Golden Apple Scholars Program in Illinois
Scholarship and teacher-preparation programme for future Illinois teachers committed to schools-of-need, with Scholar Institutes and paid professional development.
| Amount / funding | Up to $23,000 total financial assistance including paid professional development |
|---|---|
| Deadline | 1 March 2027 (final deadline; priority deadline 1 December 2026) |
| Start date | Scholar Institutes during teacher preparation; teaching service after graduation (anticipated graduation no earlier than summer 2028) |
| Level | Bachelors |
| Funding type | partial |
| Field |
About this scholarship
Scholarship and teacher-preparation programme for future Illinois teachers committed to schools-of-need, with Scholar Institutes and paid professional development.
Minimum requirements
High school seniors (Class of 2027), college freshmen/sophomores at Illinois partner universities, or Illinois community college students transferring to an Illinois 4-year partner institution; US citizen or eligible noncitizen residing in Illinois; holistic review; 2.5 GPA; bachelor's from an Illinois partner university; Illinois teaching certification; teach 5 years in an Illinois school-of-need within 7 years of graduation.
Application checklist
- Online application
- References
- Personal statements
- Unofficial transcripts
- ACT/SAT optional for review (required after induction except as stated; home-school students must submit for review)
- Interviews
Application tips
- Meet the 1 December 2026 priority deadline for the strongest consideration.
- Confirm your institution is an Illinois partner university before applying.
- Be ready to commit to 5 years in a school-of-need within 7 years of graduation.
- Use the personal statements to show commitment to Illinois schools-of-need.
Always verify deadline, amount and eligibility on the official page before applying. Values marked ESTIMATE are based on a previous cycle and are not confirmed for the current round.
Tags: Teacher training, Illinois schools-of-need