Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois
ListedScholarship
- Award
- Up to $23,000 total support, including tuition assistance and paid professional development. State scholarship assistance is limited to four academic years and requires continuing eligibility.
- Timeline
- Dec 1, 2026Priority deadline
- Mar 1, 2027Final deadline
- How to apply
- Complete the online application with references, personal statements and unofficial transcripts, then prospective-scholar interviews. ACT/SAT are optional for application review except for home-schooled students; inducted students must later submit scores for program research. The public portal lists eligibility, but the complete application is behind account access.
- What you'll need
- A separate scholarship application
- An interview
- Who can apply
- Illinois Class of 2027 seniors, partner-university freshmen or sophomores and Illinois community-college students may enter through the relevant route. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or federally defined eligible noncitizens and Illinois residents; dependent students’ parent or guardian must also live in Illinois. They must pursue teaching licensure at an eligible partner institution and meet program participation and academic requirements.
- Good to know
- State funding requires at least half-time partner-university enrollment, satisfactory academic progress, a 2.5 cumulative GPA at sophomore through senior level, required institutes and conduct standards, and no overlapping specified state teaching awards. Recipients sign an agreement and promissory note and teach five years at an Illinois school of need, beginning within two years after completion; failure to fulfill the obligation converts the award to a repayable loan. The priority date is December 1, 2026, with a final March 1, 2027 deadline.
- Details
- Before Early ActionTest optionalService