What is the IEF?

The IEF (Illinois Education Foundation) is a not-for-profit organization that administers scholarship programs across the state of Illinois.  Our programs are specifically designed for low- and moderate-income graduates of Illinois high schools who are interested in pursuing vocational certificates, Associate's and Bachelor's degrees at public and private colleges within the state of Illinois.

What does an IEF scholarship include?

IEF scholarships provide students with last-dollar financial support coupled with comprehensive student support services that include tutoring, mentoring, and academic advising.

What does “comprehensive academic support services” encompass?

All IEF Scholars receive personalized support in the form of mentoring, tutoring, and academic advising.  All students are paired with mentors who are professionals in students’ fields of study and meet with their mentors on a monthly basis.  The monthly scholar/mentor meetings focus on developing the life skills, study skills, and professional skills students need to navigate college life and transition into four-year degree programs and/or the workforce.   Scholars are provided with tutoring support upon request, although students who receive a grade below a “C” in any course at mid-term are required to engage in tutoring.  IEF tutors are drawn from a pool of graduate students, teachers, and college instructors.  In addition, students meet with an academic advisor before registering for courses to ensure that their course selection is appropriate to their major and will allow them to graduate in a timely manner.

How do you determine which students receive Signature Fund scholarships? How do you recruit students? What is the application and selection process?

The IEF targets its scholarships to low-income, high potential students, as demonstrated by a comprehensive application and interview process.

Applications for fall enrollment are made available to high school seniors on January 1st.  Application materials are posted on the IEF website and disseminated to students through their high schools, participating community colleges, and community organizations.  After the May 31st application deadline, the IEF Selection Committee reviews applications, interviews finalists, and selects scholarship recipients.

Explain how the funding works? What does “last dollar” cover? For how many years?

Students are required to apply for all forms of state and federal aid via the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA).  For students attending community colleges, the IEF Signature Scholarship covers that balance of tuition that is not covered by grant assistance.  The Signature Scholarship also offers discretionary funding to offset educational expenses such as textbooks and supplies.  The IEF will determine the amount of this funding based on each student’s level of need.  Signature Scholars are eligible to receive a maximum of five years of funding: up to three years’ support to attain an Associate’s Degree and an additional two years to earn a Bachelor’s Degree at any Illinois public or private (non-proprietary) college or university.

Do you fund students who are not eligible for financial aid?

Yes.  The IEF targets students who are low- to moderate-income, which we define as earning a household income at or below 80% of the median income in the State of Illinois.  The IEF requires that all of our scholars apply for federal and state financial aid.  Many students from moderate-income families will not meet government eligibility criteria for grant aid but will still face extraordinary challenges in meeting the cost of a college education.  Those students are eligible for full scholarship aid from the IEF.

Does the IEF Signature Scholarship fund certificate programs or only AA and BA degree programs?

The IEF funds approved programs at the community college level, both certificate- and degree-granting.

Where do we get mentors? Do we have enough to sustain us if we fund a lot more students in the near future?

IEF Board and staff use their broad network of personal and professional contacts to recruit mentors with specific skills and professions.  We target community college alumni to serve as mentors and rely heavily on referrals from our partner organizations. The IEF currently maintains a “wait list” of interested mentors and is eager to recruit students to place with those mentors.

Do you choose which community colleges students will attend?

While the IEF maintains a close partnership with the City Colleges of Chicago, we allow our students to attend any accredited community college of their choosing.  Community colleges were established to put publicly funded higher education at close-to-home facilities for a commuter student population.  By allowing students to select an accredited community college that addresses their personal, family, and academic needs and supplementing that decision with a personalized set of support services, we can ensure that they are successful at any college they choose.

I love what the IEF is doing! How can I donate?

To make a donation, please contact us at (312) 920-9605 or click the link below.