Scholarship Information

The Harper community is dedicated to you.
Alumni, faculty, staff and community leaders and organizations have donated millions of dollars to make sure nothing holds you back from succeeding at Harper. In fact, 12,563 students were awarded $39,958,324 in scholarships, grants and tuition waivers through Harper College in 2025-2026. Scholarships are gift aid that is typically based on merit, such as, academic excellence, talent, affiliation with various groups, or career aspirations or a combination of merit and need.

IMPORTANT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINE

S-STEM Scholarship

This is the S-STEM Scholarship (funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation). Students who meet the criteria below are encouraged to apply:

Students are Pell-eligible (Student must apply to FAFSA and be receiving the PELL grant at Harper)
Achieved a 3.0 unweighted GPA or higher
Have a demonstrated interest in Computer Science (CSC) or Computer Info Systems (CIS)
Student must be enrolled in 9 credit hours to receive the scholarship
Scholarship will be added to student’s Harper account and can pay for tuition, fees, and books.

The scholarship is renewable, pending available funding. Students must complete a minimum of 6 credit hours to remain eligible for renewal.
Deadline for Spring 2027: Apply by December 1, 2026 Click “Apply” to submit your application.

Additional details about the scholarship are available here.

Donor-sponsored scholarships

Created by donors who believe in your future. By completing one General Scholarship Application, you will automatically be considered for the majority of donor-sponsored scholarships available to Harper College students.

Important Dates for Donor Sponsored Scholarships

We have a rolling scholarship application, but the preference is given to students who apply by the priority deadline.

Application opens: February 16, 2026. Scholarships open Feb. 16 for Fall and/or Spring semester for the next academic year. Submit your application at our Donor Sponsored Scholarships Application
Priority Deadlines:
- New Students: The priority application deadline for new students is Friday, May 1, 2026.
- Current Students: The priority application deadline for current students is Friday, March 20, 2026.

View scholarship eligibility, frequently asked questions, and requirements at our website: Harper College Educational Foundation Donor Sponsored Scholarships

Harper College institutional scholarships

Harper is providing some of the most generous tuition relief programs in our history.

Finish Line Grant: Up to $1,000 for students close to completing their degree or certificate.
Hawks Care Student Assistance is available to currently enrolled students to provide support for basic needs.
Continuing Professional Education Scholarship: Some Continuing Professional Education courses are eligible for funding.
Women's Program funding and services.

These scholarships recognize students who exhibit academic excellence, artistic talent, strong leadership skills or service to their communities. These scholarship programs may pay for part or all of your first two years of college. View deadlines and special application information.

Scholarships (external) offered by community organizations

Awarded to students by community organizations, workplaces, faith institutions, local businesses and others. Students must apply for these scholarships individually and they are awarded by the scholarship sponsors. These scholarships are open all year long. View the many opportunities and applicable deadlines.

List of External Scholarship Opportunities

Private scholarship donors

As a private scholarship donor, please complete the Private Scholarship Funder Form for the applicable academic year.

Private Scholarship Funder Form

Completing this required form provides valuable information to ensure the scholarship funds are applied to the selected student's account in an accurate and timely manner. The Private Scholarship Funder Form may be downloaded by clicking the link below.

Fall 2026 thru Summer 2027*: For scholarships to be awarded for Fall 2026, Spring 2027 or Summer 2027, please fill out and submit the 2026-27 form.

*Note: If any portion of the scholarship must be returned to the donor, Harper College requires an IRS W-9 Form be completed by the donor so that we may return these funds.

Please submit the private scholarship check and the Private Scholarship Funder Form to:

Harper College Business Office
Building A, Room A214
1200 West Algonquin Road
Palatine, Illinois 60067

Other resources

Online Scholarship Search Tools

Many free scholarship search tools on the web provide detailed information about scholarships available nationwide.

Scholarship Scam Information

Unfortunately, there are some companies that offer scholarship search services without the best interests of students in mind. The Federal Trade Commission has prepared resources to protect consumers against scholarship scam services. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Federal Trade Commission
Information about scholarship scams and the six warning signs. Guidelines on how consumers can file a scholarship scam complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

Scholarship tips

TIP#1 Everyone should apply for scholarships! Don’t count yourself out.
TIP#2 Scholarships are awarded to people from all ages and backgrounds.
TIP#3 Deadlines vary by scholarship. Mark your calendars.
TIP#4 Scholarships can cover various costs such as tuition/fees, books, living expenses, transportation and dependent care.
TIP#5 More than 50% of Harper scholarships are awarded to those who’ve been out of the classroom for a while.