The Importance of Scholarships
One of our highest priorities at Illinois is to increase the amount of scholarship assistance available to incoming and returning students. Scholarships help to make students’ dreams become a reality and give them the opportunity to reach their goals. You can help lessen the burden on Illinois students and their families by contributing to scholarships through the Illinois Annual Fund.
Scholarship Gift Options
You can make your scholarship contribution to one or more of the programs or funds listed below – including several campus-level (benefiting students from all schools and colleges) programs and funds as well as college and school funds. To make your scholarship gift go here.
- General Scholarship Fund
- Illinois Promise
- The James Newton Matthews Scholars Program
- Illinois International Scholars Fund
- Graduate College Fellowship Support Fund
- College, School, and Unit Scholarship Funds
General Scholarship Fund
The General Scholarship Fund is the most flexible of all of the campus scholarship funds – used to benefit students from all campus academic programs at all levels. Most frequently utilized to round out financial assistance awards to students with documented need and academic potential, your gift to the General Scholarship Fund may determine whether a student can matriculate or continue at the University of Illinois. TOP
Illinois Promise
The newest of the campus scholarship programs, Illinois Promise was launched by Chancellor Richard Herman in 2005. There are now 638 Illinois Promise students, a diverse group representing 39 counties and every college on campus.
Illinois Promise provides access to a world class education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is for Illinois students whose families are at or below the poverty level and cannot contribute financially to their education. Payment of tuition, fees, room and board, and books and supplies is possible through a combination of federal, state, University support, and generous gifts from individuals and corporations. TOP
The James Newton Matthews Scholars Program
Established in 1996, the James Newton Matthews Scholars Program is Illinois’ premier merit scholarship program. Incoming freshmen are chosen based on outstanding academic achievement, extracurricular activities, and community service. Matthews scholarships are funded entirely by private gifts from University alumni and friends. Currently, awards are $2,000 per year and are renewable if the recipient maintains a 3.3 (out of 4.0) grade point average. Matthews Scholars are drawn from all schools and colleges on campus. TOP
Illinois International Scholars Fund
Currently, nearly 29 percent of Illinois undergraduate students participate in a study-abroad program at some point during their time at the University. The Illinois International Scholars program was established in 2001 to help make studying abroad more affordable for Illinois students. By contributing to Illinois International Scholars, you can help students gain international training and experience that will broaden their perspectives, enrich their lives, and prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of our increasingly global environment. TOP
Graduate College Fellowship Support Fund
The Graduate College Fellowship Support Fund improves the ability of Urbana-Champaign departments to recruit exceptional graduate students by providing funds to match or exceed multi-year financial aid packages offered by other institutions. By contributing to the Graduate Fellowship Support Fund you are ensuring the funds which can help a grad student succeed in finishing his or her thesis and/or research. Your gift means that the grad will not have to have a second assistantship and will have more time for research and study within their field. TOP
College, School, and Unit Scholarship Funds
To view a list of college and school scholarship funds, please go here. TOP