skip the i-GuideIllinois State UniversityAdmissions at ISUAcademics at ISUEvents at ISUMap of ISUISU A to Z ListingISU AccessibilityISU 150th Anniversary

Academic Scholarships for New Students

The University offers the following scholarships for incoming freshmen, based on their academic achievements in high school. For more information on applying for these scholarships, please visit the Office of Admissions website, or contact the Office of Admissions at (800) 366-2478.

The Honors Program offers the following scholarship to new freshmen:

Presidential Scholarships

The Presidential Scholarship is the most prestigious scholarship program that Illinois State offers and is only available to new beginning freshmen.

Presidential Scholarships are scholarships awarded to outstanding students based on factors without regard to financial need, including:

  • high school academic record
  • scores on college admissions tests (ACT/SAT)
  • demonstrated leadership qualities
  • evidence of commitment to service
  • essay
  • personal interview

Recent Presidential Scholars have ranked in the upper 4 percent of their high school classes and have average ACT composite scores in the lower 30s and higher.

Presidential Scholars receive an $8,000 annual award, renewable for up to eight semesters. Finalists in National Merit and National Achievement Programs who enroll as Presidential Scholars and list Illinois State as their first-choice school receive an additional $2,000 for one year.

Please contact the Office of Admissions to learn more about the application process.

Students who are awarded a Presidential Scholarship participate in the Honors Program and the Presidential Scholars Program. More information about the Presidential Scholars Program

Deans’ Scholarships

The applications of students who apply for, but are not awarded a Presidential Scholarship, are passed on for consideration for a Deans' Scholarship. The Deans’ Scholarship is a one-year monetary award of $1,000. The scholarship is based on academic performance and potential for outstanding accomplishments at the University.

Please contact the Office of Admissions for more information. This scholarship is not related to the Honors Program.

Honors First-Year Scholarships

Honors First-Year Scholarships are tuition scholarships awarded based on academic performance in the amount of $2000.00, to be used by entering freshmen for two semesters of full-time study in their first year at Illinois State University.

The Honors Program application is also used in consideration for these scholarships. Application materials should be returned to the Honors Program by March 1 (postmark).

Eligibility conditions:

  • Applicants must be admitted to Illinois State University and have either applied or have already been accepted into the Honors Program in order to be eligible for this scholarship.
  • Students awarded an Honors First-Year Scholarship must enroll for two semesters of full-time study and participate in the Honors Program in order to receive one of these scholarships.
  • Students awarded Presidential Scholarships at Illinois State are not eligible to receive Honors First-Year Scholarships.
  • Receipt of an Honors First-Year Scholarship may affect, and be affected by, the receipt of other scholarships. (A student awarded two tuition scholarships, for example, amounting to more than the cost of tuition, can only receive awards up to the total tuition cost.)

Criteria to be used in evaluating applications:

  • Excellent high school work, shown by cumulative grade point average in high school and by class rank

  • Outstanding writing skills, as shown in essay
  • Leadership potential, as shown in extracurricular activities
  • Superior college entrance exam scores