District 509 Board of Trustees Scholarships

Application Criteria

Each scholarship has specific eligibility and maintenance requirements. Read these details for critical information, such as testing scores, grade point averages, and participation in a specific number of leadership and service opportunities at Elgin Community College. A paper application is required. (See reverse.) Terms and conditions stated in this application are effective as of fall 2025.

To Qualify for a District 509 Board of Trustees Scholarship, You Must:

1. Reside in Community College District 509 for at least 30 days immediately before the start of the first semester to which the scholarship applies; enroll at ECC as a freshman in the fall or spring semester immediately following your high school graduation; and rank in the upper 10 or 20 percent of your graduating class (using weighted ranking, if used by your high school). If your high school does not provide a class rank, please email us at financialaid@elgin.edu. You must also attend one of the high schools listed below:
   • Bartlett
   • Burlington-Central
   • Dundee-Crown
   • Elgin
   • Hampshire
   • Jacobs
   • Larkin
   • St. Charles East
   • St. Charles North
   • South Elgin
   • Streamwood
2. Private high schools: Community College District 509 residents who graduate from an accredited private high school in District 509 are also eligible.
3. Home-schooled students: Submit ACT® scores for evaluation. A minimum ACT composite score of 26 is required to be considered for Top 10 Percent Scholarship eligibility. A minimum ACT composite score of 24 is required to be considered for Top 20 Percent Scholarship eligibility.
4. Attend ECC’s online new student orientation session and provide official seventh-semester high school transcripts to the Admissions Office. Contact the Admissions Office to arrange an orientation date and time: 847-214-7385 or admissions@elgin.edu.
5. Submit a final/official high school transcript to the ECC Admissions Office. The official transcript must list the graduation date with weighted class ranking, if available, and be on file before the scholarship will be awarded.
6. Enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours and be accepted into an associate degree program at ECC, unless a vocational certificate is the only available option. Non-credit courses do not satisfy the credit requirement.
7. Be in good financial standing with all ECC departments (no outstanding balances or financial restrictions).
8. Submit a one-page essay (personal statement) that details your educational plans, career goals, and past involvement in high school and community activities. Include your name on the essay.
9. Complete an academic scholar's orientation as indicated in the award letter.

It is your responsibility to follow up on the status of your application to ensure it is approved. Incomplete applications will not be processed. Second-year scholarship recipients do not need to reapply, but are expected to confirm their continued scholarship eligibility.

To Maintain and Renew The Scholarship For Up To Two Consecutive Years, You Must:

1. Complete a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester in consecutive years, fall and spring semesters only. If you drop below full-time enrollment of at least 12 credit hours, you will forfeit the scholarship. The scholarship covers up to 12 hours of remedial/developmental classes over the course of the two-year scholarship period.
2. Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B).
3. Be in good financial standing with all ECC departments (no outstanding balances or financial restrictions).
4. Maintain in-district residency for the duration of the scholarship period.
5. Participate in ten leadership and service opportunities per semester (Top 10 Percent Scholarship) or five leadership and service opportunities per semester (Top 20 Percent Scholarship) at ECC as defined by the Academic Scholars Program. Leadership and service opportunities must be completed before the end of each term.
6. Maintain appropriate standards of conduct as detailed at elgin.edu/codeofconduct.

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