Chicago Scholars
Offered by Chicago Scholars · Free to apply
This program supports high school juniors in Chicago through college graduation and career entry, connecting them with mentoring, college advising, and internal and partner scholarships. Applicants must be Chicago residents attending high school in the city, possess at least a 3.0 GPA, and typically be first-generation or low-income students. Candidates complete an online application with two essays, a recommendation, a transcript, and a short video interview.
Other deadlines near this one
How hard is the Chicago Scholars to win?
Narrow eligibility keeps the applicant pool small, so a qualified student has a genuinely realistic shot. These are the awards worth prioritising.
- Estimated odds
- roughly 1 in 2 applicants
- Modelled applicant field
- ~250 students
- Awards each cycle
- 900
- Payoff per hour of work
- $400 / hr
What drives the odds here
Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.
- Fewer rivalsOpen only to Illinois residents
- Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
- Fewer rivalsRecommendation letters are required, a step many applicants skip
- Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
- Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
- Fewer rivalsRequires at least a 3 GPA
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.
Who can apply for the Chicago Scholars?
These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.
- Must be a resident of Illinois
- Open to high school juniors
- GPA of 3 or higher (unweighted)
- Must live and attend high school within the Chicago city limits.
- Must demonstrate academic motivation, leadership, and a commitment to attending a four-year college.
- Typically must be a first-generation college student (neither parent graduated from a four-year college in the U.S.) and/or come from a low-income household.
- The general deadline is January 31, 2027 at 11:59 P.M. CDT; students applying via a referral partner must apply by December 31, 2026.
Personalized matching
Does your student actually qualify?
Not sure your student clears every rule above? Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
What the application takes
- Essay required.
- 1 letter of recommendation. Ask teachers or counselors early; good letters take time.
- Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.
Deadline and application cycle
The current deadline is January 31, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around January 31 each year. Applications typically open in October.
- Applications open
- October 2026
- Applications close
- January 31, 2027
Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.
Common questions about the Chicago Scholars
How much is the Chicago Scholars worth?
The Chicago Scholars awards varies. 900 awards are made each cycle.
When is the Chicago Scholars deadline?
The current deadline is January 31, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around January 31 each year. Applications typically open in October.
When do Chicago Scholars applications open?
Applications typically open in October, and close January 31, 2027.
Who is eligible for the Chicago Scholars?
Key requirements: Must be a resident of Illinois; Open to high school juniors; GPA of 3 or higher (unweighted).
Does the Chicago Scholars require an essay?
Yes. The application requires an essay, 1 recommendation, and a transcript. Expect to spend about 3.75 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the Chicago Scholars?
Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 2 applicants, against a modelled field of ~250 students. The pool stays that size because open only to Illinois residents and an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants. At 3.8 hrs of work, that is about $400 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.
Is the Chicago Scholars free to apply?
Yes. The Chicago Scholars is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
More need-based scholarships
- Coastal Bend Community Foundation Scholarships$100 to $16,000 by fund (average about $1,000) · due March 1, 2027
- Collaboratory Scholarships (Southwest Florida)Varies by fund; the 2026 cycle averaged about $7,300 per scholarship · due January 14, 2027
- College Assistance Program (CAP) Scholarship, MiamiVaries; Miami Foundation scholarships mostly range $500 to $10,000 · due May 24, 2027
- CollegeReady Scholarship ProgramVaries · due April 6, 2027
- Collier Scholars Common ApplicationVaries by fund across more than $2.2 million awarded annually · due February 2, 2027
- Colorado Masons’ Benevolent Fund Scholarship$7,000 per year · due March 1, 2027
Lists this award appears on
Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.