2021-2022 College Scholarship Applications will be posted here January 15th through March 14th.
The Illinois Sheriffs’ Association will be awarding over 100 scholarships throughout the State of Illinois to students wishing to pursue higher education during the 2021-2022 academic year. The student must be enrolled full-time at a certified institution of higher learning within the State of Illinois. Online courses are now acceptable as long as you are enrolled full-time!
Eligibility
There shall be no restriction on any applicant by reason of race, age, creed, color, sex or national origin. The only limitations are the following:
- Applicants must be permanent Illinois residents.
- Scholarships are to be utilized at institutions of higher learning within the State of Illinois.
- Students must be enrolled as a full-time (in-person or online) student during the 2021-2022 school year (excluding summer session).
Please read the following very carefully. Failure to comply with the rules could result in disqualification.
How to Apply
Fill out the application, complete the written essay and return all documentation to the sheriff’s office in the county of your permanent residence by March 15, 2021 (must be postmarked by this date).
Distribution of Monies
The scholarship funds will be paid directly to the school on behalf of the recipient. The total scholarship award will be divided as follows: 1/2 credited to the fall semester and 1/2 credited to the spring semester. Funds cannot be used for summer courses and must be used during the 2021-2022 academic year.
The recipient must instruct the college he/she is attending to notify the ISA office with written notification of full-time enrollment status before any scholarships will be paid. The ISA office must be contacted by the college, in writing, before September 15, 2021.
EMAIL: TERI SCHROEDER AT [email protected]
Deadlines
March 15, 2021: Deadline to submit your application to your local Sheriff’s Office.
May 1, 2021: ISA will announce recipients of Scholarships by County.
September 15, 2021: Scholarship recipients deadline to submit Enrollment Verification to the ISA.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: ISA scholarship funds are intended to assist students with the cost of tuition, books and fees. No funds can be used for housing or any other incurred expenses. Funds must be used during the regular school year and cannot be used for summer courses. Books must be purchased from a learning institution campus bookstore and directly billed through that institution’s bursar’s office. If tuition is paid in full by any other scholarship, grant or other financial aid the ISA scholarship cannot be used to reduce the other funding.
Illinois Sheriffs’ Association Scholarship Program Guidelines
The Illinois Sheriffs’ Association plans to award at least 106 scholarships of a minimum $500 during the 2021-2022 academic year. This effort is a meaningful expression of the Association’s confidence in, and respect for, education and training.
The Association’s goal is to provide assistance to worthy students in furthering their education and training with resources made available through the Associate Membership Program of the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association. Illinois sheriffs consider this scholarship program to be an investment in the future which will provide for better communications with the residents of the communities served.
The sum of $53,00.00 has been allocated from the 2021 budget to carry on the program for the 2021-2022 academic year. The scholarship will be awarded statewide with distribution based on the number of Associate Members in participating counties. One scholarship will be provided for each county with an Associate membership (1-500 members). One additional scholarship will be awarded per every 500 Associate Members in the county. Scholarships will only be awarded in counties where the sheriff has authorized the Associate Membership Program.
The scholarship funds will be paid directly to the school on behalf of the recipient with the instructions that 1/2 is to be credited to the fall semester and 1/2 to the spring semester. However, books must be purchased from the learning institution’s campus bookstore and directly billed through the institution’s bursar’s office
Funds cannot be used for summer courses and must be used during the regular 2020-2021 school year. The recipient is responsible for having the school notify the ISA office with written verification of full-time enrollment before any scholarship funds will be paid. The ISA must be contacted by the school, in writing, before September 15, 2021. If this deadline is not met, the scholarship will be forfeited. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS. There shall be no restriction on any applicant by reason of race, age, creed, color, sex or national origin. Only the immediate family of the sheriff is ineligible to apply. Families of sheriff’s office employees are eligible to make application. Applications received in the sheriff’s office on or before March 15, 2021 are to be reviewed by a committee the Sheriff designates to review applications. That committee will review, evaluate and select the winner(s) and two alternates to represent their county.
The names of ALL scholarship winners will be announced by May 1, 2021 and notified in writing by the ISA.
***NOTE: All applications need to be submitted to your permanent residence Sheriff’s Office. DO NOT SEND TO THE ISA! *** You can find a directory of Sheriff’s Offices under the Sheriff’s Directory tab.