Scholarships and Other Sources of Funding

The federal government is the main source of financial aid for college, but it isn’t the only source.

Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid

The Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid allows qualifying undocumented students who are not otherwise eligible for federal aid to apply for the Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants to attend eligible Illinois colleges, universities or career education programs. Learn more about the Alternative Application.

Scholarships

Everyone wants free money to help them attend college. There are many types of scholarships offered by colleges as well as local and national organizations, including scholarships that don’t require outstanding grades. Each scholarship provider has its own application and its own rules to decide who can get its scholarship.

Free sources of information include:

U.S. Department of Education’s scholarship information
Each college’s financial aid office
A high school counselor
Your library’s reference section
Foundations, religious or community organizations
Local businesses or civic groups
Organizations (including professional associations) related to your field of interest
Ethnicity-based organizations
Your employer or your parent’s employer
Free online scholarship searches

Beware! Scholarship scams

Sadly, there are many fraudulent scholarship schemes to steal money or identities from students. If you receive notice of a scholarship award that you did not apply for, be aware that it is probably not legitimate and should be ignored.

The following list of red flags can help you determine whether a scholarship or grant is a fraud:

The offer says it is guaranteed.
The offer requests personal information such as your name, address and Social Security Number.
The offer requires an up-front “processing” fee to obtain the scholarship.
The offer is for a scholarship you did not apply for.