.


• Veterans' Children Educational Opportunities — Up to $250 awarded each year to freshmen undergraduate students who are children of Vietnam War veterans.

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Paying for school is not easy, but we are here to help. OEDb's student finance section will help you find the money you need to pay your tuition and other college expenses. We cover scholarships, college grants, and student loans. Scholarships and grants are both forms of "free money", meaning they don't need to be paid back. Scholarships are typically awarded by businesses or individuals, with the money being earmarked specifically for tuition. They can be awarded based on a student's location or by religious affiliation, such as Catholicism or Islam. Grants are typically awarded by governments or non-profit organizations and the money often can be applied to several different expenses a student may incur, not solely tuition. They can be awarded based on location or ethnicity, for instance African American or Hispanic. Loans are not considered "free money", because unlike scholarships and grants, they do need to be paid back after graduation. Common federal loans include Perkins and Stafford. Loans are also available by location.