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Illinois Scholarships

Every year, Illinois TRIO’s Scholarship Committee sponsors a competition of several scholarship opportunities for pre-college and college students. The Scholarship Committee is committed to supporting eligible TRIO students for scholarship awards. Generally, TRIO students have limited financial resources. These awards provide extra financial support and help alleviate financial stress. The committee is charged with implementing the selection process for all awards through our state association and its Educational Foundation. Additionally, the committee is charged with determining scholarship award amounts and eligibility criteria.​

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THE SCHOLARSHIP PROCESS IS CHANGING!

The scholarship competition is quickly approaching; however, there are some new changes to the process that you need to be aware of. Each student wishing to participate in the upcoming scholarship competition will have the opportunity to apply for at least (2) scholarships using EOA’s online scholarship platform, Kaleidoscope. This system allows the student to upload the required documents electronically and nominators will also be able to upload their nomination letter or form. First, applicants must apply for the EOA Board of Directors (Pre-college) or the EOA Foundation Board of Directors (College/Adult Learner) based on their current participation. Then, applicants can apply for a 2nd EOA Scholarship that meets their academic and civic engagement profile. This new process will allow the Illinois TRIO Scholarship Committee to review and score each submission. The committee will award the highest-ranking students at the EOA level first and then next highest of the Board of Director’s submissions to award Illinois scholarships. This year there will not be a separate process for awarding state scholarships. If you or your students have any difficulty using Kaleidoscope please reach out for assistance.
The scholarship application dates for 2024 will be February 1 – March 8, 2024.


Eligibility
The student applicant must meet the following criteria to be nominated and apply:

  • Be a current IL TRIO participant: Talent Search, Upward Bound, UBMS, EOC, McNair, SSS, or VUB

  • Be enrolled in or anticipate enrollment in a two-year or four-year post-secondary institution for the 2024-2025 academic year

  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale

  • Demonstrate involvement in co-curricular and/or community activities

  • Be nominated by a current IL TRIO member.

Giving Back

If you would like to serve on the Scholarship Committee. Please contact Dr. Tracy Cureton at tcureton@endeleoinstitute.org for more information prior to the application start date.

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