Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program

The Illinois Graduate and Retain our Workforce (iGROW) Tech Scholarship Program was established to recruit and retain individuals to work in technology jobs that have a high demand for new employees by providing scholarship assistance to Illinois students pursuing those careers. Scholarships pay up to $7,500 in tuition & fees and room & board for each year (two semesters or three quarters per academic year) that recipients meet eligibility requirements at an ISAC-approved institution of higher learning.

To qualify for the Illinois Graduate and Retain our Workforce Tech Scholarship Program, an applicant must:

• Be a U.S citizen or an eligible non-citizen (FSA Handbook Volume 1, Chapter 2) or meet the “undocumented student” criteria of the RISE Act
• Be an Illinois resident
• Have graduated from high school in Illinois or another state or have received a State of Illinois High School Diploma or GED/state diploma from another state, and have maintained a cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• The cumulative grade point average from college, if applicable, is used when determining eligibility
• If there is no college grade point average, then the cumulative grade point average from high school is used when determining eligibility
• Pursue or intend to pursue a qualifying degree
• Computer Information Sciences
• Information Technology
• Information Science
• Computer Science
• Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
• Computer And Information Systems Security or Information Assurance, Including Cybersecurity; or ,Management Information Systems
• Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment at an ISAC-approved institution of higher learning, on at least a half-time basis, in a course of study necessary to secure a qualifying associate or bachelor’s degree
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress, as determined by the college
• Complete the online application process by submitting a complete Illinois Graduate and Retain our Workforce Tech Scholarship Program application and a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) on or before the ISAC-established date to receive priority access to funding